right4life on December 12, 2008 at 1:30 PM

Who you calling a moron? or was that your sig?

Tabris on December 12, 2008 at 1:47 PM

As many of you know I live in the Detroit area. Your perception of the “UAW thugs” is pure crap. I know a LOT of them and many of them vote Republican. So maybe you need to revise your fantasies and learn a little factual representation.

Dasher on December 12, 2008 at 7:21 AM

You are correct to some extent, but none of those companies have the LARGE SCALE production capacity of the auto industry. How many tractors do you think Deere makes a year? How many earth movers does Caterpillar manufacture? I bet you the Big 3 auto makers turn out more cars in a month than those companies produce all year.

Also those manufacturers do not have the manufacturing agility of the auto makers. Auto companies are very good at retooling plants for different models. The folks you talk about make very few changes to their designs compared to the auto industry. The only other manufacturing industry that has the defense capability of the auto industry is aerospace.

Badbrucskie on December 12, 2008 at 3:18 PM

Unlike air traffic controllers, there’s no specific law that forces the GOP’s, the President’s hand, or anyone else’s.

This time, the GOP may have bitten off more than they can chew. Right now, all I hear from the South is something regarding the Alamo.

And so it begins ….

The federal gov’t has no Constitutional role in education, entertainment, art, or health care, but billions of tax dollars are wasted therein yearly.

jgapinoy on December 12, 2008 at 7:14 AM

Yup. They need to quit.
If we lose the manufacturing capability, well then we lose it. I see what that’s given us in the airline industry, but there is still competition in some areas.
If I have to, I’ll ride my damned horse.
It’s gonna take a huge upheaval to change this crap. The govt’s gotta get their fingers out of the pie-
1st by reassessing all the lovely “free trade” deals which are anything but ‘free’.

Honda Trabant anyone?

Can anyone explain to me how this is not the fault of the Republicans like the union guy said?

kanda on December 12, 2008 at 1:13 PM

oh we’ll gladly take the ‘blame’ for not bailing out the UAW thugs. moron.

This vote – right here, right now – is what may have guaranteed Obama a second term. If this vote kills one of the automakers – and it very well might – no one is going to trust an Republican in power again for a very, very long time.

Mal Carne on December 12, 2008 at 8:55 AM

What a load of crap, or wishful thinking – your pick. It guarantees Barry is a one-termer (if he makes it that long).

I am in North Eastern Ohio, and know more than a few UAW folk, active and retired. They admit that the “30 and out”(to full retirement benefits) is problematic, they admit that the jobs bank is absurd, they admit that most of the “job security” provisions in their contracts are maddening. Perhaps it is because we have seen the death of one industry here (steel) that some of these folks realize they are going to kill the goose if they do not ditch or modify some of the items.

They could go to the others families (Teamsters, SEIU, Teachers, government employees unions Gambino, Genovese, Bonanno, Colombo, Lucchese et.al.).

Hooray for compassionate conservatism!

Mal Carne on December 12, 2008 at 9:54 AM

Tell me, you are the kind of person, whose kid if runs across the busy street without looking, applauds them for being skillful at not being killed…rather then reprimanding them for doing something foolish.
Don’t want to look like a “mean” parent…

OldEnglish on December 12, 2008 at 10:09 AM

Thanks dude. It kin git lonely out here.