New UAW ad: You people aren’t going to put us out of work, are you?
posted at 5:28 pm on December 5, 2008 by Allahpundit
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A poignant message from the folks who helped steer American automotives into a ditch. Too bad they mentioned cars in the voiceover; otherwise this could be recycled as is, replete with the “not a banker” class resentment element, by any industry demanding a future bailout. I’m going to file it away for redubbing just in case blog advertising dries up. That would never happen, would it?
Geraghty wonders who’ll be buying cars next year or the year after with the economy in the toilet, but I think he’s only saying that because he loves bankers. Meanwhile, NRO claims that Congress has stalled on a comprehensive bailout but that a bridge loan to punt the issue to Obama is possible. A final deal reportedly could involve a “big role” for government in restructuring the companies with even a “car czar” appointed for oversight — which has worked out super for TARP thus far. What could go wrong?
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Really that is a terrible ad. Every viewers watching that ad knows who’s job is the most important: His or Her own! But the implied message of that ad is “Our jobs are more important than yours.”
PackerBronco on December 6, 2008 at 1:11 AM
I have worked for several companies that have gone out of business. In the electronics and software industry, we are paid a fair wage for our abilities and that’s about it. No unions to hold out hands and protect us. And we wouldn’t want one, because of precisely what they’ve done to Detroit.
And there are many fine American big name companies that are now non-existent. Montgomery Ward to name one.
I don’t give a rat about big auto. I hope they go under. All organic entities and processes have a cycle of life. Sometimes there is death. And then rebirth from the ashes. Plough them under. Maybe some new and useful automobile will rise up from the capital that has been wasted for so long paying someone $55 an hour to carry a box from one side of building to another.
JeffB. on December 6, 2008 at 2:38 AM
One of the bests posts of the night! How true, how true!
JellyToast on December 6, 2008 at 3:14 AM
Zorro,
You are in my neck of the woods! Sounds like GE *cough, cough*, what city please?
ProudPalinFan on December 6, 2008 at 3:42 AM
Here is a novel idea…. those that can survive on their own .. do it … those who fail .. do … but of course that was the thinking in the old America….
the out of date anachronistic America where
individual liberty ..
competition..
spirit of ingenuity..
and freedom to thrive or fail on ones merits actually meant something….
Silly old timers … My only question is this …are you prepared for when it is time for the ultimate bail-out…of America herself?
Maybe we can hold a telethon..yeah that would…(Obscure but timely reference to the movie Americathon). We could do it Survivor style…it would be the ultimate reality show…the fate of the country itself hanging in the balance
The sad part is I think we would getting voted off.
RuffledRaven on December 6, 2008 at 3:42 AM
That, or the legendary Homer Simpson car…if you haven’t please watch that episode.
ProudPalinFan on December 6, 2008 at 3:51 AM
Heh this ad gets no support from me.
When I left the military I went to work for a contractor at BIW (Bath Iron Works).
I personally woke up union members sleeping on the job in a comm closet, I was told I would have a grievance filed against me because I opened a server case during an outage. I had another union member ready to file a grievance for unplugging the cables from the back of my workstation during an office move. (a friend talked to him).
I warned a union friend to stop surfing for porn at lunch because the proxy server tracks that stuff, He thanked me for the warning and said he would stop. I saw him get suspended 2 months later and then re-instated 1 week after that with pay because “no paperwork could be found with his signature stating he understood he can’t surf for porn at work.”
A grievance was filed/went to a hearing against my company, because we contracted out running a network link roughly 10 miles from city to city. The Union thought they should have gotten the job.
Unions are a drain on society, they may have had some value back in the 1940’s, however today they are sucking on the nipple of America.
F15Mech on December 6, 2008 at 3:51 AM
We need a commercial out there with similar faces of Americans all across the nation with the following message:
“Some of us may be bankers.
Some of us may even work on Wall street.
Some of us have union jobs but most of us do not.
We’re your doctor, your nurse. We run the cash register at your supermarket.
We teach your children in school.
We’re your librarian, your mechanic.
We stock the store shelves and paint your houses.
We are farmers.
We drive trucks.
We race cars.
We are the American taxpayer.
We pay the bills. We pay for your medicaid and your medicare.
Our money builds roads and Universities.
We even pay for our military, shuttle launches and fund important research.
Everything you see and know about the government from security to welfare is funded by our work.
We are the American taxpayer.
We are the only ones that are truly too big to fail!
Stop the bailouts!
Stop the government takeover of American business!
Stop the waste!”
JellyToast on December 6, 2008 at 3:54 AM
OMG!!!!! Childhood memory trip! Flashback to childhood, American cars, my dad doing basic mechanic work (he used to do bodywork but could do more due to Army training). The sparkplug did it for me!
Also I am laying down here reminiscing my first car, hand-me-down Ford Fairmont 1978; then bought a Mitsubishi Eclipse, and now we have an Oddy, built up almost to a Touring level. Best.Car.Evah!!!
ProudPalinFan on December 6, 2008 at 4:02 AM
Not the auto industry,but a good example of that superior liberal intellect in running one of the biggest money making states right dead into the ground.Just like they did the auto industry with Union greed.
(and don’t even try that,”but Arnold’s a Republican”.He inherited the state in a huge deficient and was bit$h slapped into line by the liberals after his referendums bit the dust.
There is little Republican about him besides the initial(R) beside his name).
California is a democratic voting state and run by democratic local and state government.
California may be out of cash in February
By Jim Christie Jim Christie
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081205/us_nm/us_economy_california_shortfall/print
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) –
California is on track to run out of cash in February or March and faces a $15 billion cash shortage by the end of its fiscal year in June unless officials plug an $11.2 billion budget gap, according to the state’s budget director.
“YES WE CAN”
Baxter Greene on December 5, 2008 at 7:04 PM
With regards to California, I feel sorry for the guy; inheriting that deficit, he did not take a dime since he is multimillionaire and all. But all the CA fires????? I betcha all those workers, rescue, pilots, so on and so forth adds to the deficit, riiiiggghhhttt? That’s what bums me out of that state. So many fires-must be like dealing with hurricanes the way I did, but so many precious homes lost along with memories, forever.
I wonder if there is any accounting/financial reports that could somehow confirm that CA wildfires or any Mother Nature issue contributes to the deficit. If so please post link.
ProudPalinFan on December 6, 2008 at 4:10 AM
Where were these people when my job went overseas? thank you UAW for destroying american industry with your greed and lack of support for anyone else.
kanda on December 6, 2008 at 6:23 AM
“Out of work”?
Doesn’t he really mean, “aren’t you going to continue to pay us for doing shoddy work, when we actually bother to show up?”.
Uh, no. Pack sand, comrade.
NoDonkey on December 6, 2008 at 7:45 AM
No one to blame but themselves. They allowed line workers to work stoned or drunk. The Union overruled disciplinary measures against employees. There have been too many recalls and too many lemons. The Big 3 have been putting kids straight out of college into supervisory positions who don’t have a clue.
Why should the American people reward shoddy business practices and a shady Union?
kingsjester on December 6, 2008 at 7:47 AM
And if “you people” hadn’t been so damn greedy and demanding over the years you might not be in the position you are now.
rplat on December 6, 2008 at 7:57 AM
I’m confused. Does that include the Hondas built over in Marysville Ohio, where my uncle works?
dominigan on December 6, 2008 at 8:12 AM
My dad still has his first good car a ‘57 Thunderbird, he still gets 20 mpg. I drive an ‘03 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is serviced regulary by the authorized dealer,and get 13 – 16 mpg. I am not a mechanic just a driver, but I am of the opinion government interference, in the car and oil business,has resulted in lower preformance and inefficiency and if the government bails out the auto makers it will only get worse for the consumer.
.
philly_PA on December 6, 2008 at 8:35 AM
“You people aren’t going to put us out of work, are you?”
Gee, I wasn’t aware I had the ability to do that.
But now that you ask, and with that attitude, then hell yeah. Where do I sign up?
jeff_from_mpls on December 6, 2008 at 8:44 AM
If you’re going to go after the UAW, go after ALL unions. teachers, public employees, SEIU, ALL of them.
Dave from Flint on December 6, 2008 at 8:45 AM
Die unions. Die.
That’s German for…”The unions. The.”
Coronagold on December 6, 2008 at 8:48 AM
I will smile the largest smile a human being can muster if the big 3 can get the UAW off its back. Let the government handle their pensions and healthcare.
Let me clarify the commerical for everyone:
UAW line worker:”Hi, I just got out of highschool, I’m making about 70k a year for screwing a car together. I also don’t pay for my healthcare, and if I get laid off I still get 85% of my wage. Oh, you went to college? You only make 40k? Oh wow, that sucks. Well, I’m gonna go play scrabble, and get paid for it. Oh, by the way, if the union dies, everyone in America will be unemployed, because unions are the only thing that keeps those evil corporate fat cats from being all corperationy in their corporation towers. Now, gimme gimme gimme.”
Gatsu on December 6, 2008 at 8:50 AM
Unions have more than anything else driven American goods pricing up, quality down and untold jobs overseas. I’m sure some brainier mugg than I could make a good argument that their existence does much to insure a steady stream of “undocumented workers” for who’s services are all that certain industries can afford.
Bottom line is that there was a time and place the American worker was treated so poorly something was required to represent them. I wish it would have been anything else except unions.
hawkdriver on December 6, 2008 at 9:05 AM
PS and in the voice of the Rev Wright…
“Detroits chickens… have come home…to roost.”
hawkdriver on December 6, 2008 at 9:10 AM
UAW…FU
Wade on December 6, 2008 at 9:16 AM
The Raiders Cheerleaders sent me a care package when I was there. I’d much rather bail them out.
For those worried about military hardware if the Big 3 go under…specifically MRAPs…they’re made by a bunch of different corporations, and only the smallest percentage are made by one of the Big 3. Most of them are built by dedicated defense contractors like BAE and General Dynamics Land Systems.
James on December 6, 2008 at 9:39 AM
I was for some kind of limited bail out until I saw videos of the really unskilled work that theses folks get an average of $28 an hour for. Most of what I see on the vids is worth about half that(if that). Without question these people are paid way too much for the type of work they do. However, management should have been willing to bite the bullet all these years and take the consequences of strikes just to keep themselves competitive. The UAW should not have tried to glorify what its people do to the point where they are vastly over paid. And their CEO’s should have been replaced with decent, thinking men long ago. There is so much fault and mis-management and greed evidenced here that it is on a par with the sub-prime mess–in fact it’s worse. And I havn’t even touched on the obvious fault of the pols in this. It’s almost too obvious to bear mentioning.(and the teachers are headed down the same road for the same basic reasons)Now they have the rest of us over a barrel. Bah!!! I say let them all fail , but over time. One by one so as to ease the damage to the economy. But, get rid of them unless they adopt sweeping changes. They give a new meaning to “albatross”.
jeanie on December 6, 2008 at 9:53 AM
No, we won’t put you out of work, the greedy bastards at the UAW will.
The best thing that could happen to the Big Three is for them to declare bankruptcy. Then they will be forced to reorganize and start undoing the things that have put them in the ditch in the first place. And the first thing they should do is kick that worthless UAW to the curb. Non-union automakers are hurting too, but not near to the extent of the union ones. Unions have become a noose around the neck of US industry, not just the automakers.
Scott on December 6, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Ironic isn’t it.
Congress wants to save the auto workers unions and at the same time they are against the coal miners unions????????????
No coal fired plants!!!!! No Nuke plants. No drilling for LNG!!!
They are against the petrolium workers unions???????
No drill drill here!!!!!
They will put thousands out of work by cutting the military and also put our country at more risk. IE: Carter,Clinton.
Oh damn I forgot the military doesn’t contrubite to the DNC!!
Let the Auto Mfgs. file for bankruptcy. The UAW has screwed Joe Average enough now.
Keep buying Chinesse they need our monies to fight us.
Rick007 on December 6, 2008 at 10:06 AM
What I would like to see is a break down of actual union employees and their salaries. Wouldn’t it be interesting to see what they make and what benefits they take home, that are never in jeopardy if there is a strike by the people that pay them through dues. Why does it seem that we get only half the information we need to “help” our representatives in Congress make their decisions. Of course as far as I am concerned this is not a decision that should be made outside of the free market.
Cindy Munford on December 6, 2008 at 10:06 AM
What about the Union Bosses????? Will the go to $1.00 a year till the Auto Co’s get back on their feet???????????
ROTFLMAO Hold your breath.
Rick007 on December 6, 2008 at 10:10 AM
I hope the GOP holds out on not doing anything until Obama takes office. I’d like to see this gigantic mess come back to haunt the Dems. I think, given the negative spot light now shining on the auto industry and the UAW, that any fix or no fix or a big fix is good money after bad and they will still go down the tubes eventually no matter what anybody does. I’d like to see that reflect on Obama and the Dems–not on the GOP. I’ve been buying Chrysler products for years in an effort to buy American. I realize now that I’ve been supporting an institution that doesn’t support me. I quit!
jeanie on December 6, 2008 at 10:22 AM
If I told those folks that I don’t get paid if I get laid off or that I have to pay half of my health insurance, they would say that I should join a union. But what they don’t understand is that I think getting paid to do nothing and not contributing to rhetorically keeping the price of health care down by paying a portion is morally wrong. And yes I realize that even if I didn’t pay a portion it would be part of my compensation, it still doesn’t seem right to me. No unions.
Cindy Munford on December 6, 2008 at 10:35 AM
I writing Jeep/Chrysler to ask for a “bailout” from the Liberty that I bought a few years ago…. What A piece. I won’t list the reasons by recall/breakdown/WTF here, but they are about to get it all!
With 80,000 miles on that vehicle, which was my once in my life buy what I want, load it up, damn the price auto, it has been a painfully long ownership of potential disasters, major inconveniences, and after warranty expensive repairs.
When I tried to sell it 2 years ago, I found that I would have had to all but give it away…
Feel the pain Chrysler… If you survive that, maybe you’ll be better for it. If not, good riddance.
RalphyBoy on December 6, 2008 at 10:41 AM
“It is not too late to save the Big Three. But the solution is not to tear down the historic and heroic gains won by prior generations of UAW workers. If there is hope long term — for the unionized Big Three companies and for the UAW — it rests in dealing with the unfinished business of the 1980s: unionizing the unorganized transplants.”
Super!!!
Unionize everything!
BallisticBob on December 6, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Exactly how many concessions has the UAW given back recently to help keep their industry alive and their members working?
Zero.
Some emergency.
Mr A on December 6, 2008 at 10:54 AM
Grovel harder UAW.
Theworldisnotenough on December 6, 2008 at 11:02 AM
We also make at least 28 bucks per hour, and on a good day, may give the company 6 hrs. of work in an 8 hr. shift. Except on Friday or Monday-of course.
la.rt.wngr on December 6, 2008 at 11:08 AM
What about the Union Bosses????? Will the go to $1.00 a year till the Auto Co’s get back on their feet???????????
ROTFLMAO Hold your breath.
Rick007 on December 6, 2008 at 10:10 AM
hahahahahahahaha. That will never happen.
la.rt.wngr on December 6, 2008 at 11:11 AM
Hey, Chris Dodd is in charge! Everything will be fine–he did a great job with the mortgage industry, didn’t he?
PattyJ on December 6, 2008 at 11:19 AM
I have a question
“Would you trade your UAW protected job with failing GM/Ford/Chrysler for and unprotected job with another American auto plant?”
The longer we cling to paradigms that no longer work, we are doomed. To paraphrase Obama, Diddy, et al, ‘Change or die’. You voted for the socialist – and your bill has come due sooner than you thought.
ArmchairEnergist on December 6, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Most of my life has been spent in Virginia, a Right to Work state. Every time the Union won a victory for “the team” that business promptly went belly up. Go figure.
Cindy Munford on December 6, 2008 at 11:24 AM
The biggest scabs I have ever worked arround were union employes.
Let me see now who benifits from unionizing Wal Mart.
Muti. choice
Avarage worker?
Union bosses?
DNC?
Consumer?
Rick007 on December 6, 2008 at 11:28 AM
My company did the same thing within 5 years of going union. Out of Business, Plastech Shreveport plant closed. When you can’t get rid of people who don’t or won’t work, there is no chance for a company to succeed. I’m a former UAW myself, and will never be again.
la.rt.wngr on December 6, 2008 at 11:31 AM
Hmmm
I guess we should have unionized the employees of F Mac & F May also if they weren’t already.
The Dem’s have already run these to the dumps.
Goverment at its best.
1. Dot Com bubble.
2. Housing Bubble.
3. Unemployment because of Govt. Reg’s.
Rick007 on December 6, 2008 at 11:34 AM
The people . . . united . . . will never have to work . . .
NoDonkey on December 6, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Of the people,By the people,For the people.
In the DNC dictionary= Screw the people.
Rick007 on December 6, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Puhleeze, give me a break from the union propaganda! No wonder their numbers have tanked.
Hey union people, we non-union types will be standing in the same line at the unemployment office. Your union bosses on the other hand, will be spending your dues at the elite social clubs and spas, hanging out with the CEO’S from the banks.
hopefloats on December 6, 2008 at 12:07 PM
Sage comment Ricky. Sage.
And you can see by the TV commercials that are on right now, the fix is in for at least the Clean Coal promises from Obama and “NO COAL PLANTS, What? Er, sorry, sure clean coal plant!” Biden. There is an organized movement to vilify Clean Coal plants, (suck it up you morons from Ohio, PA and other blue coal states who voted them in) and probably off shore drilling. The “oh look shiny” imbeciles in the electorate have already forgotten the 4 buck a gallon summer.
I think we’re screwed.
hawkdriver on December 6, 2008 at 12:19 PM
Iam an ex union employee (of a different industry)
But since i was in a union 10 years ago
I looked for over 3 years trying my best to buy american
I have 2 dodges right now.
but i wanted a truck that got more than 14 mpg.
I mean a SMALL truck..
I could NOT find one
each year i would go down to the auto row in our town
and each year i asked
Do you have any 4 cylinder trucks ? NO i was told
Do you have any trucks that gets 25 mpg or higher ? NO
I then emailed all the Big three automakers
I OFFERED to DESIGN the truck i wanted
Their response? Were sorry you dont want to buy our huge
gas guzzling suvs or trucks.
So i was FORCED when my car died to buy a toyota tacoma.
Because at 4:5o per gallon i could only afford to buy 1 vehicle and i was not willing to keep feeding the islamic arab terrorists..
So now the big three are crying to congress???
Sorry charlie but NO BAILOUT period..
If they go under so be it..
Same for the banks i have had it with all of them..
Oh and as for barney franks and dodd arent these two pieces of crap the real reason for the economy going down the toilet?
they are the ones who forced the banks to loan all that money to every illigal alien who had a fake id..
And they are surprised when they loans arent repaid???
Help me out here (how can these MORONS be running our country)..
jcila on December 6, 2008 at 12:34 PM
Those are the faces of the @$$holes who caused the issues that automotive makers have. The rest of the faces you can see here and here.
Tim Burton on December 6, 2008 at 12:36 PM
BTW, the last line of that commercial?
You already have UAW!
hawkdriver on December 6, 2008 at 12:55 PM
We should all belly up to the bar so UAW workers can continue to live large and drive their employers into bankruptcy.
Since they are from Detroit, they deserve it.
notagool on December 6, 2008 at 1:22 PM
Ford makes a 4 cyl truck.
crosspatch on December 6, 2008 at 1:55 PM
Oops, meant:
crosspatch on December 6, 2008 at 2:08 PM
Appalling guilt trip.
Chapter 11 is what they deserve. Then they might get their house in order. Failing that they can go into administration like any other failed business.
Ares on December 6, 2008 at 2:17 PM
Think Community Reinvestment Act. That worked out great, didn’t it.
What the hell does the government know about restructuring anything?
BacaDog on December 6, 2008 at 2:20 PM
One problem I have with the unions is their notion of “seniority”. Just because you haven’t died shouldn’t make one more or less immune to layoff. Given two people with equal salary, a business should be able to retain the one who is most productive, not the one who has simply managed to have been there longer. A shop should be able to keep the employee with lesser seniority who exceeds job requirements over someone who has been there longer who barely meets minimum standard and is a pain in the ass to work with.
crosspatch on December 6, 2008 at 3:15 PM
F**k unions to Hell.
What about those of us who don’t have a cushy overpaid job?
“You gonna put US out of work?”
Of course they would, ba8ta8rd*.
Sapwolf on December 6, 2008 at 3:16 PM
Unions do have some usefulness but not in a conventional manufacturing environment. In the case, of say, an electrician or driver who is an independent entity, not employed by a company, the union can serve a function of providing things such as health and retirement benefits and help in finding job assignments.
For companies who hire employees on a more or less permanent basis, unions are simply a mechanism to extort money from the employees and shovel to politicians. They are an enforcement arm of local political machines.
I am against unions for permanent employees and for them in cases of tradesmen who are individual agents.
crosspatch on December 6, 2008 at 3:28 PM
“You aren’t going to put us out of business are you” what a load of BS!
The big three and the UAW is what put them out of business. Huge worker salries and retirement packages, crummy cars that either break down frequently or are gas guzzlers or just plain ugly.
Whats next? Will they lobby for new legislation saying that every american MUST buy one of their cars?
Wyrd on December 6, 2008 at 4:17 PM
Ah, yes, the PA turnpike. I could never understand how the PA turnpike could be one of the worse roads to drive and be getting tolls,, while interstate 80 rides well and looks good without tolls.
JellyToast on December 6, 2008 at 4:46 PM
Congress really isn’t for anyone or anything or for any cause except it’s own. They care only about themselves and for themselves.
We are their bread. To be eaten as they want. Our property, our money, our children, the work that we do,,, that we think we do for ourselves, in their minds, is for their service. All is for them. Anyone ever thinking anything less of a Democrat, or of a RINO, or of a Marxist is foolishly naive.
JellyToast on December 6, 2008 at 4:54 PM
Geez, if only I cared about the UAW…
Alas, I would like to keep more of my money to buy Christmas presents. I am such a greedy jerk, I know.
XWing5 on December 6, 2008 at 5:30 PM
Two issues that need to be fixed by the 3 biggies, but will never get fixed:
1) de-unionize
2) improve quality
Until both happen, Toyota will stay #1, Honda will eventually be #2, Nissan will take #3, and Mazda will hold #4.
jediwebdude on December 6, 2008 at 5:44 PM
A few businesses need unions, but most of the current ones have become as rotten as the people they used to fight.
No sympathy UAW.
Dark-Star on December 6, 2008 at 6:32 PM
Congress – in the words of Nancy Reagan “Just say no”.
SPIFF1669 on December 6, 2008 at 6:35 PM
PackerBronco said:
Most assuredly. I was posting on the NBC site, I think it was, about this issue, and got that message loud and clear. In fact, several thought I ought to be working to protect the standard of living of these workers, literally!
I said, what about the rest of us? We have jobs and struggles, too. I was told I was “selfish” and “vindictive.”
Some of these people really do think they and their jobs are more important than the rest of us.
Alana on December 6, 2008 at 7:37 PM
You have the better of me. An Oddy!
unclesmrgol on December 6, 2008 at 7:54 PM
JellyToast on December 6, 2008 at 3:54 AM
Awesome post, JellyToast! I’ve seen a lot here that I agree with, but that one made me log in and give you props.
califcon on December 6, 2008 at 8:02 PM
Has anyone driven through one of the ‘Big 3′ employee parking lots?
I have on several occasions and guess how many foreign cars are parked in the lot. Better yet, it would be easier to count the ‘Big 3′ cars in the lot, there are a lot fewer than the foreign cars.
belad on December 6, 2008 at 9:38 PM
And if the automakers fail? What next? Like there won’t be some savvy entrepeneurs who will pick up the slack?
If there’s a demand, someone will want to offer a supply. It’s how America works. Or at least America without gubment intervention.
We could even end up with better transportation choices without the big 3.
Mr_Magoo on December 6, 2008 at 10:52 PM
This was a big deal years ago when foreign automakers made their mark in the US and started building plants here. It was ironic then and it’s ironic now.
Mr_Magoo on December 6, 2008 at 10:54 PM
Ooooh boo freakin hoo…
Cry me a river with this stupid ad. They wont let America down? You mean the idiots who voted for Obama?… Who cares.
I await with smug arrogance the downfall of the UAW.
And btw: The workers of Wall St. aren’t so much being bailed out… it was just the corporate entities being propped up to prevent a chain reaction of implosion that the Politburo will not be able to prop up forever.
Buying billions in stock isn’t going to anyone’s salary is it?
VinceP1974 on December 7, 2008 at 12:20 AM
These things take time….nail the most blatant offender first….
sven10077 on December 7, 2008 at 12:58 AM
So lemme get this one straight:
My best friend who is going to Iraq in March somehow has to survive on $1000-1200 per month (base pay of an E-3 in the US Army after taxes and benefits are deducted from pay voucher)-while getting his ass shot off for you lousy mothers?!
Lets see here… $1200 per month (being really generous with the tax rate in some states) works out to about $40 per day!
$40 PER DAY YOU WHINY UNIONIZED PRICKS!
Just FYI the base pay prior to taxes etc works out to about $1550 per month or $51.67 per day.
My friend (who unfortunately has MD as his state of residence still) only winds up with about $1000 per month…and then he still has to pay for any extra food, clothing, gas, insurance on his car, and repairs for the same. This works out to $33.33 PER DAY and for the “hourly wage” of $4.61 for a PFC in the US Army, if an 8-hour work day is assumed.
Again how much do these shmucks make per hour?
more than $25 and less than $40
Finally we get to me…I’m an ex-Navy midshipman (MIDN 4/C) who does private security contracting in DC….(you know where all the Congresscritters live)
A.K.A get paid to dress up like a cop and get shot at, threatened, and harassed (I’m a short white dude)-all the while unable to shoot back (not allowed to carry by DC law), have Kevlar, Mace, or any other item to defend myself. For a measly $10 per hour before taxes, and the only “benefit” I have (if it can be called that) is the fact that if I die in the performance of my duties my legal designee gets a $10,000 check…I’m sure it will come as quite a shock to my girlfriend if that ever happens
Why should my hard-earned (and rapidly spent) money go to bail out somebody who makes more than twice my before tax wage AFTER their own taxes are deducted?!
SgtSVJones on December 7, 2008 at 5:39 AM
NO FREAKIN WAY!
SgtSVJones on December 7, 2008 at 5:40 AM
There’s nothing wrong with unions, but they are too powerful because of all the legislated special benefits they get from their pet politicians.
lodge on December 7, 2008 at 7:01 AM
First car I ever owned was a 1980 trans am. It developed a leaking seal in the transmission and ran dry of fluid one day. I pulled off on the side of the road, and walked to the nearest gas station and bought a couple of quarts of transmission fluid. I filled it up and away she went. I loved the TH350 transmission. The big three didn’t always do things badly.
DFCtomm on December 7, 2008 at 7:52 AM
How can one not make money selling something that most everybody wants and that one can price at US $15,000 to $30,000? Fold up, Ford and GM; there are enterprising Americans who will buy your assets to make cars.
Kralizec on December 7, 2008 at 8:24 AM
When my 2000 Honda Civic with almost 185,000 miles reaches 200,000 miles next year, I am buying another Civic!
MsGail61 on December 7, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Hey union whore! Can you say “Welcome to Wal-Mart”?
conservnut on December 7, 2008 at 10:12 AM
Just the other day a UAW worker was asked on Fox News what he would do if the Govt. failed to bail out the auto industry. He said, “I guess I’ll be on the soup lines the next day with everybody else.”
That crap!
His first instinct – get in the soup line! Just like the union workers in Chicago who are occupying their factory after being laid off – he exhibited no thought to getting another job at all. These union workers would apparently rather bitch and moan about their lot in life…and do absolutely nothing. Bum. What a lazy frickin’ bum.
Nobody’s job is guaranteed. Nobody’s. These whiny ass union workers need to man up and get another job.
dugan on December 7, 2008 at 10:22 AM
In 1985 I watched a PBS moderated show that had a Ford exec.
and a UAW rep. The first question asked was,
“Why do your cars cost so much.”
The ford exec replied,
“Because we pay them $68 per hour.”
The union guy jumped out of his chair, and went off on the guy.
The exec started piling the Company books on the table
and said, “This is a public Company you can look at the
books yourself, with benefits, the average cost to us is
$68 per hour.”
1985! I can’t guess what it is now!
deptofredundancydept on December 7, 2008 at 1:15 PM
The auto bail out is a bail out for the unions. Pathetic that these CEO’s have to grovel for the $$ to pay off unions. I’m sure the dems promised the unions the $$ in exchange for “votes”.
Chris Dodd is now calling for the GM CEO to be ousted. I call for “Countrywide” Dodd and the whole band of Congress fools to be ousted, yesterday!
LoneStarGal on December 7, 2008 at 1:17 PM
you are absolutely correct. Government mandates are part of the formula driving the Big 3 into insolvency, Unions with blaoted contracts being another.
Red State State of Mind on December 7, 2008 at 1:46 PM
I vote for abolishing unions altogether. I’m sick of their ‘us versus them’ entitlement mentality. And as for the white collar banker versus blue collar auto worker, let’s not forget that with every failed bank or investment house comes thousands of blue collar and low salaried white collar job losses as well. So when we ‘bail out’ Wall Street, not only are we helping to minimize the loss of people who aren’t and will never be millionaires, but we’re stabilizing the financial system–something that bailing out Detroit will never accomplish.
Let Detroit go into bankruptcy; we’ll be just fine.
redfoxbluestate on December 7, 2008 at 2:13 PM
Why would you want to trade in the Civic with only 200,000 miles on it and get a new one? My son’s 1998 Civic just died last year with a grand total of 369,000 miles on it. The way I look at it MsGail, your Civic is just getting broke in.
Until the Big Three can build a decent 4 cylinder car, my family is staying with the Toyota’s and Honda’s.
Knucklehead on December 7, 2008 at 2:14 PM
The big 3 owe $100 billion to the health trust funds for retirees next year. The amounts that are sitting in current health and retirement trust funds must exceed $50 billion, I would guess, so why don’t THEY bail out the auto companies? … perhaps they think it would be wasted money?
I’d like to hear one of our esteemed business geniuses in Congress run an inquiry along these lines.
progressoverpeace on December 7, 2008 at 3:28 PM
Has anyone commented yet on why the Bush administration would allow this bailout to be pushed through now, rather than stalling it until January 20th? I think it would be a big mistake for the Republicans to let this thing get hung around their necks when the public clearly opposes it. Let the Lightworker and the Congressional Democrats take responsibility for it.
Y-not on December 7, 2008 at 4:26 PM
Well that convinces me. If we don’t give them 10 gazillion bucks immediately we’ll all be forced to walk everywhere for the rest of our lives! Congress give in! I don’t want to have to walk to Florida every winter!!!
Fred 2 on December 7, 2008 at 5:04 PM
Um lemeseeeee you make way too much money for manual labor, you get paid even if you get fired, you pay $10/check for 100% medical coverage and blame executives for running the company down… YES. I’m perfectly okay with you having to renegotiate your ridiculous salaries.
Doppleganker on December 7, 2008 at 10:16 PM
In this country, unlike some others, money does not grow out of the barrel of a gun — it grows out of Very Large Political Funds.
You and your friend may have guns, but you aren’t in a union, and since the unions (and their Very Large Political Funds) are certainly in favor, they will get what they want out of your (and my) cold dead pockets.
unclesmrgol on December 8, 2008 at 12:26 AM
Some years ago there was a Delco-New Departure bearing plant I recall being located in New Jersey. It employed about 1,200 people. The UAW went on strike for (of course) higher wages. GM said it simply wasn’t possible and there was no settlement. Finally, GM announced that the plant would be closed with the resulting loss of 1,200 jobs. The UAW members screamed. GM then suggested that if the employees wanted to band together and purchase the plant, GM would be happy to sell it. Deal done. Once the new owners (UAW members) took over and reviewed the financial state of the factory, one of their first acts was to fire 400 people.
They learned what every business owner knows; it’s far easier to demand things than to pay for them.
oldleprechaun on December 8, 2008 at 9:31 AM
UAW line worker:”Hi, I just got out of highschool, I’m making about 70k a year for screwing a car together. I also don’t pay for my healthcare, and if I get laid off I still get 85% of my wage. Oh, you went to college? You only make 40k? Oh wow, that sucks. Well, I’m gonna go play scrabble, and get paid for it. Oh, by the way, if the union dies, everyone in America will be unemployed, because unions are the only thing that keeps those evil corporate fat cats from being all corperationy in their corporation towers. Now, gimme gimme gimme.”
Gatsu on December 6, 2008 at 8:50 AM\
we have a winner in the ‘perfect post’ contest!
nailed…
max1 on December 8, 2008 at 10:58 AM
I feel your pain change! I have been a “Chevy Man” all of my life, I have never bought anything but American Made Chevy’s, including a Chevy Colorado I bought new in 2004.
However, that’s where my “love affair” with American made cars (and Chevy) ended! Within the first two years the air conditioning adjustment knob (to increase/decrease airflow) stopped working in all positions but “high” the CD player stopped working and ate one of my CD’s, the entire tread belt delaminated on the rear right Continental tire while I was driving on the highway (at 65 mph) and it caused $2000 in damage.
When I took my truck back to the dealer after the tire failed and damaged my truck I was told there was nothing they (the dealer that sold me the car) could do and I had to deal with the tire manufacturer directly because the tire was a “normal wear” item.
I had to get two estimates, take several photos, fill out 10 pages of paper work and send it to Continental directly, in all it took me a lot of work and 6 months to get my money from them!
While Continental paid for the damage to my truck they would only pay for the one tire that failed and wouldn’t pay for the other three tires I had purchased because the tires I purchased were not Continental’s to which I replied “did you expect me to put Continental tires back on my truck considering what happened andd and how dangerous that type of failure was, do you think I’m suicidal?” but they wouldn’t budge and so I got stuck shelling out $300 for tires that I shouldn’t have needed for a truck that was only two years old! But again there was no way I was putting Continental tires back on my truck!
Bottom line is while the drive train on the Chevy Colorado I bought was fine and I’m sure would have lasted many years it was the rest of the vehicle that worried me, in fact I don’t think I would of had much of a car left around me after 10 years the way it was already falling apart within the first two years!
It was bad enough I could have been killed had that tire failed while I was driving on a windy mountain road, but the fact I had to deal directly with Continental despite my truck still being under warranty was unforgiveable and I should have not had to do anything, Chevy should have repaired the damage to my truck, replaced all of the tires, and dealt with Continental directly to get their money back. I decided at that moment to never buy a Chevy or an American car ever again!
The “Big 3″ obviously don’t stand behing their cars nor do they stand behind the customers that buy their cars, so why should I stand behind the Big 3 by giving them my hard earned tax dollars to bail their sorry arses out?!?!?!
I say no way to a bailout and good riddance to the Big 3!
Liberty or Death on December 8, 2008 at 4:02 PM
Well, consider that the thuggery went the opposite direction for quite a while before the UAW. Look up “Battle of the Overpass” for the introduction and notice the continued adversarial attitude (on both sides) that has built up since.
If you want the UAW to go, then I want to see the unionbusters(of in-company, consultant or any other) be barred from their profession for at least 30 years. It’s only a fair trade for giving up the UAW. Folks like Mr. Lotito of Jackson Lewis would finally be held accountable a bit earlier than Judgment Day.
The transplants are hoping that they force the hand of loyal purchasers of Detroit metal to underpowered, cheap gadget laden compacts. Not everyone is fooled by a car that is merely “fuel efficient” with just a few distracting gadgets.
Until the transplants can build 6/8 cylinder cars outside of the luxury segment (think of an equivalent to the Mustang), I’ll keep on running Detroit metal into the ground. That means things like 6-cylinder Civics well under $22000 and 8-cylinder Avalons for well under $30000. Show those who are unrepentantly buyers of Detroit metal that transplants also do affordable muscle.
Until then, I’ll be looking forward to unusually affordable and long lasting domestic muscle. If it offends the activist(versus the practical) environmentalists, I’ve found the right car. If it has more than 4 cylinders and low-rpm/high-torque, I’ve found the right car. If it’s no problem for it to last 200k miles, I’ve found the right car. If it didn’t cost an arm and a leg to get all of that, I’ve found the right car. Transplants have yet to meet all of that.
Consider the above when the Detroit-based “Secretary Specials” have more power for the dollar than your Lexus, Acura, Nissan, or Hyundai. Then watch as they go to 200k+ miles without breaking a sweat. Then find out that was their affordable section that just outperformed your high-end. No navigation system. No flashy electronics. Just pure affordable and reliable performance, courtesy of the Big Three.
sethstorm on December 8, 2008 at 5:43 PM
Let’s see: Support an industry that uses thuggish unions and is driving itself into the ground, or stand back and watch the show? I agree with the Sgt above, why should I support people making twice (maybe more?) as much as my military husband, who sacrifices much to protect his country for crappy pay? What do these UAW members sacrifice? Work ethics?
I cannot wait to buy our next VW. Great cars.
Anna on December 8, 2008 at 6:53 PM
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