Debbie Stabenow D Michigan senator: she and other politicians made sure the auto industry lobbying

[LittleApple81]

efforts were successful so they could continue running their companies as if it were an industry from the beginning of the 20th Century. In my opinion, she and the others that allowed those lobbying efforts to be successful should not be allowed to dominate the discussion about bailouts for this industry if we want it to come out of the past Century.

[Tansy_Gold]

1. Stabenow's a Senator; Jennifer Granholm's the governor

n/t

[LittleApple81]

2. Thanks, corrected. nt

[KharmaTrain]

3. That's What Your Senator Should Do

I don't agree with a bailout for the auto companies. Let them drop, let them rot. But I don't live in a state that is reliant heavily on this industry to generate jobs and taxes. With Stabenow or Grandholm or Dingell have (D) after their names, they're Michiganders first and the collapse of the auto industry would all but wipe out the state's economy...not just in lost revenues but in increased costs in unemployment, food stamps and other services.

My bets the UAW is surely in favor of a bailout...do we keep them away from the table as well? Again, I'm against a bail-out for the auto companies in the hopes that they are broken into smaller, more efficient companies that will compete with one another in the development of next generation transportation.

Cheers...

[madrchsod]

4. Chrysler's belvedere il plant is the most advanced in the usa

and the ford plant on the southside of chicago builds one of the best cars of all the manufacturers in the usa. there`s many business here in illinois that provide sub assemblies and support services to these two american auto manufactures.

we all have a stake in the survival of of our auto industry.

[spartan61]

5. You wrote...

"We all have a stake in the survival of of our auto industry."

I so agree with this.

[KharmaTrain]

6. Yes, They Do...

But a majority of the jobs are after market...mechanics, auto parts, dealers and so on. I know Chrysler was making the Neon in Belvidere but had heard they had cut back production...yet another Yo-Yo game for the Rockford area. I remember the '80 bail-out...the plant was closed for a while and when they finally turned around to hire again, many of their former workers had headed south and the economy was in shambles. I don't think it's ever really recovered.

I don't see an auto industry going away...just the name plates. Who says that the only companies should get preference just because of their names or longevity. These companies had 30 years to develop new technology cars, to work at better fuel efficiency and reliability...their sales dump is a result of both their poor business sense and short-term greed. Are these the people we want both rewarded for this avarice and then expect them to solve a major, fundamental problem that touches everyone of us as well.

The other day, I mentioned my father drove Fords throughout his lifetime cause he had patients at the Torrence plant...I inherited a couple and learned quickly why they were called "Fix or Repair Daily".

The sub-assembly companies should be free to find new alliances...if there's money to be made available, it's loans and tax breaks to encourage these companies to invest in oil-free cars and parts...I have confidence that many will adjust and be positioned in building a bigger, better and more stable transportation sector. As it stands, we'll continue to Yo-Yo with the price of oil and the economic games on Wall street.

Cheers...

:hi: