So I have been avoiding writing about the auto industry to save the small amount of sanity I have remaining. Must control urges…can’t rant endlessly…use the force…it is your destiny. Alright I give in.
I have been overwhelmed with the talking heads telling me what a great job Rick Wagoner did as I am trying to plan how to deal with not having a job (no $20 million parting gifts included). Looking back at this whole thing I realize that our careers at GM were simultaneous, Wagoner took over North American Operations in 1994 and I hired in shortly thereafter in 1997. Wagoner took the CEO reigns in 2000. GM lost market share in nearly every year of that time period and in Wagoner’s last 4 years GM has lost more than $80 Billion. We can examine the pitiful legacy he leaves behind over and over and it would be hard for anyone to genuinely believe that Wagoner did a good job, BY ANY MEASURE! I will also say that from the shop floor some of the moves have appeared dimwitted at best.
The belief that the most profitable vehicles were what was best for the company was not only short sighted it was catastrophic in terms of market share; attracting new, young buyers; and environmental responsibility. The decision to fight higher CAFÉ standards was not initially his (it was in place long before he took over); however it was Wagoner that continued the fight. The UAW was complicit in this battle that may have actually been beneficial in the long run for GM. The pull back on research and development and the dismantling of the EV 1 project were all things that occurred on Wagoner’s watch.
Back to the talking heads. So I keep hearing about the bad precedent it sets for the president to have the power to ask for the resignation of a CEO. I think the president is about to ask tens of thousands of autoworkers to make similar choices. I think that the sacrifices of these thousands of auto workers won’t come with a $20 million golden parachute and they are a lot less responsible for driving a profitable company into the hands of the federal government for help. To me this reeks of the same hypocrisy that oozed from the treatment of AIG contracts as rule of law while autoworker contracts must be rewritten for the good of the country.
LET THEM EAT CAKE!!
I suppose if I belonged to the same country club as some of these corporate execs, the talking heads may become apologists for me as well. Let them have an extra mulligan during 18 holes and you’re a great guy! “Hey you are such a great leader, what is it you do again?” the golf course can reveal the real measure of a man’s ability to perform.
THE PIGS ARE WALKING!!
Settle down! Settle down! OK, I am about to go into a populist rant so I will wrap it up. It is becoming more and more apparent that the Washington, Wall Street, and media set are at each other’s disposal. Whether it be to loft a softball question, defend the indefensible or spread a layer of hypocrisy so that it appears that it is a consensus opinion that should be listened to. The same rhetoric is coming left and right. This appears to be a giant circle jerk and livelihoods, pension plans and the future of the country are on the line. Frightening.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
The Wrecking Crew
All are familiar with conservatives' rallying cry, "Government isn't the answer, it's the problem."
Thomas Frank chronicles their destructive approach to government in his book, "The Wrecking Crew." With seventy pages of footnotes, this book is a great resource.
He details how conservatives spent our money like drunken sailors, yet systematically cut public servant wages; deregulated; privatized, appointed incompetent cronies (remember FEMA's Michael Brown?); and enlisted powerful lobbyists to market the very earmarks they are howling about today.
Privatized federal dollars now circumvent the wallets of military and civilian personnel and go directly into the coffers of the well-connected who then donate to conservative candidates or right wing think tanks who churn out press releases and articles with the underlying theme, "Government isn't the answer, it's the problem," thereby insuring another election cycle of cash flow.
Have they outdone themselves? They succeeded in abolishing the very regulations which allowed criminals to destroy Wall Street.
As the economic dominoes continue to fall, stay informed. Read 'The Wrecking Crew' and watch "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" at 8 p.m. and "The Rachel Maddows Show" at 9 p.m. weeknights on MSNBC.
Thomas Frank chronicles their destructive approach to government in his book, "The Wrecking Crew." With seventy pages of footnotes, this book is a great resource.
He details how conservatives spent our money like drunken sailors, yet systematically cut public servant wages; deregulated; privatized, appointed incompetent cronies (remember FEMA's Michael Brown?); and enlisted powerful lobbyists to market the very earmarks they are howling about today.
Privatized federal dollars now circumvent the wallets of military and civilian personnel and go directly into the coffers of the well-connected who then donate to conservative candidates or right wing think tanks who churn out press releases and articles with the underlying theme, "Government isn't the answer, it's the problem," thereby insuring another election cycle of cash flow.
Have they outdone themselves? They succeeded in abolishing the very regulations which allowed criminals to destroy Wall Street.
As the economic dominoes continue to fall, stay informed. Read 'The Wrecking Crew' and watch "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" at 8 p.m. and "The Rachel Maddows Show" at 9 p.m. weeknights on MSNBC.
Playing Politics . . . Poorly!
After recently being called out on their inability to present anything other than obstruction the GOP released its alternative to President Obama’s budget. It was 19 pages long and didn’t contain a single number. No, seriously. They held a press conference and everything. Rep. Boehner even looked offended when reporters asked about the lack of details. If you care to read it here it is.
The fact is that they got called out by the president on Tuesday night and they had to respond. The sad part is that this document contains the same tired arguments that the GOP have been making for weeks. The “plan” has no substance whatsoever! It is simply another version of “your plan is bad”. The first page is a pretty good sign of the rest of the documents contents. Nearly the entire page is devoted to bashing the President’s budget without offering anything new of substance. Exactly what they were called out on in the first place!
The GOP got caught playing politics … poorly!
The fact is that they got called out by the president on Tuesday night and they had to respond. The sad part is that this document contains the same tired arguments that the GOP have been making for weeks. The “plan” has no substance whatsoever! It is simply another version of “your plan is bad”. The first page is a pretty good sign of the rest of the documents contents. Nearly the entire page is devoted to bashing the President’s budget without offering anything new of substance. Exactly what they were called out on in the first place!
The GOP got caught playing politics … poorly!
Friday, March 20, 2009
So, what the hell is an earmark?
Earmarks, they could be in your state. They could even be in your city! Beware, they may be as close as your own backyard. They're coming, they won't stop. Are you scared yet? Well, you shouldn't be.
Republicans in Congress have chosen about the silliest thing in the world to focus on in their effort to get the trust of the American people back. Their focus on earmarks in the budget are utterly ridiculous and earmarks are not the cause of any budget mess, bankruptcies or any other economic problems we are experiencing today.
An earmark, in it's simplest definition is- a directive of how Congress wants money to be spent. Is this a good thing? Yes, in many cases, an earmark provides a great value. But, like anything else, earmarks can be abused. Plain and simple, it's what you're earmarking and almost as important, why?
For example, the earmarks given to Jack Abramhoff, who is now in jail somewhere along with several Republican Members of Congress and Bush Administration officials, were more kickbacks and bribes more than anything else. Were the earmarks themselves bad? Not necessarily. In all honesty, I'm not sure. But, the process in which they were obtained (bribes, kickbacks etc) are the real problem.
Some examples of good earmarks are money going toward construction projects. A Member of Congress may want to make sure that that overpass on I-75 receives funding when the money is released to states for construction projects. So, the lawmaker puts in an earmark request. Democratic leadership has made this a more transparent process than when Republicans were in control of Congress. Is it a perfect process? Nope.
Many like John McCain have made fodder over earmark requests made by President Obama when he was a Senator from IL. One request was for funding for a planetarium to be built in Chicago. Seems ridiculous,? I don't think so. Considering that many kids show little or no interest in science, and especially astronomy, physics and other aspects of science, giving them a chance to see the stars and cosmos up close and personal could help kids become interested in science. So, in the future, instead of relying on imported workers through H1-B visas to design shuttles, land the next Mars rover etc, perhaps Mr. Obama was trying to get kids interested in science. The more important aspect of this is that I seriously doubt that the educational institution that requested the earmark took Mr. Obama to Scotland to golf at exclusive courses or to nice resorts in the islands as Jack Abramhoff did in his attempt to get earmarks from the likes of Tom DeLay. Sounds like a pretty straight forward attempt at education to me.
Those in glass mansions shouldn't throw stones. Senator McCain doesn't use earmarks, he rails against them. Instead, McCain tries to job the system. For example, the Boeing tanker case. McCain hates Boeing, so he tried to steer BILLIONS of dollars to Boeings rival, airbus through the defense budget process. Yes, you saw correctly, John McCain wanted to give our money to foreign workers to build airplanes meant to protect US citizens, instead of Boeing workers in the US. Thankfully, the good folks at the Machinists Union fought this tooth and nail- stay tuned.
Earmarks are just like politicians, teachers and pizzas- some are good, some are not. One closing thought- he number of earmarks increased dramatically while Republicans were in charge of Congress and Bush was president. So, next time you hear conservative Republicans railing against earmarks etc. I hope you'll have a better understanding of what earmarks really are and that they're not to blame.
Republicans in Congress have chosen about the silliest thing in the world to focus on in their effort to get the trust of the American people back. Their focus on earmarks in the budget are utterly ridiculous and earmarks are not the cause of any budget mess, bankruptcies or any other economic problems we are experiencing today.
An earmark, in it's simplest definition is- a directive of how Congress wants money to be spent. Is this a good thing? Yes, in many cases, an earmark provides a great value. But, like anything else, earmarks can be abused. Plain and simple, it's what you're earmarking and almost as important, why?
For example, the earmarks given to Jack Abramhoff, who is now in jail somewhere along with several Republican Members of Congress and Bush Administration officials, were more kickbacks and bribes more than anything else. Were the earmarks themselves bad? Not necessarily. In all honesty, I'm not sure. But, the process in which they were obtained (bribes, kickbacks etc) are the real problem.
Some examples of good earmarks are money going toward construction projects. A Member of Congress may want to make sure that that overpass on I-75 receives funding when the money is released to states for construction projects. So, the lawmaker puts in an earmark request. Democratic leadership has made this a more transparent process than when Republicans were in control of Congress. Is it a perfect process? Nope.
Many like John McCain have made fodder over earmark requests made by President Obama when he was a Senator from IL. One request was for funding for a planetarium to be built in Chicago. Seems ridiculous,? I don't think so. Considering that many kids show little or no interest in science, and especially astronomy, physics and other aspects of science, giving them a chance to see the stars and cosmos up close and personal could help kids become interested in science. So, in the future, instead of relying on imported workers through H1-B visas to design shuttles, land the next Mars rover etc, perhaps Mr. Obama was trying to get kids interested in science. The more important aspect of this is that I seriously doubt that the educational institution that requested the earmark took Mr. Obama to Scotland to golf at exclusive courses or to nice resorts in the islands as Jack Abramhoff did in his attempt to get earmarks from the likes of Tom DeLay. Sounds like a pretty straight forward attempt at education to me.
Those in glass mansions shouldn't throw stones. Senator McCain doesn't use earmarks, he rails against them. Instead, McCain tries to job the system. For example, the Boeing tanker case. McCain hates Boeing, so he tried to steer BILLIONS of dollars to Boeings rival, airbus through the defense budget process. Yes, you saw correctly, John McCain wanted to give our money to foreign workers to build airplanes meant to protect US citizens, instead of Boeing workers in the US. Thankfully, the good folks at the Machinists Union fought this tooth and nail- stay tuned.
Earmarks are just like politicians, teachers and pizzas- some are good, some are not. One closing thought- he number of earmarks increased dramatically while Republicans were in charge of Congress and Bush was president. So, next time you hear conservative Republicans railing against earmarks etc. I hope you'll have a better understanding of what earmarks really are and that they're not to blame.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
This is the business we have chosen
The question is repeated ad nauseam; “you done Friday?”. All day long my co-workers are being asked the fate of their employment status on Monday, four days from now, and they most likely can’t answer. I am lucky, my boss stopped by to tell me late in the day that Friday I will be layed off indefinitely. You may ask why I consider myself lucky. I would rather know. The most difficult issue for me has been the uncertainty of when, not if, I would be layed off.
We eat our lunch and watch the AIG fallout while listening to Wall Street apologists bellow about the sanctity of contracts and wonder when the vote over the concessions in our contracts will take place.
We try to fool each other and ourselves as we speak of all the time off we will enjoy; all the while wondering when or if we will enter the plant again. We occasionally bark comments about fishing or finishing the projects at home and then spend the next 30 or 40 minutes in silence thinking, wondering, planning. The stories of our co-workers that were layed off during the 80’s, for years at a time, are not so commonly discussed anymore. They have seen this scenario before.
I can’t help but remember the line from the Godfather II: “this is the business we have chosen.” While wondering what the next few years of my life will be like.
We eat our lunch and watch the AIG fallout while listening to Wall Street apologists bellow about the sanctity of contracts and wonder when the vote over the concessions in our contracts will take place.
We try to fool each other and ourselves as we speak of all the time off we will enjoy; all the while wondering when or if we will enter the plant again. We occasionally bark comments about fishing or finishing the projects at home and then spend the next 30 or 40 minutes in silence thinking, wondering, planning. The stories of our co-workers that were layed off during the 80’s, for years at a time, are not so commonly discussed anymore. They have seen this scenario before.
I can’t help but remember the line from the Godfather II: “this is the business we have chosen.” While wondering what the next few years of my life will be like.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Lost Week Round-up
So who new that you have to download days worth of updates after formatting your computer? I guess losing the contents of my hard drive wasn’t the only irritating thing about this past week.
I missed a lot during the week! A small rundown.
Employee Free Choice Act – George Miller is too good for his district!
GM doesn’t need $2 Billion – I hope this sounds like the good news I think it is!
C.E.O.’s are greedy bastards and so are the executives who have helped guide the country’s financial system to the brink of catastrophe!
Some e-mails you can send out to elected officials:
Take Action: The Employee Free Choice Act must pass!
And another one RE: EFCA.
A no-brainer - Hire Michigan First: Creating Jobs For Our Workers.
Say NO to new coal plants in Lansing.
Tell the State Senate to Hold Predatory Lenders Accountable!
Now, back to downloading updates for windows. Ughh!!
I missed a lot during the week! A small rundown.
Employee Free Choice Act – George Miller is too good for his district!
GM doesn’t need $2 Billion – I hope this sounds like the good news I think it is!
C.E.O.’s are greedy bastards and so are the executives who have helped guide the country’s financial system to the brink of catastrophe!
Some e-mails you can send out to elected officials:
Take Action: The Employee Free Choice Act must pass!
And another one RE: EFCA.
A no-brainer - Hire Michigan First: Creating Jobs For Our Workers.
Say NO to new coal plants in Lansing.
Tell the State Senate to Hold Predatory Lenders Accountable!
Now, back to downloading updates for windows. Ughh!!
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Michigan House passes EFCA resolution
The Michigan House of Representatives brought before it House Resolution 10 (H.R. 10) a non-binding resolution supporting the Employee Free Choice Act. I had the pleasure of attending both the Labor committee hearing on H.R. 10 and had a chance to sit in the gallery as it was voted on. I was pleased to see the resolution pass through committee, but I was disappointed to hear the same old tired right-wing talking points from every single member that belonged to the republican party. The corporate elite even sent their lap dogs to testify in front of the committee. Luckily my union president Brian Fredline showed up and decided to testify. I have known and worked with Brian for a few years now and knew he could handle himself in a debate but he shocked me. Brian mopped the floor with the sorry cast of anti-worker pawns that showed up. By the time he was done testifying more than half of the committee was nodding their head in agreement. None of the puppets on the right had anything to say! The chairman thanked Brian and added that he was pleased with his testimony and agreed with him. Within a few hours the Michigan state House of Representatives passed the resolution. There was a highlight; a Republican chose to value working people over party dogma! His name is Tory Rocca from the Sterling Heights area. Feel free to thank him for his support!
(In case you are unaware, the Employee Free Choice Act is a bill that would give workers an additional method of joining a union. The bill is often referred to as “card check”.
Worker intimidation from employers during union organizing drives is well documented. This legislation is long overdue. This fight wont be easy, a who’s who of anti-worker, extreme right wing ideologues have lined up and plan to fight like hell to prevent workers from having a say in their work place. That’s okay; we got the right people on our side! The new administration, the new secretary of Labor, and the legislators that have been fighting on our behalf since day one.
Monday, March 02, 2009
What a difference an election makes
Mark Schauer has been the 7th congressional Representative for less than 2 months and he has already done more for the working people of his district than Tim Walberg did during his entire term.
I was thrilled to learn that congressman Schauer had asked to meet with some workers from the GM Lansing Delta township plant in his district. Walberg as you may remember couldn’t even be bothered to vote on the auto bridge loan. Schauer came to the UAW local 602 union hall to sit down and talk with us regarding our concerns. Schauer spoke briefly and then spent time fielding questions from anyone who had a question. The congressman answered questions regarding unemployment, trade, TARP funds, stimulus package money, and wall street to name a few. I know congressman Schauer and even though I live in the far eastern portion of the 8th congressional district I campaigned heavily for him. I came prepared to point out what some of the members of my local may not have known.
I thanked the congressman for joining the House trade working group and also thanked him for pushing for “Buy American” provisions in the stimulus package. I read the following excerpt from a letter Schauer and some of his colleagues sent the president:
We also believe that it is in the public interest to “Buy American.” Homegrown manufacturing capabilities are not only vital to the American economy but also a national security imperative. We cannot afford to lose our nation’s competitive edge or the productive foundation of our economy.
We are not looking to erect trade barriers, only to help assure American taxpayers that their money is being directly spent to create or retain American jobs to the greatest degree possible. Spending the nearly $1 trillion in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act here at home is prudent policy and will help America get back to work.
I then read an excerpt from a letter the House trade working group sent the president that Schauer had signed onto:
We heartily agree with your conclusion that trade policies "are not sustainable if they favor the few rather than the many." Rebalancing our trade and globalization policies so that they create and retain good jobs in the United States, foster sustainable and equitable development worldwide, and provide government with the policy space necessary to solve pressing economic, climate, and other challenges is critical to prosperity and security at home and around the world.
A hefty round of applause followed each time I read these items and Schauer thanked me for doing my homework. I made the comment that I was thrilled to hear such a different sort of rhetoric coming from the 7th congressional district lately and made sure Rep. Schauer knew how welcome it was.
I was thrilled to learn that congressman Schauer had asked to meet with some workers from the GM Lansing Delta township plant in his district. Walberg as you may remember couldn’t even be bothered to vote on the auto bridge loan. Schauer came to the UAW local 602 union hall to sit down and talk with us regarding our concerns. Schauer spoke briefly and then spent time fielding questions from anyone who had a question. The congressman answered questions regarding unemployment, trade, TARP funds, stimulus package money, and wall street to name a few. I know congressman Schauer and even though I live in the far eastern portion of the 8th congressional district I campaigned heavily for him. I came prepared to point out what some of the members of my local may not have known.
I thanked the congressman for joining the House trade working group and also thanked him for pushing for “Buy American” provisions in the stimulus package. I read the following excerpt from a letter Schauer and some of his colleagues sent the president:
We also believe that it is in the public interest to “Buy American.” Homegrown manufacturing capabilities are not only vital to the American economy but also a national security imperative. We cannot afford to lose our nation’s competitive edge or the productive foundation of our economy.
We are not looking to erect trade barriers, only to help assure American taxpayers that their money is being directly spent to create or retain American jobs to the greatest degree possible. Spending the nearly $1 trillion in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act here at home is prudent policy and will help America get back to work.
I then read an excerpt from a letter the House trade working group sent the president that Schauer had signed onto:
We heartily agree with your conclusion that trade policies "are not sustainable if they favor the few rather than the many." Rebalancing our trade and globalization policies so that they create and retain good jobs in the United States, foster sustainable and equitable development worldwide, and provide government with the policy space necessary to solve pressing economic, climate, and other challenges is critical to prosperity and security at home and around the world.
A hefty round of applause followed each time I read these items and Schauer thanked me for doing my homework. I made the comment that I was thrilled to hear such a different sort of rhetoric coming from the 7th congressional district lately and made sure Rep. Schauer knew how welcome it was.
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