Comments on: Why bail out the car companies when they bailed out on us? http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/ The Latest on Climate Science, Solutions, and Politics Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:27:35 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Kenny http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-24729 Kenny Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:37:03 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-24729 How about this, we merge the big 3. They can all work together to make a fuel efficent car. Alot of hybrids are cult cars. There are some people that buy them to show that they are better then everyone else; or in my terms they have their head up their ass. Why make hybrids look so hidious, well i think so they stick out. Make a normal looking car at a reasonable price. We have the technology to make a 4000lb SUV get 40mpg+ and and a 2000lb car get 60+ mpg. The problem is with this ressecion no one has the money to buy a $20,000+ car. Now lets talk about all this gas guzzler tax. What about the people who need that vehicle for work, should we tax their income even more so they can go to work, that is straight bullshit. Alot of the people who are bitching about this whole situation the most are the big guys that have money and that none of this will affect them. Say what you want for what i just said but it is my opinion and alot is facts. 1. Merge GM and Ford (maybe chysler) 2. Give them not 700 billion but lets say 50 billion to start, not to produce big ass gas guzzlers but some nice fuel efficent cars. See where that gets them. Put those techs to work, we have the technology. How about this, we merge the big 3. They can all work together to make a fuel efficent car. Alot of hybrids are cult cars. There are some people that buy them to show that they are better then everyone else; or in my terms they have their head up their ass. Why make hybrids look so hidious, well i think so they stick out. Make a normal looking car at a reasonable price. We have the technology to make a 4000lb SUV get 40mpg+ and and a 2000lb car get 60+ mpg. The problem is with this ressecion no one has the money to buy a $20,000+ car. Now lets talk about all this gas guzzler tax. What about the people who need that vehicle for work, should we tax their income even more so they can go to work, that is straight bullshit. Alot of the people who are bitching about this whole situation the most are the big guys that have money and that none of this will affect them. Say what you want for what i just said but it is my opinion and alot is facts.

1. Merge GM and Ford (maybe chysler)
2. Give them not 700 billion but lets say 50 billion to start, not to produce big ass gas guzzlers but some nice fuel efficent cars. See where that gets them. Put those techs to work, we have the technology.

]]> By: dano http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-22874 dano Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:30:18 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-22874 If we all drove a Prius, you better set aside a large area for a toxic waste site for all of those nickel batteries that cannot be recycled. GM, for the Volt, is going to use a lithium-ion battery, which holds a charge better and does not suffer from memory loss. Toyota does not have all the answers! If we all drove a Prius, you better set aside a large area for a toxic waste site for all of those nickel batteries that cannot be recycled. GM, for the Volt, is going to use a lithium-ion battery, which holds a charge better and does not suffer from memory loss. Toyota does not have all the answers!

]]> By: David Sieverding http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-22705 David Sieverding Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:46:19 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-22705 The auto industry can become enormously successful, creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs by leapfrogging the competition technologically. That can be done by developing and switching to the turbine engine. This is discussed in www.economic-plan.com. The auto industry can become enormously successful, creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs by leapfrogging the competition technologically. That can be done by developing and switching to the turbine engine. This is discussed in http://www.economic-plan.com.

]]> By: Theresa Brennan http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-22388 Theresa Brennan Mon, 17 Nov 2008 23:47:23 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-22388 A word on Sen. Shelby. He is also the guy who worked with Air Bus to bring about 2000 jobs to Alabama in a new fighter plane being built and let the French keep the rest of the billion dollars involved. Sen. Shelby is a moron. A word on Sen. Shelby. He is also the guy who worked with Air Bus to bring about 2000 jobs to Alabama in a new fighter plane being built and let the French keep the rest of the billion dollars involved. Sen. Shelby is a moron.

]]> By: Theresa Brennan http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-22387 Theresa Brennan Mon, 17 Nov 2008 23:46:17 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-22387 GM workers-new hires make $14.00 per hour and no paid benefits. The old days are gone. Stop talking about all this big money for workers. it's over. As older workers retire or are laid off...GM wages will go down down. I don't know why people think it's a good thing to have America's standard of living reduced but whatever. GM workers-new hires make $14.00 per hour and no paid benefits. The old days are gone. Stop talking about all this big money for workers. it’s over. As older workers retire or are laid off…GM wages will go down down. I don’t know why people think it’s a good thing to have America’s standard of living reduced but whatever.

]]> By: jcwinnie http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-22256 jcwinnie Sat, 15 Nov 2008 07:15:42 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-22256 A definition of chutzpah: "Senator Richard C. Shelby of Alabama, the senior Republican on the banking committee, said he would not support legislation to aid the auto companies and seemed prepared to let one or all of them collapse." “The financial straits that the Big Three find themselves in is not the product of our current economic downturn, but instead is the legacy of the uncompetitive structure of its manufacturing and labor force,” Mr. Shelby said in a statement. “The financial situation facing the Big Three is not a national problem but their problem.” NYT, 2008/11/14 A definition of chutzpah:
“Senator Richard C. Shelby of Alabama, the senior Republican on the banking committee, said he would not support legislation to aid the auto companies and seemed prepared to let one or all of them collapse.”

“The financial straits that the Big Three find themselves in is not the product of our current economic downturn, but instead is the legacy of the uncompetitive structure of its manufacturing and labor force,” Mr. Shelby said in a statement. “The financial situation facing the Big Three is not a national problem but their problem.”
NYT, 2008/11/14

]]> By: Brooks http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-22182 Brooks Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:29:37 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-22182 If you actually wanted to enjoy driving, your only choice for many years was a foreign car. Same for gas mileage and in most cases, reliability. Perhaps it's "left wing" to enjoy driving and want good gas mileage and reliability? When initial pollution standards were introduced, Detroit responded by coming up the the worst kluges they could dream up. My theory was they wanted people to scream and get law changed. Meanwhile, Honda said, "How can we make the engine less polluting AND give better gas mileage and performance?" That was over 30 years ago. There are now some American cars I'd consider but by and large you could paraphrase Obama's “It’s like these guys take pride in being ignorant” and change "being ignorant" to; "producing gas guzzling polluters". So yes, off with their heads and get someone competent to run the companies. Someone who accepts the fact of global warming for starters. If you actually wanted to enjoy driving, your only choice for many years was a foreign car. Same for gas mileage and in most cases, reliability. Perhaps it’s “left wing” to enjoy driving and want good gas mileage and reliability?

When initial pollution standards were introduced, Detroit responded by coming up the the worst kluges they could dream up. My theory was they wanted people to scream and get law changed. Meanwhile, Honda said, “How can we make the engine less polluting AND give better gas mileage and performance?” That was over 30 years ago.

There are now some American cars I’d consider but by and large you could paraphrase Obama’s “It’s like these guys take pride in being ignorant” and change “being ignorant” to; “producing gas guzzling polluters”.

So yes, off with their heads and get someone competent to run the companies. Someone who accepts the fact of global warming for starters.

]]> By: Rick C http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-22174 Rick C Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:40:51 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-22174 Joe, I was a big fan of the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles and for the $1 Billion the government spent GM had a car that got 80 mpg, Ford and Chrysler produced two cars that got 72 mpg. Now having said that, the cars used light weight carbon composite materials and aluminum for the body and the frame of the car. This raised the price of the cars. I have heard that the cost of the cars would be $80,000 per car. My question is if Detroit had produced the cars as the concepts were made wouldn't the Detroit 2½ had trouble selling them at $80,000 a copy? Joe,

I was a big fan of the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles and for the $1 Billion the government spent GM had a car that got 80 mpg, Ford and Chrysler produced two cars that got 72 mpg. Now having said that, the cars used light weight carbon composite materials and aluminum for the body and the frame of the car. This raised the price of the cars. I have heard that the cost of the cars would be $80,000 per car.

My question is if Detroit had produced the cars as the concepts were made wouldn’t the Detroit 2½ had trouble selling them at $80,000 a copy?

]]> By: Martin http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-22132 Martin Thu, 13 Nov 2008 03:39:22 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-22132 H. Hill wrote "Driving foreign is a status symbol for the wealthy left...." Really? I suspect that driving really good cars is a status symbol. Driving trendy cars is a status symbol. As much as some would like to make the "left" out to be anti-American (that appears to be the sub-text here), one could probably come up with other motivations for buying non-American cars, especially in the luxury class. At least, members of the reality-based community could. Of course, he ignored this little throw-away line of his when confronted with anecdotal evidence that taste for foreign cars isn't really a "left" thing. H. Hill wrote “Driving foreign is a status symbol for the wealthy left….”

Really? I suspect that driving really good cars is a status symbol. Driving trendy cars is a status symbol. As much as some would like to make the “left” out to be anti-American (that appears to be the sub-text here), one could probably come up with other motivations for buying non-American cars, especially in the luxury class. At least, members of the reality-based community could. Of course, he ignored this little throw-away line of his when confronted with anecdotal evidence that taste for foreign cars isn’t really a “left” thing.

]]> By: jcwinnie http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-22094 jcwinnie Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:25:17 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/12/why-bail-out-the-car-companies-when-they-bailed-out-on-us/#comment-22094 Goldman Sachs has set aside $6.8 billion for bonuses, and Morgan Stanley, $6.4 billion. A bailout means happy executives. So, why bail out GM and Ford? Because "Merika wants happy car executives. That was an easy one, Professor Joe. Goldman Sachs has set aside $6.8 billion for bonuses, and Morgan Stanley, $6.4 billion. A bailout means happy executives. So, why bail out GM and Ford? Because “Merika wants happy car executives. That was an easy one, Professor Joe.

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