Should we bail them out or let them go under? Here is a photo essay on the past, present, and future of our car industry from an 8pus perspective. What are your thoughts?
I like the Jeep Chreokee on the scissor lift. I have no idea what i would do with it, but I would imagine that I could use the 4x4 to get out into the woods, find a nice treeline, and raise it up...a truly portable tree stand.
I dig the gargoyle car, but I have a feeling it just ain't practical...
As far as bailing them out, I'd need to see the business plan, first. (Not that *I'd* likely understand or be in any position to judge it myself, but there are people who are that I trust, and they ought to read, interpret, & evaluate it.) Throwing more money after that which they already lost won't do anyone any good... But neither will letting them die & allowing so many lose jobs without doing anything to help anyone.
If there's one thing I know, it's that I have no one firm conviction on this whole bailout business in general. Putting the usual partisanship aside, both those for & those against the original plan made some sense to me, and I really have no clue if there even is any one right answer to the exclusion of all others, let alone what that one solution actually is...
(Oh shit... Odetta died... ;...( I'll be back to read/post more later (workin' on fighting my addiction to the crazy from which our fair (O)ct(o)pus is trying to wrest me, by traveling in more like-minded circles for awhile... We'll see how it goes...
But I really dug Odetta, & I have to read more...)
I favor the toilet car because it best symbolizes, in my opinion, the current state of corporate America.
With respect to bailing out these dismal underachievers, I tend to be agnostic on the subject. OOH, if the industry is incapable of anticipating trends with intelligent planning, then let them hang themselves.
OTOH, the economy, to borrow an expression from Ford advertising, is Job Number One. With an estimated 3 million jobs at stake, the ripple effect would exacerbate an already failing economy. Furthermore, it can be argued that car manufacturing is a key industry … one of national security.
If there were a bailout, I would like to see the top management layer stripped away entirely, including the CEO, the BOARD of Directors, the marketing department, and strategic planning (assuming there is one), among others.
It would be poetic justice for Ralph Nader to receive a special honorary oversight position … in exchange for a promise that he will stay away from presidential politics forever and forever.
I wouldn't begrudge them the money since we are giving everybody else zillions, but it seems to me that we should extract some concessions -- we need more "green" cars, not more guzzlers.
533,000 jobs lost in November. Like it or not, it seems a bailout is indicated, but, first, the CEOs and other top execs should offer their resignations. Why reward complacency and stupidity?
I like what squid said. (and thanks for the many laughs to some others) I have to admit to bias. The black and white photos of my family inlude many taken in Rouge Park MI. My Grandpa was acquainted and more with Henry Ford. He traveled to England to help them unionize and streamline THEIR auto plants.
I think this means I also agree with we gave everyone else zillions .... AND cars are in my blood. They fed my family. I'm very disappointed in Ford's family. They have destroyed a city and caved an industry. Detroit is really hurting thanks to the shenanigans of some AND the putrid mayor, kwame kilpatrick. I don't want to see people lose their jobs. I'd like so see the executives forced to accept a one dollar a year salary across the board until they get it TOGETHER. I can't even really look at SUVs without wondering WHAT THE HELL????
Bail em and make me act right. I LOVE your car collection.
I agree with you about SUV's and am usually quite a bit more vulgar in my lack of appreciation, but it seems hypocritical to abuse Detroit for making a product that the public just couldn't get enough of rather than trying once again, after 60 years of failure, to make small, fuel efficient cars.
Experience shows, with examples like the Mitsubishi Eclipse Vs. the Eagle Talon, that Americans will pay considerably more for the identical car produced on the same assembly line if it has a Japanese label. We simply have too neurotic relationship with American products for our own industries to survive.
This is the country, after all, that will pay ten times as much for a cup of mochafrappachinoventilatteschmatti than it will for a really good cup of coffee.
Juliet asked "what's in a name" America answers "everything."
lmao. yes, the vulgarity. me too. especially in stampa (commonly referred to as south tampa) where teenage drivers roar around in them. just because OH YES THEY CAN. mom/dad bought it/two/three. it's de riguer.
We welcome civil discourse from all people but express no obligation to allow contributors and readers to be trolled. Any comment that sinks to the level of bigotry, defamation, personal insults, off-topic rants, and profanity will be deleted without notice.
I'll take the Brown Studebaker, thank you.
ReplyDeleteI like the Jeep Chreokee on the scissor lift. I have no idea what i would do with it, but I would imagine that I could use the 4x4 to get out into the woods, find a nice treeline, and raise it up...a truly portable tree stand.
ReplyDeleteWe should only bail them out of they can promise that all of your pictured cars are non-polluting & electric. . .
ReplyDeleteSomeone mentioned to me the other day the idea of making the oil companies bail out the auto industry. Makes sense to me. No?
I dig the gargoyle car, but I have a feeling it just ain't practical...
ReplyDeleteAs far as bailing them out, I'd need to see the business plan, first. (Not that *I'd* likely understand or be in any position to judge it myself, but there are people who are that I trust, and they ought to read, interpret, & evaluate it.) Throwing more money after that which they already lost won't do anyone any good... But neither will letting them die & allowing so many lose jobs without doing anything to help anyone.
If there's one thing I know, it's that I have no one firm conviction on this whole bailout business in general. Putting the usual partisanship aside, both those for & those against the original plan made some sense to me, and I really have no clue if there even is any one right answer to the exclusion of all others, let alone what that one solution actually is...
(Oh shit... Odetta died... ;...(
I'll be back to read/post more later (workin' on fighting my addiction to the crazy from which our fair (O)ct(o)pus is trying to wrest me, by traveling in more like-minded circles for awhile... We'll see how it goes...
But I really dug Odetta, & I have to read more...)
I favor the toilet car because it best symbolizes, in my opinion, the current state of corporate America.
ReplyDeleteWith respect to bailing out these dismal underachievers, I tend to be agnostic on the subject. OOH, if the industry is incapable of anticipating trends with intelligent planning, then let them hang themselves.
OTOH, the economy, to borrow an expression from Ford advertising, is Job Number One. With an estimated 3 million jobs at stake, the ripple effect would exacerbate an already failing economy. Furthermore, it can be argued that car manufacturing is a key industry … one of national security.
If there were a bailout, I would like to see the top management layer stripped away entirely, including the CEO, the BOARD of Directors, the marketing department, and strategic planning (assuming there is one), among others.
It would be poetic justice for Ralph Nader to receive a special honorary oversight position … in exchange for a promise that he will stay away from presidential politics forever and forever.
I'm also partial to the gargoyle car, but my absolute dream car would be a 1968 Detomasso Pantera in metallic blue!
ReplyDeleteRockync, would you settle for one of these. It was a tall order you gave me.
ReplyDeleteLOL, 8pus! Seeing as I can't wear those anymore,it might be fun to drive one.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't begrudge them the money since we are giving everybody else zillions, but it seems to me that we should extract some concessions -- we need more "green" cars, not more guzzlers.
ReplyDelete533,000 jobs lost in November. Like it or not, it seems a bailout is indicated, but, first, the CEOs and other top execs should offer their resignations. Why reward complacency and stupidity?
ReplyDeleteI like what squid said.
ReplyDelete(and thanks for the many laughs to some others)
I have to admit to bias. The black and white photos of my family inlude many taken in Rouge Park MI.
My Grandpa was acquainted and more with Henry Ford. He traveled to England to help them unionize and streamline THEIR auto plants.
I think this means I also agree with we gave everyone else zillions ....
AND cars are in my blood. They fed my family.
I'm very disappointed in Ford's family. They have destroyed a city and caved an industry.
Detroit is really hurting thanks to the shenanigans of some AND the putrid mayor, kwame kilpatrick.
I don't want to see people lose their jobs. I'd like so see the executives forced to accept a one dollar a year salary across the board until they get it TOGETHER.
I can't even really look at SUVs without wondering WHAT THE HELL????
Bail em and make me act right.
I LOVE your car collection.
I agree with you about SUV's and am usually quite a bit more vulgar in my lack of appreciation, but it seems hypocritical to abuse Detroit for making a product that the public just couldn't get enough of rather than trying once again, after 60 years of failure, to make small, fuel efficient cars.
ReplyDeleteExperience shows, with examples like the Mitsubishi Eclipse Vs. the Eagle Talon, that Americans will pay considerably more for the identical car produced on the same assembly line if it has a Japanese label. We simply have too neurotic relationship with American products for our own industries to survive.
This is the country, after all, that will pay ten times as much for a cup of mochafrappachinoventilatteschmatti than it will for a really good cup of coffee.
Juliet asked "what's in a name" America answers "everything."
lmao. yes, the vulgarity. me too.
ReplyDeleteespecially in stampa (commonly referred to as south tampa) where teenage drivers roar around in them. just because OH YES THEY CAN. mom/dad bought it/two/three. it's de riguer.
Indeed.
Everything.
quite droll commentary.