autoindustrybailout

autoindustrybailout https://www.dailykos.com/news/autoindustrybailout News Community Action Copyright 2005 - Steal what you want Mon, 27 Jan 2020 17:23:47 +0000 Mon, 27 Jan 2020 17:23:47 +0000 Daily Kos rss@dailykos.com (Daily Kos) Daily Kos rss@dailykos.com (Daily Kos) Romney Calls the Kettle Crony https://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/9/26/1136733/-Romney-Calls-the-Kettle-Crony Cross-posted at <a href="http://alevei.com/2012/08/20/kettle-crony1/%20%E2%80%8E">Alevei</a>. As I wrote <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/09/21/1135062/-Crony-Capitalism-Partisan-Hackery-and-Higher-Education">in a recent post</a>, getting your head around the idea of GOP vice presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) as even remotely credible on the topic of calling out "crony capitalism" requires a superhuman tolerance for cognitive dissonance or an extraordinary sense of humor or both. Specifically, I suggested that the very idea of Rep. Ryan's endorsement of A Capitalism for the People: Recapturing the Lost Genius of American Prosperity, a new book decrying "crony capitalism" by the University of Chicago economist and <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/14/opinion/the-college-graduate-as-collateral.html?_r=1&ref=studentloans">self-proclaimed drain on the economy Luigi Zingales</a>, is kind of a ridiculous, hypocritical outrage that really ought to be hilarious but isn't because of what Rep. Ryan's power and influence could potentially mean for <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2012/aug/15/business/la-fi-hiltzik-20120815">actual</a> <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/03/the-worst-part-of-paul-ryans-budget/254845/#)">people</a> who are not Paul Ryan or Luigi Zingales. As I hope I made clear in that post, this is by no means to suggest that Rep. Ryan is not an expert in crony capitalism. Of course he is. <a href="#footnote1">[1]</a> And of course that's part of what makes him such a perfect match for his running mate, Governor Mitt Romney, whose many gifts in the areas of crony capitalism and astonishing hypocrisy deserve a shout-out of their own, which I offer below. rss@dailykos.com (alevei) AstonishingHypocrisy auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout CronyCapitalism Mitt Romney MittRomney Paul Ryan PaulRyan Rescued SaltLakeCityOlympics _1136733 Wed, 26 Sep 2012 22:15:58 +0000 Make my day, Mitt https://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/9/5/1127968/-Make-my-day-Mitt Reposted from <a href="http://thehill.com/conventions-2012/dem-convention-charlotte/247407-opinion-make-my-day-mitt">The Hill</a>, with the permission of the author: Make my day, Mitt By Brent Budowsky I am a big fan of Clint Eastwood. After his appearance at the Republican convention I imagined what he might do addressing Mitt Romney with an empty chair at the Democratic gathering. While Lloyd Bentsen would say I am no Clint Eastwood, here goes: Glancing at the chair, I begin: Gov. Romney, remembering the jobless rate four years ago, in November 2008 — Americans lost more than 500,000 jobs that month. Even worse, in the weeks before President Obama was inaugurated, America lost another 700,000 jobs. Governor, you believe Americans were better off four years ago with that? You promise that if you are elected, your policies would destroy 500,000 jobs, or 700,000 jobs, as happened during the Bush crash that you claim were better days? rss@dailykos.com (cmkay) afghanastan AreYouBetterOff auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout billmcraven bushjoblosses BushRecession Cayman Islands CaymanIslands ClintEastwood DemocraticConvention Elizabeth Warren ElizabethWarren emptychair GeorgeRomney GreatDepression HollyPetraeus JillBiden LloydBentsen MadeinAmerica MichelleObama Mitt Romney MittRomney Osama bin Laden OsamabinLaden RepublicanConvention RomneyTaxReturns sayanything SheldonAdelson Swissbankaccounts Transparency _1127968 Wed, 05 Sep 2012 15:22:06 +0000 The Disturbing Pathology of Mitt Romney https://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/12/1035762/-The-Disturbing-Pathology-of-Mitt-Romney <a href="http://detnews.com/article/20111110/POLITICS03/111100503/Romney--%E2%80%98Breaks-my-heart%E2%80%99-to-see-Detroit%E2%80%99s-decline">http://detnews.com/...</a> What a hypocritical jackass: <blockquote>"It breaks my heart to see the city the way I see it now," Romney said at a rally in Troy. "I remember Detroit as the pride of the nation. "… I see what's happened and it just tears at my heart because I know what this city can be and was." </blockquote> It "tears at his heart." This is the guy who would have dumped hundreds of thousands of auto workers, their families, and their supporting industries and businesses into the Michigan streets, and he has the audacity and arrogance to shed crocodile tears for Detroit.  The same clueless lack of empathy he displayed when he tied his hapless dog to the top of the car is on full display here, as is the pathological flip-flopping and outright lying.  In other words, <a href="http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2011/nov/10/mitt-we-hardly-knew-ye/">Nixon</a> with a blow dryer. Mark Brewer, Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, put it bluntly after Wednesday's <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20111110/NEWS15/111100579/Economy-takes-center-stage-Michigan-debate">debate:</a> <blockquote>"It's ironic that the latest GOP debate was held in the shadow of Chrysler's World Headquarters, one of the largest office complexes in the state, when every one of the candidates on stage would have let the domestic auto industry disappear," said state Democratic Chairman Mark Brewer.                                                      **** "In the domestic auto industry's darkest hour, Romney would have let Chrysler and General Motors be liquidated -- taking 1.4 million jobs with them. </blockquote> rss@dailykos.com (Dartagnan) 2012elections auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout Barack Obama BarackObama Elections Mitt Romney MittRomney _1035762 Sat, 12 Nov 2011 15:10:48 +0000 Red meat for us! Obama admin wants Wall Street banks to help pay for auto & other bailout losses https://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/9/19/1018331/-Red-meat-for-us-Obama-admin-wants-Wall-Street-banks-to-help-pay-for-auto-other-bailout-losses This should make progressives VERY happy. In fact, it ought to make the Congressional Progressive Caucus especially happy because the Obama administration is pushing to adopt a key component of their <a href="http://grijalva.house.gov/uploads/GGTSPU-gg2.ctus.chemtrend.com-11704-397274-DAT/The%20People's%20Budget%20-%20A%20Technical%20Analysis.pdf">People's Budget (pdf)</a>: forcing the banks that caused our country's economic crisis to help pick up the pieces by paying for the losses incurred by taxpayers in helping save our domestic auto industry and emergency measures. The mechanism is a "<a href="http://www.detnews.com/article/20110919/AUTO01/109190394/White-House-wants-banks-to-pay-for-auto-bailout-losses">Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee</a>". <blockquote>The Obama administration said Monday it wants to make the nation's largest banks pay for the losses incurred in the $85 billion auto bailout and other bailout programs. As part of the administration's proposal to cut the deficit by more than $3 trillion over 10 years, the White House has resurrected a proposal to create a "Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee" — a move that would raise $30 billion over 10 years. The fee is aimed at recouping losses from the government's $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program — the emergency fund created in 2008 by Congress to rescue banks, insurance companies and automakers. In January 2010, President Barack Obama first proposed imposing a fee on big banks to cover auto losses. At the time, the fee was expected to raise $90 billion over 10 years, from the 50 largest institutions, including Ally Financial Inc., the government-owned Detroit-based auto and mortgage lender. </blockquote> And, yes, Tim Geithner is on board. <blockquote>Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner defended the proposal at a briefing with reporters Monday. "That proposal is designed to make sure that if there are any losses from the emergency actions we took to put out the financial fires of '08 and '09, that we recover those losses in the form of a fee on the institutions that benefited most directly from those programs," Geithner said. </blockquote> I'd say that's a fine idea. Fine indeed. Cross-posted from <a href="http://eclectablog.com">Eclectablog</a>. rss@dailykos.com (Eclectablog) auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout FinancialCrisisResponsibilityFee ObamaAdministration Recommended Timothy Geithner TimothyGeithner wallstreetbanks _1018331 Mon, 19 Sep 2011 20:15:25 +0000 Union Owned and Operated? https://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/6/17/986287/-Union-Owned-and-Operated Conservative commentator Charles Krauthammer’s recent column “Union Owned and Operated” outlines what he calls democrats “fealty” to organized labor. For progressive critics of congressional democrats and this white house, it’s instructive to see how the right stokes its base by citing the union boogeyman.  And it’s important to recognize that many republicans honestly believe that labor does, in fact, control the democratic party. Krauthammer clams that free-trade agreements with Columbia, Panama and South Korea have been held up by the administration because “unions don’t like them” insisting that “trade adjustment assistance” to displaced American workers are included in the deals. Listing the economic stimulus, the auto industry bailout and a representation election at Delta Airlines as examples of union-driven policies, Krauthammer then raises the latest attack on Obama’s submission to the union agenda: The National Labor Relations Board’s action against Boeing for allegedly punishing union workers in the northwest by moving work to a nonunion plant in the southeast. rss@dailykos.com (laborlou) AFL-CIO auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout Boeing CharlesKrauthammer Columbia Democrats displacedAmericanworkers EconomicStimulus free-tradeagreements NLRB Panama Republicans SouthKorea TradeAdjustmentAssistance unionboogeyman _986287 Fri, 17 Jun 2011 22:06:07 +0000 Rep Peters invites Old Man McCain to Michigan to rub his nose in automotive industry recovery https://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/5/26/979546/-Rep-Peters-invites-Old-Man-McCain-to-Michigan-to-rub-his-nose-in-automotive-industry-recovery Remember way back in 2008 when presidential candidate John McCain was dead set against the loans being given to our domestic vehicle manufacturers to prevent the entire industry from collapsing? It has turned out to be a big win for President Obama and his administration since then, but <a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1208/McCain_against_the_bailout.html">John McCain didn't think it was a good idea at all</a>: <blockquote>I regret the president’s decision to give away over $17 billion to the domestic automakers. Just last week, the Senate rejected a bailout plan because it failed to provide assurances that the domestic manufacturers would fundamentally change the way they do business to ensure their long-term viability. I find it unacceptable that we would leave the American taxpayer with a tab of tens of billions of dollars while failing to receive any serious concessions from the industry.</blockquote> Well, Michigan Congressman Gary Peters, who, of course, supported the loans from the beginning, has <a href="http://www.mlive.com/auto/index.ssf/2011/05/gary_peters_invites_john_mccai.html">invited Senator McCain to swing by Michigan</a> for a big heaping cup of "STFU 'Cause I Told You So" Blend. <blockquote>A Michigan congressman is inviting U.S. Sen. John McCain to visit Chrysler's headquarters so he can "see the automotive industry's recovery" for himself. In a letter sent to McCain on Tuesday, Democratic Rep. Gary Peters encourages the Arizona Republican to meet with autoworkers in Michigan so he "can hear from them firsthand how they were able to prove you wrong." </blockquote> Heh, heh. Think he'll come? He bailed on Michigan (and on the automotive industry) during the 2008 election campaign so my money is on "hell no". Cross-posted from <a href="http://eclectablog.com">Eclectablog</a>. rss@dailykos.com (Eclectablog) auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout automotiveindustry GaryPeters John McCain JohnMcCain Michigan _979546 Thu, 26 May 2011 16:12:25 +0000 Kat's Daily Obama Administration Report, 11/24/10 https://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/11/24/922877/-Kat-s-Daily-Obama-Administration-Report-11-24-10 Happy eve of Thanksgiving, and thank you very much for your support of this diary.  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday. Today's report features: • POTUS & VPOTUS address auto workers: Chrysler announces an additional investment of more than $800 million in its Kokomo facilities. • TARP News: The total amount of Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds returned to taxpayers now exceeds $250 billion. Center for Automotive Research: The bailout saved over 1.4 million jobs. • Recovery Act News: An animated map from Recovery.gov shows where jobs have been created by the Recovery Act; a review of projects to create jobs and build the renewable energy economy. • Response to North Korean attack: Statements from the White House and State Department. • Health Care News: NIH: An oral antiretroviral drug reduces the risk of HIV infection; Nancy-Ann DeParle answers your questions on the implementation of reforms in the Affordable Care Act. • The President test drives Japanese technology: After APEC meetings, President Obama was introduced to a robot that mimics humans, animatronic seal pups and a motorized personal vehicle. rss@dailykos.com (Kat 4 Obama) Affordable Care Act AffordableCareAct animatronic apec attackonYeonpyeong auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout BarackObama Chrysler Clean Energy CleanEnergy compressednaturalgas creatingjobs DepartmentofEnergy EdwardTufte ElectricCars GMIPO GreenEconomy GreenGovsymposium GreenIndustries greensupplychain health care reform implementation healthcarereformimplementation HIV HIVriskreduction Indiana Investment Japaneserobots JobCreation JoeBiden KatsDailyObamaAdministrationReport kokomo Lights-onMap middle-classtaxcuts MV-1 Nancy-AnnDeParle NationalCleanEnergySummit NationalInstitutesofHealth nih North Korea NorthKorea President Obama recovery.gov RecoveryAct retrofitting Robots SecretaryChu SolarCompanies SolarPanels SouthKorea StandingBehindtheAmericanAutoIndustry StephenBosworth TARP TARPrepayment Treasury Department TuesdayTalks U.SSpecialRepresentativeforNorthKoreanPolicy Vice President Biden _922877 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:19:44 +0000 GM's CEO, DOES IT MATTER HE WAS FIRED https://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/3/31/715048/-GM-s-CEO-DOES-IT-MATTER-HE-WAS-FIRED R WAGONER GM's CEO, DOES IT MATTER HE WAS FIRED By Eric Lafayette March 31st 2009 published by: <a href="http://www.fordemocracy.com">www.fordemocracy.com</a> Dear readers Does it matters to you that Rick Wagoner the CEO of GM for the last 8 years was fired by the Obama administration? It is of great importance to me and I hope to you. rss@dailykos.com (LAFAYETTE) Auto Industry AutoIndustry autoindustrybailout GeneralMotors GM rickwagoner _715048 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:13:05 +0000 UAW chained to no-strike law as loan condition--outrageous! https://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/1/9/682066/-UAW-chained-to-no-strike-law-as-loan-condition-outrageous     See the Detroit News, <a href="http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090109/AUTO01/901090386/1148">UAW strike would kill auto loans: Auto rescue terms raise stakes in deal mandating changes in pay, benefits</a>, <blockquote>     General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC would be in default of up to $17.4 billion in federal loans if the United Auto Workers or another union engaged in a strike or work stoppage, a loan provision that essentially strips the union of a powerful negotiating tactic it has used several times in recent years.     The provision is buried deep [surprise, surprise--ed.] in the Loan and Security Agreement between GM and the U.S. Treasury Department governing the use of up to $13.4 billion in short-term loans that prevented the automaker's collapse, according to documents filed Wednesday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. ... </blockquote> and Detroit Free Press, <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20090109/BUSINESS01/901090397/1014/Auto+rescue+terms+raise+stakes">UAW strike would kill auto loans: Auto rescue terms raise stakes in deal mandating changes in pay, benefits</a>, (much more below--including action) rss@dailykos.com (David Boyle) auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout BobCorker BushAdministration Censure Democracy Detroit Dick Cheney DickCheney George W. Bush GeorgeWBush Impeachment Justice Labor Law LaborLaw no-strikelaws Rule of Law RuleofLaw Russ Feingold RussFeingold SpecialProsecutor Taft-HartleyAct Torture UAW _682066 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 17:44:02 +0000 Jerrold Nadler should be posting here soon. (Action) https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/12/26/677375/-Jerrold-Nadler-should-be-posting-here-soon-Action     I also tried this with Caroline Kennedy, but although she has a possible <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/search?offset=0&old_count=30&string=Caroline+Kennedy&type=user&sortby=relevance&search=Search&count=30&wayback=20160&wayfront=0">ghost presence</a> here now, it ain't doin much. Silly, just like the rest of Knickerbocker SKD's mismanagement of her.     Maybe Jerrold Nadler might work better. He seems to have a decent grip on holding Busharama accountable, after all...     (I've noted Kos' <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/12/26/1203/4263/433/676883">jones for Nad</a> on the front page today, although I've been thinking about writing this diary for a while before that.)     Anyway, if J. Nad wants into the Senate, he might want to <ol><li value="1"> portray himself as a counterweight to the flaccid Harry Reids of the Senate;</li></ol> <ol><li value="2"> get a voice of his own in the Internet world IMMEDIATELY, e.g., here;</li></ol> (more below) rss@dailykos.com (David Boyle) auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout BobCorker Bush Tax Cuts BushTaxCuts Caroline Kennedy CarolineKennedy Censure Daily Kos DailyKos DavidPaterson Dick Cheney DickCheney Gay Marriage GayMarriage George W. Bush GeorgeWBush Harry Reid HarryReid Iraq JerroldNadler JohnFKennedy NewYork2008U.SSenateappointment Progressives TedKennedy U.S. Senate UAW _677375 Fri, 26 Dec 2008 20:11:22 +0000 Caroline Kennedy should be posting here soon. (Action) https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/12/16/673548/-Caroline-Kennedy-should-be-posting-here-soon-Action     Not a threat, just a benevolent wish.     I am someone who wouldn't mind seeing Caroline Kennedy in the Senate, but if she wants to serve her country and set herself apart from her "competitors", she might want to <ol><li value="1"> portray herself as a counterweight to the flaccid Harry Reids of the Senate. (Cf. Reid’s recent <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20081213/pl_bloomberg/ajayb_aoqsls">calling REPUBLICAN senator Corker a great guy</a>! For what, trying to sink the auto industry bailout and castrate the UAW? !);</li></ol> <ol><li value="2"> get a voice of her own in the Internet world IMMEDIATELY, just like her uncle Ted who is a Daily Kos member and has posted here many times;</li></ol> <ol><li value="3"> come up with a specifically progressive agenda (e.g., an official Congressional censure of Bush/Cheney for all their misdeeds; protecting gay civil marriages; hastening Iraq withdrawal and the cancellation of Bush tax cuts for the rich) to show that she is not just some coddled Kennedy who wants a fancy job, but rather, someone to be reckoned with, and who has something special to offer and who will serve and protect the American people and take their grievances seriously.</li></ol>    Can she handle it? (more below) rss@dailykos.com (David Boyle) auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout BobCorker Bush Tax Cuts BushTaxCuts Caroline Kennedy CarolineKennedy Censure Daily Kos DailyKos DavidPaterson Dick Cheney DickCheney Gay Marriage GayMarriage George W. Bush GeorgeWBush Harry Reid HarryReid Iraq JohnFKennedy NewYork2008U.SSenateappointment Progressives TedKennedy U.S. Senate UAW _673548 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:34:34 +0000 Hartmann Eloquently Defends American Workers https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/12/13/672589/-Hartmann-Eloquently-Defends-American-Workers Appearing on Countdown (yesterday with David Shuster), Thom Hartmann eloquently defended the American workers, calling Republican blockage of help for the auto industry an attempt by them to break the unions and reminding us that our perilous economic situation is the direct result of Reaganomics. rss@dailykos.com (Liberal Thinking) AlexanderHamilton Americanworkers auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout Countdown DavidShuster Economy internationaltradeagreements MSNBC Reaganomics Recommended RepublicanPolicy RonaldReagan ThomHartmann trade policy tradepolicy Union Busting UnionBusting _672589 Sun, 14 Dec 2008 03:00:31 +0000 Michael Moore's flip-flop from previous anti-bailout diary https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/12/12/672556/-Michael-Moore-s-flip-flop-from-previous-anti-bailout-diary     Not that I'm the only one who noticed, cf. <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2008/12/12/163552/92/403#c403">Rich in PA</a>, <blockquote>     ...You know the bailout is bullshit--you said it yourself a week or two ago. ... </blockquote> , and <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2008/12/12/163552/92/427#c427">missliberties</a>, <blockquote> Um...... Mr. Moore     weren't you opposed to the auto bailout. That is what I recall you saying on TV.     Am I mistaken here, or have you had a change of heart.     You could have been a proponent of the bailout. Instead you ignorantly were against it. ... </blockquote>     Maybe people need a ranty rant against the Saxby Shelbys of the Senate, but a little consistency doesn't hurt. And it doesn't hurt for a diarist to stay around in his own diary, cf. Moore's epochally Hollywoody <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2008/12/12/163552/92/205#c205">admission</a>, <blockquote>     I would comment more, but I’m making a movie! </blockquote> (more on Moore below) rss@dailykos.com (David Boyle) auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout automotiveindustry Big 3 Big3 Detroit Flip-Flop MichaelMoore Mitt Romney MittRomney RichardShelby RonGettelfinger SaxbyChambliss UAW _672556 Sat, 13 Dec 2008 06:14:13 +0000 How Does Michigan Feel? https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/12/12/672350/-How-Does-Michigan-Feel The auto-industry could go bankrupt, and the people of Michigan would be among the hardest hit. Hearing the pleadings of the senators from the state of Michigan to their colleagues in the Senate, it feels like they are on their knees. They seem to be begging the others to negotiate in good faith and not hold the auto-industry hostage to the 'free-market principles'. I wonder if they feel, or are made to feel, like they live in, or represent, a part of the 'third world'? rss@dailykos.com (Phylosoph) auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout _672350 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:29:03 +0000 On the Auto Industry Bailout https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/12/11/672060/-On-the-Auto-Industry-Bailout Here is an idea for our Republican friends in Congress: Instead of using the United Auto Workers as a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/12/business/12auto.html?partner=rss&emc=rss">scapegoat</a> for the current financial woes of the automobile industry, why not enact Universal Health Care and take away the corporate burden of paying for employee health care, a burden that the foreign competitors of GM, Ford, and Chrysler do not have to carry. <blockquote> In a last-ditch effort to revive a government rescue for the American auto industry, Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee, was trying late Thursday to persuade Senate Democrats to back an alternate plan that would require steep concessions by the United Auto Workers union and by creditors to General Motors and Chrysler. </blockquote> Instead we get attempts to break the UAW.  Same game, different day. Yeah I know that won't happen.  But I feel better now! rss@dailykos.com (Kung Fu Quibbler) auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout Union Busting UnionBusting _672060 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 02:07:38 +0000 Are they all idiots? https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/12/4/669487/-Are-they-all-idiots This is a rant. What the hell is going on? We give the banksters hundreds of BILLIONS of dollars to free up the credit markets so that they can make loans to businesses. Then the Auto companies face bankruptcy because they can’t get loans from the banks that have been given immense resources to do just that! rss@dailykos.com (detler) auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout Banksters Economic Crisis EconomicCrisis TARP _669487 Fri, 05 Dec 2008 02:50:30 +0000 Refuting ridiculous rant of Michael "Mitt" Moore vs. bailout https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/12/3/669131/-Refuting-ridiculous-rant-of-Michael-Mitt-Moore-vs-bailout     While <del>Mitt</del> Michael Moore's <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/12/3/74954/1532/390/668798">rant</a> against helping out the Detroit big 3 auto firms (in the way that Wall Street big banks have been helped out for far larger amounts than $34 billion) is not without all value, it still comes across as overblown and silly.     Some points: <ol><li value="1"> Moore made his career by hating on (with reason, perhaps) General Motors in his film "Roger and Me", so he may not be without bias or rancor;</li></ol> <ol><li value="2"> He says it's wrong to bash the Big 3 heads for flying on separate private jets to the congressional hearing, when some of the bank executives flew in on such planes as well. Instead, Moore should have said that Congress should've bashed the New York people on the plane issue too, rather than Moore giving a pass to the Big 3 execs for using those planes, ...a pass which is inconsistent with his "Blow up the Big 3" tone of the rest of his essay;</li></ol> (more on Moore) rss@dailykos.com (David Boyle) AlanMulally auto industry bailout auto workers autoindustrybailout automobileindustry autoworkers Barack Obama BarackObama Big3automanufacturers BobNardelli CharltonHeston Chrysler Detroit Economy Ford GM MichaelMoore Mitt Romney MittRomney rickwagoner RonGettelfinger UAW Wall Street Bailout WallStreetBailout _669131 Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:56:55 +0000 How would YOU save Detroit? https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/24/666016/-How-would-YOU-save-Detroit We are a community of do-ers.  A community of well-educated and plugged in people with good ideas for policy and countless hours spent in the trenches learning the minutiae of law and regulation.  We are the Wonks.  So who better than we to put on the table a comprehensive plan for the coming restructuring of the auto industry. My humble contribution is offered, culled from my short stint in venture capital work and longer stint as a Kossack.  Please chime in. rss@dailykos.com (The Fonging) auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout Chrysler Ford GeneralMotors GeoMetro VentureCapital _666016 Tue, 25 Nov 2008 02:07:06 +0000 Does US Security Require Bailing Out the Auto Industry? https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/24/665880/-Does-US-Security-Require-Bailing-Out-the-Auto-Industry Talking to a friend of mine in the stock market field this morning, and she was saying that one overlooked aspect of the auto industry's troubles is that it could impact our national security: If we are faced with another war, particularly a major one, and we have allowed the automakers to go bankrupt in the meantime, we could find ourselves with a pressing need for materiel and no way to make it. So I poked around the internet, and found that this argument has indeed been raised, by Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) among others, but that it's not so clearcut as all that. Follow me below the fold and see what you think. rss@dailykos.com (DanK Is Back) auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout National Security NationalSecurity _665880 Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:00:22 +0000 An under-discussed potential tragedy if Detroit Fails https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/22/665238/-An-under-discussed-potential-tragedy-if-Detroit-Fails <blockquote> But there is another side that must be addressed with some sort of legislative mandate because if the auto world of Detroit is allowed to fail and sink behind the veil of protection that bankruptcy provides, the potential for great human tragedy becomes increasingly real for large groups of vulnerable Americans. </blockquote> rss@dailykos.com (codylyon) Auto Industry auto industry bailout AutoIndustry autoindustrybailout Bankruptcy carindustrybailout corporatebailouts Detroit pensionplans unionretirees Unions _665238 Sat, 22 Nov 2008 23:32:57 +0000 The Austin Allegro https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/21/664736/-The-Austin-Allegro Let me introduce you to the Austin Allegro.   <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Allegro">http://en.wikipedia.org/...</a> This little car holds many lessons for us as we consider our auto industry today - for it is a stark symbol of an bygone era - the era of the British auto industry.  For the Allegro can legitimately be considered the part of the last gasp of a once mighty company that has brought us many legendary marques such as Triumph, MG, the Mini, Rover, and many, many other cars that used to rule the road in Britain.  Of course I am speaking of British Leyland.  Its history is very illustrative, and I had the opportunity to observe it firsthand.  Follow me over the fold... rss@dailykos.com (ex VRWC) auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout _664736 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:12:10 +0000 On again, off again auto bailout back on? https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/20/664178/-On-again-off-again-auto-bailout-back-on Diarist Johnny Venom is <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/20/123319/88">following this minute-by-minute</a>, but the basics are that the auto bailout that <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/20/93724/410/59/664052">looked to have been abandoned</a> earlier today may be back on. But is it back on only to be shot down all over again? The <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gbjFY-o07QeryRxtFR3oC1w_v1PwD94IQH3G0">AP reports</a> that auto state Senators Carl Levin (D-MI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Kit Bond (R-MO) say they have a bipartisan deal to put a bailout back on the table, with <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aMQyrbRKIWxE&refer=home">Bloomberg reporting</a> that they'll unveil it at a 2:30 pm presser. Procedural and political wrangling <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gbjFY-o07QeryRxtFR3oC1w_v1PwD94IQH3G0">surround every step</a>, of course: <blockquote> White House press secretary Dana Perino on Thursday blamed Reid for not allowing the Republicans' separate auto-aid plan to come up for a vote. "Unfortunately it looks like Sen. Reid just wants to pick up his ball and go home for the next two weeks — two months — for vacation," she said. </blockquote> <blockquote> Congressional Democrats countered that the Treasury Department already had the power to grant emergency funds to the automakers, but the Bush administration opposed the approach. </blockquote> So Treasury, which as we'll recall is now pretty much unbound by any rules or laws whatsoever, could have dealt with this at its leisure. But they didn't. Why not? What does the White House want? <blockquote> The White House and congressional Republicans have urged Democrats to support a GOP plan to divert a $25 billion loan program created by Congress in September — designed to help the companies develop more fuel-efficient vehicles — to meet the auto giants' immediate financial needs. </blockquote> The "bipartisan" plan? Do that. Then give 'em more money. <blockquote> Sens. Carl Levin, D-Mich., Kit Bond. R-Mo., and George Voinovich, R-Ohio, are trying to broker an alternative that could provide bridge loans or a guarantee that the fuel-efficiency loan fund ultimately would be replenished. Negotiators were discussing a scaled-down aid package of $5 billion to $8 billion to help the automakers survive through year's end. </blockquote> But even if the Senate can adopt such a plan today (and who sincerely doubts their ability to accept a White House demand and then add more money onto it?), the House may not stay in town to pick it up when they're done. So we may see yet another lame duck session in December: <blockquote> House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., noted that Democratic leaders were planning to gather for an economic conference the week of Dec. 8. "That is available," Hoyer said. "The year has not ended." </blockquote> rss@dailykos.com (David Waldman) auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout _664178 Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:38:19 +0000 Today in Congress/Open Thread https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/20/664052/-Today-in-Congress-Open-Thread In the House, courtesy of the <a href="http://majorityleader.house.gov/links_and_resources/whip_resources/dailyleader.cfm?pressreleaseID=2640">Office of the Majority Leader:</a> <blockquote> FLOOR SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2008 House meets at 10:00 a.m. for Legislative Business No votes are expected Members are advised that following the Pledge of Allegiance, the House is expected to recess subject to the Call of the Chair awaiting further action from the Senate. **Additional information regarding the Floor schedule for the remainder of the week will be announced as it becomes available. </blockquote> In the Senate, courtesy of the Office of the Majority Leader: <blockquote> Convenes: 9:30am <a href="http://www.senate.gov/reference/glossary_term/morning_business.htm">Morning Business</a> for up to 1 hour with senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each. Following Morning Business, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to cal. #1113, <a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:H.R.6867:">H.R.6867</a>, Unemployment Insurance Extension. Votes: Roll Call Votes are expected during Thursday's session. </blockquote> Translation, the House is waiting to see what kind of stimulus/bailout package the Senate passes, and the Senate is probably giving up and passing unemployment benefits extensions instead. Over at OpenCongress.org, the unemployment benefits extension bill is apparently <a href="http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-h6867/show">one of their most-viewed write-ups</a> on legislation. Check them out for a little additional background. Still more at <a href="http://bobgeiger.blogspot.com/2008/11/democrats-push-for-unemployment.html">BobGeiger.com</a>. rss@dailykos.com (David Waldman) auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout H.R.6867-110 TodayinCongress UnemploymentBenefits _664052 Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:40:03 +0000 Clyburn on bailout: Bush punishing OH, IN for voting blue https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/19/663923/-Clyburn-on-bailout-Bush-punishing-OH-IN-for-voting-blue Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) was a guest on the Ed Schultz show today. He said that the White House is being "recalcitrant" regarding the auto industry bailout because George Bush wants to punish Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio for voting blue.   This was the first I have heard of such an assertion, and it was made in a very point-blank way by Rep. Clyburn.   You can listen to the audio <a href="http://www.edschultzshow.com/">here at www.edschultzshow.com</a>.  I don't know how to embed this or isolate it.  Go the link, to the upper left of the home page and click on 01 of the Audio/Video archive.  Mouse over Ed's picture for the "play" button after you click on 01. My transcript of the conversation is below. rss@dailykos.com (JLFinch) auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout EdSchultz JamesClyburn _663923 Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:46:03 +0000 Workers, yes; bosses, no https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/18/662919/-Workers-yes-bosses-no President-elect Obama told 60 Minutes that "for the auto industry to completely collapse," would have dire consequences for the American economy. He chooses his words carefully. They leave room for greatly shrinking the auto industry and growing new industries that use renewable resources and are more environmentally (climate included) friendly. The current crisis provides an opportunity to let the obsolete sector of the economy shrivel more quickly, and accelerate the development of a new one. Moreover, Japanese car makers in the United States are doing OK; it’s just the Big Three that are hopelessly behind the times—and are clamoring for a bridge-loan to nowhere. rss@dailykos.com (Amitai Etzioni) auto industry bailout autoindustrybailout Bailout Energy Green Jobs GreenJobs _662919 Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:24:23 +0000