Congress' $15B auto bailout plan includes 'car czar'Brilliant. Simply brilliant.
Because, y'know, if your business is hemorrhaging red ink, completely disconnected from market realities, employs overpaid and un-fireable people with a bloated sense of entitlement, and demands loyalty simply based on patriotism and past glories... well... then you obviously need someone from the government to oversee it, since they can do all that stuff much better than you can.
"Car czar"? Srsly? Congress is going to appoint someone to balance a checkbook? Isn't that like asking Amy Winehouse for tips on beating a drug habit?
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"Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself."
- Mark Twain
Can you say "British Leyland"
I know you can...
It's more like the opening shot of the Socialist Revolution. The Czar (Congress can't even spell it right - the correct transliteration has been tsar since the 1960s) will be an instrument of the government responsible for overseeing a production in a major industry. God help us.
Now that I think about that, it isn't socialist; it's fascist. I expect to see a campaign to remove profit from war next. If you don't know what I'm talking about - and I know Tam does - look into the history of Germany just before WWII, when the socialists came to power and then became fascist. Throw in the currency melt-down of Wiemar Germany, and think you may have a pretty accurate predictor for where we are now.
Who's Amy Winehouse?
If Amy Winehouse is a mystery, don't bother googling it. As for Detroit, well, thats corporate welfare at is messiest. Our national airline has been on it for 20 years, and I'd rather drive the tug pulling one their competitors' aircraft to wherever I was going than ride first-class in theirs.
On the other hand, drugs are still pretty common despite the Drug Czar. Maybe this means that new American cars will be pretty common so long as we have a Car Czar.
Do you think he'll get government transportation in a Car Czar Car?
Bought in a bazaar?
In a land afar?
During the war?
...oops.
I rather liked Greg Mankiw's suggestion, myself.
This is accurate enough. http://www.treehugger.com/20081209-the-bailout-shitty-cars.jpg
Rumors abound about Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm being considered for the position. Get ready to be blown away. Remember, if you are a Democrat, failure is rewarded. Now I know how the folks from Arkansas felt during Clinton. Well, maybe not that bad.
I'd considered writing a letter to the big three, explaining that I'd willingly purchase shares of their companies, if and only if two criteria were met.
1) No more unions, of any kind. No severence pay to any employees (also management, including execs), no pensions, no negotiations with "collective bargaining" or anything that is traditionally associated with unions.
2) Accept no bailout money, at all. Not one red cent.
Here's the kicker. They could design and build whatever they want, so long as the market will support it. Ya know, like that whole capitalist, turning a profit, only-the-fit-survive Darwinian shit.
All makes sense to me.
I saw this and thought you'd enjoy it
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3059/3102767399_3b01b26e60.jpg?v=0
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