Here are some stories here in Detroit:
TORONTO— Canada's federal government and the province of Ontario agreed Friday to provide $3.5 billion Canadian dollars ($2.8 billion) for the Canadian auto industry.
http://www.freep.com/...
The Swedish government unveiled a 28-billion kronor ($3.4-billion) support package Thursday for the nation’s ailing auto industry, but insisted it won’t buy Volvo or Saab from their U.S. owners.
http://www.freep.com/...
But leave it to Mitch to write what we're all thinking:
Hey, you senators: Thanks for nothing
A few parting words for the senators who squashed the auto rescue
Do you want to watch us drown? Is that it? Do want to see the last gurgle of economic air spit from our lips? If so, senators, know this: We’re taking a piece of you with us. America isn’t America without an auto industry. You can argue whether $14 billion would have saved it, but your actions surely could have killed it.
http://www.freep.com/...
Take a look. Whether you hate Ford, or won't buy a GM because your Grandather has a flat tire on his old Chevy pickup, take a look.
You've seen the memo that broke on Countdown that proved what we all knew anyway,
that the Thugs were just after the Unions.
Take a peek, too, at Bill McGraw's OP-ED in the NYT
When the Cars Go Away
THIS week, as Washington has tried to decide whether to rescue the automobile industry, Americans have wondered what it looks like when a giant automobile company goes under. The answer can be found in Detroit.
http://www.nytimes.com/...
Bill talks about the ghost of Packard, the legendary automaker who couldn't make the transition from war production to the peacetime market.
During the war, Packard was called to manufacture the Rolls Royce Merlin engine, used throughout the Royal Air Force, in the Spitfire, Hurricane, Mosquito, and Lancaster. Rolls hand crafted each one.
Packard modified the design for mass production, and made 'em right here. Improved the performance, too. And guess who built them ? Rosies. Yep, right here at Packard.
The Merlins were taken across the river to the Canadian aircraft plants,
and the planes flown to war. Later, Packard made the engines for our P-51 Mustang.
They made the engines for our Navy's PT boats, too. Right, like Jack Kennedy.
Packard delivered ahead of schedule, under budget, and over quality.
And when the war was over, hadn't banked billions to make it easy to make cars again.
Good old Packard. Hard to understand in the Era of Halliburton, isn't it ?
Time for dinner, and then run to the store for some groceries for the food basket at church tomorrow. While you're waiting to see if we crumble up here in Michigan, why not take your movie money and get some groceries for folks at home who might be needing it.
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