Show Us The Money. Show Us Your Plan.
By Johnny Roosh
Democratic leaders in Congress denied the Jet-Setting Big Three CEO’s saying show us your plan before we show you the money.
The Big Three are on their own for now.
Congressional efforts to rescue Detroit’s auto makers collapsed Thursday, with lawmakers saying the industry lacked credible plans to return to profitability.
The decision came after two days in which leaders of three of America’s largest corporations pleaded for a taxpayer-financed rescue from lawmakers in front of a national television audience. The spurning of their pleas leaves in question the future of companies that have been synonymous with American industry for decades and together employ 239,000 people in the U.S. (Please see related article on Page B3.)
Democrats in Congress offered only a glimmer of hope, saying they would reconsider a rescue if General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC submit convincing turnaround plans by Dec. 2.
This is a dire, critical juncture for America’s auto makers but you have to admit, Congress asking The Big Three for a business plan laying out their plans for the money if they got it? Requesting accountability? Discerning fiscal efficiency?
That’s humor.
…and it would be funny if it wasn’t real.
Frank, Pelosi and Reid wouldn’t know a business plan if they saw one let alone offering anything in the way of analysis or assessing viability.
That would be like getting marital advice from Barney Frank. Advice on manners and professional comportment from Al Franken. Executive leadership advice from Barack Obama.
Good luck Big Three. Just copy some economics paper from your freshman year of college and show it to them. They’ll never know the difference.
November 21st, 2008 at 10:58 am
It is of course only common sense to require a borrower to submit a business plan, but if the big three actually take the time to craft a plan that works, the Democrat government will shoot them down.
Any plan that positively affects the viability of the auto industry will have to include an overhaul of the union contracts. Sensible work rules, divestment of pensions, wage concessions are absolutely the first order of business.
Of course the top executives will have to forego the most ostentatious perks they enjoy today as well, not because that will have any appreciable effect on the bottom line, but because the Democrats must needs receive their pound of flesh.
Personally, I think that at least one of them needs to go; we are simply over supplied with cars. From a strictly business viewpoint, Chrysler is the weakest of the three and is the most likely candidate for the scrap heap.
The important point is this: We are standing at the precipice of the most intrusive, corrosive expansion of government control since FDR. If we do not show the intestinal fortitude to stand by the ebb and flow of the capitalist economic model today, we will not have the freedom to choose our destiny tomorrow.
November 21st, 2008 at 11:12 am
Correct. Democrats will never allow an overhaul of the golden compensation that the UAW receives (currently $73 bucks an hour..pay, benefits, retiree pmts divided by labor hours worked). Nor will Democrats allow loosening of so-called “green” requirements, CAFE standareds, trial lawyer reform (you drive reckless, you roll your car, you get free money).
Here’s another deal. Boeing is going through the same thing now. In a few years, they will be coming to the gov’t for free money as their union pay requirements (including retirement freebies) will crush them. If I were boeing, I’d be building plants today in other countries. Get ready to close US plants.
November 21st, 2008 at 11:47 am
Well said, Roosh. I saw the insistence on a plan, and thought “Wonderful!”–and then realized that Congress wouldn’t know a sound business plan if it bit them on the rear. Oh well.
November 21st, 2008 at 12:11 pm
This request for a plan is classic CYA. They didn’t ask for one until it became clear they didn’t have the votes to get this thing passed.
Pelosi was quite willing to unquestioningly send them money two days ago, now she just has to do the equivalent of her botox treatments on this legislation.
November 21st, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Obama got the Corned Beef. & apparently he’s moonlighting as Rahm Emmanuel’s go-fer, because Obama got the corned beef for him too.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081121/ap_on_el_pr/obama_1
November 21st, 2008 at 8:49 pm
If the car companies are so desperate for cash, they should go to the Mid-East.
That’s where Washington is getting the money! Why not just send the car companies to the source & cut out the middle-man!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081120/bs_afp/financeeconomyusgulf_081120072928
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:46 am
Make no mistake, this is going to be an historic case of high-stakes groveling. The unions’ very existence is at stake here. They could be forced to actually introducing sanity into the way they fashion a labor agreement.
In short, it won’t happen. They’re going to overplay their hand. They’re going to hold a gun to legislator’s head and say that there are 3 million union workers who may be out of work and it is the taxpayers job to see to it their standard of living is not diminished.
Are the voters that gullible? Hey, they just elected a socialist.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:51 am
Do not underestimate the Dems ability to grovel. They will work hand-in-hand with their union buddies to craft a sympathy campaign. They will paint horror pictures of patriotic union workers being forced to live in boxes and take part-time jobs in bowling alleys – instead of retiring at age 50 with lifetime benefits and pensions.
Just like public schools, the one word they avoid like a case of herpes is “competition.” If they actually have to use sound business practices they have doomed themselves.
November 23rd, 2008 at 10:10 pm
How would you know what marital advice, good or bad, Barney Frank might offer, but thanks for Gay-bating.
If they had simply approved this, you’d have accused them of shilling for their labor masters.
If they had simply said ‘no’, you’d have bitched for their ‘inaction.’
No offense, but considering you blamed CRA for the mortgage crisis, despite the fact that looming signs of massive economic problems were present – but I don’t know that you should be admonishing anyone about ‘not understanding’ a business plan.
That said – frankly, you would insult Pelosi and Reid if they walked on water for failing to get their ankles wet. They are doing what your Republican choices failed to do for 8 years, namely starting to ask for accountability, accountability you would have otherwise screamed about – but didn’t when it was your particular corporate cronies looking for ‘incentives’ – for 8 years.
November 24th, 2008 at 10:34 am
Oh I shouldn’t waist my time, but gosh Peeve, you have to learn how to read!
Saying Frank is incompetent is not gay-baiting, & criticizing Obama is not inherently racist.
& the CRA was called one major issue that lead to the melt down. Though extending the philosophy that the CRA created to entities that were not actually involved in the CRA was the major problem.
There is a huge difference, try to let your head to think outside of the teensy little box that’s been constructed for you.
November 24th, 2008 at 11:06 am
“How would you know what marital advice, good or bad, Barney Frank might offer, but thanks for Gay-bating.”
Because He is GAY. What marrige experience has he had? Dipshit.
“If they had simply approved this, you’d have accused them of shilling for their labor masters.”
Goddamn right. Since that is what they would be doing.
“If they had simply said ‘no’, you’d have bitched for their ‘inaction.’”
Your mind reading is off here. I, and a number of others, are all for inaction until they tackle the union issue.
“but considering you blamed CRA for the mortgage crisis, despite the fact that looming signs of massive economic problems were present”
Uh, what? One of the most looming signs of the mortage crisis were people borrowing far more money than they could afford.
Not sure what that has to do with a business plan. You dont think a business plan consists of putting your over valued house up against more money do you?
“frankly, you would insult Pelosi and Reid if they walked on water for failing to get their ankles wet. ”
Hell yes. What does walking on water have to do with incompetent government?
“hey are doing what your Republican choices failed to do for 8 years, namely starting to ask for accountability, accountability”
No kidding. I guess I missed the story about Dodd, Frank etc etc getting slapped down by the dems for their role in countrywide. Interesting. Point those out for me, would you?
“you would have otherwise screamed about – but didn’t when it was your particular corporate cronies looking for ‘incentives’ – for 8 years. ”
Again with the mind reading and projection.
Quick, how many fingers am I holding up?
For bonus, which finger is it?