This is what happens when you get sucked into West Wing drama, the TV show, sixth season, just as Santos gains momentum and wins California. TV prewrites history, but the New York Times already did a piece on that.
So I’ve been facebooking all the best articles regarding the Big Three, keeping track of public opinion, intelligent opinion (obvious not the same thing) and any kind of compromises or possible SOLUTIONS that are floating through cyberspace. One guess at which of the three is LACKING BIGTIME.
Here are a brief rundown on people’s thinking:
My source inside the GM finance department is preparing for the congressional hearing that has to take place before GM gets any money. My sister and Mitch Album cry of double standards and hypocrisy. I totally disagree. When a company is able to downsize by 30% and keep up functioning, that company is undeserving of extra cash. Most companies don’t have 30% worth of wiggle room. Second, any company that makes BAD products should be washed out by the market. As I mentioned before, there is absolutely NO REASON why anyone should be advertising H3s (Hummers) in Detroit. I realize gas has returned to cheap prices (holy shit by the way) but way to miss the giant flaming letters written on the wall. Don’t you remember like 3 months ago when gas cost $4.55 a gallon? I do! I’m poor! That was DIFFICULT to say the least. There’s no fucking way I’m buying a Hummer. I refuse to buy a new car that has fewer MPG than the Prius. I’m definitely not the only one. The first company to make a cheap new renewable car wins. If it’s not an American car, fuck you. I’m a savvy consumer. I’m not going to Think Ford First if Ford doesn’t deserve it. And don’t tell me the market changed too rapidly to keep up. That’s the easiest excuse in the book to shoot down. Also, we all know gas prices are going to shoot up again- the world is running out. Maybe not today or tomorrow but soon. And for the rest of our lives. So let’s deal. Now.
Sir Gore said it best when asked about the bailout: GORE: “Whatever assistance might be forthcoming should be focused on speeding the changes that are absolutely essential to ensure that our companies are competitive in the global marketplace. “ Isn’t that what I just said?
A retired GM engineer attempted to impress me with the cross configuration and high technology of a plant. I’m not sure if he was trying to detail how difficult it would be to restructure or not. But I found an article that proved him wrong, if in fact that was his aim. GM restructured plants to comply with Brazilian demands for clean engines. Here, read about it, it’s obviously possible.
And finally, the fiscal Conservatives want the Big Three to declare bankruptcy so that they can destroy all of their contractual obligations and start again. Detroit fears the utter collapse of their entire region and a depression as most if not all of the region is in one way or another connected to the auto industry. But maybe that is the best option. We’ll just have to see who writes intelligently about the bankruptcy possibility and I’ll put it up. So far it’s been mentioned to me by an ultra Conservative blogger, but before I go into details I want something with clout.
In conclusion, Detroit, stop whining and change. If you need someone to offer some positive assistance to help usher in a new era, which HAS TO HAPPEN ANYWAY, I have no problem deflecting all of your negativity and helping you begin to think in a positive and progressive way. This could be the best thing that could happen to the auto industry. Tap into all of your talent and turn the oil tanker around. I know it’ll take 30 or so miles to just slow down but if you have the will, you can make a speedboat turn to the better, greener future, save your own ass, create a product that Americans’ll buy and help out the planet.
Do you know how fast the entire world heard about the Mumbai terrorist attacks? I heard it on Twitter and watched it on a live feed at the same time from my bed. That’s pretty instantanious. Obviously, we can make the information needed to do the deed fly around the world pretty fast. We can do anything we put our minds to. I heard the gunshot on November 4th. Go.
PS- Gettelfinger is too old to properly negotiate. Get some new blood in the room. Seriously. He should retire and let the changes get figured out by my generation. We have the energy to do something radical. He’s just plain old and stuck in his ways. One hundred dollar bet he has no idea what facebook is.
