Senate Republicans holding the economy and country hostage to political, personal satisfaction.

[JohnWxy]

After days of negotiatons and hard work by the domestic auto makers management and the union an agreement for a bridge loan was reached with the Congress. It was endorsed by the White House. But Senate Republicans had a bomb to deliver. Even with all the efforts by the "Big-3" managements and the union representatives. Even though the WHite HOuse endorsed the plan the Senate Republicans said it wasn't enough.



Friday's performance by the Senate Republicans was surely one of the most blatant examples of irresponsible, reckless political brinksmanship I have ever witnessed. The Senate Republicans were holding the American economy, the lives of millions of Americans and the long term economic strength and security of the United States hostage to political-egotistical ends. They had a perfect opportunity to assert illigitimate power because so much depended on getting this bridge loan agreement passed.

THey siezed the moment by threatening to throw the economy into depression, weaken our economic base, and compromise this country's long term economic strength and demanded another pound of flesh from the Nawrthern union-pinko workuhs. They did this just because they could and they wanted to feel powerful - not unlike a hostage holding creep feels powerful when he makes demands which if not met will result in dire consequences for his hostages. "Give me what I want or I'll let all that you hold dear go up in smoke!"

The Detroit-Three management and the union had made very significant moves to get an agreement that the HOuse signed on to and even the White HOuse was supporting. Read what the union workers had agreed to even before the bridge loan request was made:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/12/uaw_president_gettelfinger_to.html

The UAW and the workers and retirees we represent are prepared to do our part to ensure that the companies can continue as viable operations. As indicated in our previous testimony, workers and retirees have already stepped forward and made enormous sacrifices.

In 2005 the UAW reopened its contract mid-term and accepted cuts in wages for active workers and health care benefits for retirees.

In the 2007 contract the UAW agreed to slash wages for new workers by 50 percent to about $14 per hour, and to exclude new workers from the traditional health care and pension plans. The UAW also allowed the companies to outsource cleaning work at even lower rates.

Under the 2007 contract, beginning January 1, 2010 the liabilities for health care for existing retirees will be transferred from the companies to an independent VEBA fund. Taken together, the changes in the 2005 and 2007 contract reduced the companies liabilities for retiree health care benefits by 50 percent.

As a result of the 2005 and 2007 contracts, workers have not received any base wage increase since 2005 at GM and Ford, and since 2006 at Chrysler. All of these workers will not receive any increase through the end of the contract in 2011. Workers have also accepted reductions in cost of living adjustments.

New local operating agreements at many facilities provided dramatic flexibilities and reductions in classifications, and have saved the companies billions of dollars.

Reforms in the 2007 contract have largely eliminated the jobs banks.

Since 2003 downsizing by the companies has reduced their workforce by 150,000, resulting in enormous savings for GM, Ford and Chrysler.

And yet all this was not enough. Clearly, this was the most contemptible display of reckless Republican political behavior I have ever seen (barring of course the Republicans' rape of Democracy in the fraudulent elections of 2000 and 2004).

What IS to be done with these Republicans, these anarchists, these enemies of democracy? What IS to be done with them?

[OHdem10]

1. They(GOP) do this because they know they can get away with

it. They see the Dems as weak and unwilling to confront them.