CaminoLS6

http://www.autoextremist.com/

December 12, 2008



It’s up to you Mr. President.


By Peter M. De Lorenzo


Detroit. The U.S. Senate late last night voted against passage of a bill to give an emergency bridge loan to the Detroit automakers – specifically GM and Chrysler - paving the way for the eventual collapse of the domestic automobile industry and sending this country’s already teetering financial situation to the brink of disaster.

The inaction - a blatantly malicious display of placing political self-interests before the best interests of the nation – was orchestrated by Senators Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY), two men who are pushing “the Southern Corridor” – a network of transplant manufacturing facilities operated by some import car companies – as the new American auto industry, even though it means destroying the foundation of America’s manufacturing base and ruining the livelihoods of millions of people - including auto workers, dealers and suppliers - who depend on the domestic automobile industry for their livelihoods, not to mention their health care and pensions.

Besides sending a clear message to Detroit - yet again - that this industry doesn’t matter, the Senators behind the failure to get the bill passed reinforced the notion that too much of the rest of the country, for the most part, refuses to understand the ramifications of what a collapse of the domestic automobile industry really means, and that the attitude of “it won’t affect me” and “whatever” are the new dual mantras of the American people.

That we have become a Starbucks Nation of consumer zombies who have lost sight of the fact that this country’s ability to manufacture things is more important to the future of our country than the convenience of another coffee shop is appalling enough, but the fact that this country has become a patchwork quilt of warring factions hell-bent on destroying each other no matter what the cost to our fellow citizens is beyond reprehensible.

Over the last three weeks I’ve watched as those miserable excuses for our “representatives” in Washington have spewed so much misinformation and flat-out lies aimed at Detroit and the domestic automobile industry that I’ve lost track in trying to tally all of it up, but suffice to say at this juncture it really doesn’t matter.

What happened in Washington last night was one of the most egregious displays of selfish, narrow-minded thinking in the history of our nation. Facts were either misrepresented or ignored altogether and dire warnings were scoffed at, while our nation is in its most precarious financial state in seven decades.

The bottom line is that hard-working people involved in an industry that has tentacles in every state and accounts for 1 out of every 10 American jobs are being punished today because of two self-righteous Senators who think their view of things should be the country’s view.

That an industry that supported the American middle class for 100 years, that forged the Arsenal of Democracy during WWII, that has responded to every disaster and national crisis by giving endlessly of time, money, vehicles and resources, that an industry that makes up the majority of our nation’s manufacturing and research & development prowess – to the tune of $12 billion annually - has become expendable.

The anti-car, anti-Detroit cabal alive in Washington and in certain corners of the media has seized the opportunity to bury Detroit and the domestic automobile industry once and for all, and in so doing have set into motion the final erosion of the American industrial fabric, sending a message to the world that this nation has not only lost its will to fight and is incapable of protecting one of its essential industries, it has willingly set a course for long-term weakness and vulnerability.

Mr. President, countless American families are calling on you to keep this essential American industry going. We hope you see it to do the right thing.

Thanks for listening.

guionM

This is an instance where he's hit it on the head.

CaminoLS6

He's been right on the money during this whole parade of idiocy in DC.

Caps94ZODG

cut and past this in any forum you see fit!

HuJass

Another good article by DeLorenzo.

Adam4356

the letter mentions the senators but fails to mention the majority of the american public that find in ludacris to bailout a beaten, failed, and worthless industry that put itself in this position. The UAW which is a self interest terrorist organization.

None of that mentioned. GM can't ch.11 because they immediately enter Ch.7. Sure, based on what ? The fact that the industry is worthless and the bond holders want money back. Damn them.

We should open a huge line of credit with the industry. That fixes everything.

What a statesmen.

DvBoard

Bailout? Nah. It's a loan since the $700Billion bailout failed.

GM can't ch.11 because no one will buy from a car company in bankruptcy.

What they need is a loan, and when the banks won't give it to them, they should get it from the place the banks are getting their money.

HuJass

Why are you on this board?
You joined the board in 2003 yet the majority of your posts (81 to be exact) have happened after 11/12/2008.
Did you join this board just to bust on American cars and their companies?
Did you lurk for 4-5 years just hoping something like this would happen so that you could "bless us" with your "expert wisdom"?

I don't think I've ever read ANYTHING from you that was positive about the American auto industry, positive about GM, positive about GM cars, or positive about the Camaro.

This is a GM board. If you want to rail against the American auto industry, and/or GM, may I suggest a foreign car board or, even better, a political forum.

I've never read anything constructive in any of your posts. It's just all negativity.

Malice 1

Nice letter. I definatley gonna go buy the "united states of toyota" book that he wrote. I thought me, guinon, and Fbodfather were the only 3 people in America that wanted the big 3 to survive. It's nice to know there is a 4th person among us.

Everything that can be said in defense of saving the industry has been said. Wait until 3 million people are out of work, and the last US manufacturing industry is gone. Wait untill the second great depression gets into full swing. All the American carmaker fanboys will be able to do is say: "I told ya so".

HuJass

Make sure I'm on that list.



I agree with you. Unfortunately, "I told ya so" wont keep us dry, warm, and fed during the 2nd Great Depression.

camaro_guy_z28

Add 1 more to that list

My Red 93Z-28

and another

My Red 93Z-28

Robert Nashville's Alter Ego

j/k Robert

Adam4356

Lol, so now it's a personal issue.

Yes, all my posts are negative voicing very real concerns that i and most of America have.

Thats no crime. At a time like this any educated person should be more concerned about winning over critics than rallying the same UAW, pro-labor, "help the little guy" rants.

There are critics. Believe me.

guionM

Adam, do I have to remind you that you are on a Camaro Z28 enthusiast site?

Last time I checked, Camaro falls under General Motors, the company you seem hellbent on seeing liquidated.

There are people on Ford sites (a company that's all but certain to survive all this) bashing on senators and a public unwilling to understand what the fall of GM and/or Chrysler means to everyone.

I came here from Ford myself. GM needs to be saved at all costs, as long as they are forced to get their financial and managerial house in order... at gunpoint if necessary.

Yet you are here, still spouting off this garbage.

You have hereby earned the ranking of Troll.

Congratulations.... you've worked very hard for it.