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Obama’s Economy of Torture

By Larry Johnson on March 30, 2009 at 6:00 PM in Auto Industry, Commerce, Current Affairs, Economic Stimulus, Economy, G20, General Motors & Chrysler, Governance, President Barack Obama, Tim Geithner, Tom Daschle, U.S. Treasury, Workers, treasury department

(This is essential reading that I bumped up – Susan)

Remember when George Bush and Dick Cheney could rely on the many in the media to help them euphemize that dirty word, “torture?” It wasn’t torture, it was “enhanced interrogation.” That’s like calling the amputation of a leg, “enhanced skin removal below the waist.”

For those of you who were hoping for a new day. For those of you wanting change you could believe in. I have three words for you.

FORGET ABOUT IT!!

Luca BrasiToday’s headline in the Washington Post, “GM Chief to Resign at White House’s Behest.” Great Marlon Brando’s ghost!! Talk about using language to cover up the truth. I guess it could have been worse. The White House could have said it made Wagoner an offer he couldn’t refuse. Did Luca Brasi pay Wagoner a visit? (If you have not seen the movie, The Godfather, you won’t have a clue what I’m talking about.)

Let’s be clear about what happened here. Barack Obama, somehow, is now in a position to fire the CEO of a publicly traded company. The phraseology employed to describe what happened to Wagoner reminds me of an observation from my friend Janet. Janet, who is from the midwest, noted that folks on the east coast frequently will complain by stating, “I have an issue.” Janet told me:

They may be issues on the east coast but in the midwest they are fucking problems.

The firing of Rick Wagoner was not made for any rational economic reason. This is pure politics, designed in part to portray Barack as a tough guy who is taking charge on the eve of his international debut at the G20 summit. Not a single person on the Obama economic team has ever run a business or met a payroll. Barack and his team of bozos could not find a Secretary of Treasury who felt it important to pay taxes and wanted to appoint Tom Daschle to run Health and Human Services even though he was a lobbyist taking freebies on the side. And these are the people who want us to believe that they know how to run a car company?

Well Barack, it is your baby now. You are in charge of GM and its fate. If it survives and prospers you will be doing the big booty shake as you celebrate your second inauguration. But if GM falters, no amount of obfuscation and murky language will be able to mask the stink of this turd.

  • diane

    BARRY BACKS CAR WARRANTIES AND LOANS!
    outrageous! this has to stop!

    • HARP

      I`m willing to bet they never considered that GM sells cars all over the world. Are the American taxpayers on the hook for their warranties too.

      • devildog666

        Spread the wealth.

    • DAB

      When I heard this on TV today, I had the same reaction that you did. It seems totally nutty that the government would open up another department to guarantee auto warranties. Maybe all of the displaced auto workers can get jobs processing the claims….

      I agree that this thing appears to be getting out of hand.

    • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

      Diane, warn people about sites like that. It seized up my entire computer, and I have a decent computer. It’s still loading after five minutes. I’m trying to get it to shut down. Not mad at you personally since you didn’t realize, but everyone should warn people if a site is as overloaded and poorly constructed as that site. (A well-constructed site loads efficiently.)

      I’m only posting this to warn off other people in case they, like me, already have several windows open, and this is one window too many.

      • Docelder

        That thing is really retro. I haven’t seen that many animated flashing gifs on a page since maybe 1997.

      • http://noquarter foxyladi14

        thanks for the tip..can’t be too careful with our putters..

    • alibe

      When I heard him say this, I said out loud to my TV, “He is freakin insane! He makes it sound as if backing the warranties of GM is a small minor thing.” What is wrong with this idiot? Just because he says things, he is deluded into believing these pronouncements are now done and complete. Scary, scary, scary!!!

  • jwrjr

    Barky wants to establish his (totally unearned) position as “top dog”. Seig Heil!

  • Docelder

    Yep, you break it, and you bought it. I wonder if we are going to be paying union car workers to “not” make cars the same way we pay farmers now “not” to farm?

  • http://theheraclitanfire.blogspot.com/ Craig Della Penna

    I posted this definition earlier on another NQ story… it seems sppropriate here as well:

    From Wikipedia:

    “Fascism is a radical, authoritarian nationalist ideology that aims to create a single-party state with a government led by a dictator who seeks national unity and development by requiring individuals to subordinate self-interest to the collective interest of the nation or race.”

    When you have a solipsistic, narcissistic, sociopath in charge, the hunger for more power never ends…

    • elise

      Craig I agree with your definition reflecting what is happening right now, but do we have a Paul Revere to sound the alarm? There isn’t anyone in Washington with the creds to make people listen and believe. How sad for us. If we wish for his failure, it will bring everything down on our heads, but if we wish for his success, we will move into that circle of betrayal of our democracy. We may have moved passed the point of no return when we allowed Bush to expand his powers and pass them on to Obama.

  • Tricia Spiegel

    I wish I fully understood all of the ins and outs, but there are too many clues to suggest that what is going on in this country is not a good thing.

  • HARP

    GM now stands for Government Motors.

    • politicalidentitycrisis

      I won’t buy a car that is made by the Government. It would be all for show and not run! Bummer, GM is now out of business. I just hope they don’t take over all car companies. I’ll miss driving!

  • I’mFedUp

    “Forget about it?” In the words of Don 0Zero it would be Fuggedahbouddit….

    I have three more words…Gird your loins. What a great life we’re living, huh? Thanks Obots!

    • Docelder

      Which reminds me… Biden must be in lock down somewhere… he is long overdue for an “uh-oh” moment.

      • I’mFedUp

        He had an uh oh moment…He giggled about Obama’s birth certificate issues at some political function. Little does he know how stupid that was….

      • http://thesibylspeaks.wordpress.com/ Anthony

        also, dodging fallout from his daughter’s coke video

        • politicalidentitycrisis

          It was brought up somewhere, why care about Biden’s daughter’s coke use, when no one cared about Obama’s????

  • http://deleted Aaron

    Can you say “Fascism!” I will bet you that Obama will ultimately make some union leader the boss within 6 months. So what is next on the list? We know he wants to control energy, health care and education so what is left? Can you say DOW 2800.

  • cygnet

    Roger Griffin’s definition is better:

    Facism is palingenetic ultranationalist populism.

    Signed,

    A Facist

    • cygnet

      For more on this subject, visit my fascebook page.

  • PainkillerJayne

    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/31/business/31auto.html?_r=1&ref=global

    WASHINGTON — President Obama announced what amounts to a do-or-die ultimatum for the struggling automobile industry on Monday, laying out strict standards that the carmakers must meet to get more government aid and declaring that the industry must survive because it is “like no other, an emblem of the American spirit.”

    If I was a UAW worker I would be worrying about a man who always voted present being in charge of my lively hood.

    • Government Motors Company?

      Why does this sound like the Government owns and is running GMC? Isnt there something wrong with this picture? Since when does the Government own major car companies in a Captilistic Democratic Society?

      • politicalidentitycrisis

        Does that give GM employees full federal benefits???

    • Boxer Mum 06

      If I was a UAW worker I would be worrying about a man who always voted present being in charge of my lively hood.

      As Uppity used to say.. you voted for him, now own your candidate.

      I feel no mercy for those folks. I remember seeing how heavy they pushed for Obama. They wanted him, they got him!

      • NoBamaNoWay

        actually, the union folks are about the only ones who are likely to come out ahead here. now they’re going to have uncle sam subsidizing their criminal, disfunctional unions in perpetuity. otherwise, they would probably have died a natural death in the near future.

        • masslib

          WTF are you talking about? First, unions are soaring worldwide. It is only in this hapless, crap-whole of an ignorant country that we believe unions are some kind of prehistoric relic. Second, labor makes up a tiny percent of the price of car manufacturing, and union members have been screwed completely and unnecessarily in this bogus restructuring process. Third, Obama specifically talked about GM going into bankruptcy where it could unload “old liabilities”. What on earth do you think those liabilities are? They are retiree benefits these people have already earned. Are you a total idiot?

          • TeakwoodKite

            Yes BO had to call one Mr. Crown, to see if he could screw over the union workers making washing machines…

            Now BO is something Lee Iacoca never was. A confirmed BS artist, and a reckless one at that.

            Thre guys sitting on a bench…
            One guy is a fat cat, one is a dema cat and the third is a stray cat.

            Which one is feeding the birds?

            http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/iacocca.asp

  • James

    A dollar spent on Detroit is worth much more than a dollar in his stimulus bill.

    Larry, remember your John Stewart: Selective Tough Guy post? I think it applies here. Obama is tough on Detroit, but a Wall Street pushover.

    • Doc99

      No worries, NY State government is taking out Wall Street. Albany is about to drive Business out of NYC.

  • AM

    BS/BO = a new slave master, imitating his ancestor &

    All GM workers from the top to the bottom =
    new, 21st century slaves

  • http://sarainitalyblog.blogspot.com/ sarainitaly

    I thought Obama was elected POTUS. That GAWD I found out today it was all a nightmare, and he is President of GM.

    PHEW!

    So, is Hillary POTUS?

    (That video of him promising warranties was SO bizarro and stupid. I think that will become a huge joke.)

    • tucsonlynn

      lol, THAT is truly funny. And worthy of a bumper sticker!

      • mkm125

        I’d buy ten!

    • politicalidentitycrisis

      Thank Gawd! I am so glad!

      I can’t wait to see Madame Secretary’s State of the Union!

      • politicalidentitycrisis

        Duh! I menat to say Madame President’s State of the Union. Duh!

    • Ferd Berfle

      Exactly what is that overblown gasbag’s problem? That One on TV every five seconds and now he’s taken on the role of car salesman. I wouldn’t purchase a box of rocks from that pinhead–they might be defective.

    • Ashy1

      LOL. Good one.

    • elise

      sara, I had a picture in my mind of a giant auto repair shop sitting in front of the White House.

  • Palm Tree

    Maybe Barry’s also got some ideas for a cheap and efficient car of the people.

    • Docelder

      They could build Tata cars, of course they wouldn’t be $2000 anymore… maybe $10000 at which point people wouldn’t want them anymore at that cost.

      • pm317

        Watch out GM, Tatas are coming!

        http://gas2.org/2009/03/11/will-tata-indica-ev-be-europes-first-serious-electric-car/

        Ambitious Indian car company Tata has revealed that it may launch its Indica Vista EV all-electric car in Europe by the end of the year, making it the first ‘mainstream’ company to bid for a slice of the continent’s potentially lucrative zero-emission vehicles market.

        The move is likely to ruffle a few feathers amongst GM executives, who had grand plans that the Opel Ampera (the Chevy Volt’s European cousin) would become the first major player in the region, following its launch in 2011.

        • Docelder

          I am all for that. Honestly, in a global market, we need to let those countries do what they which do better and more efficiently. I always thought we were good at innovation, at least we used to be. But let India make these cars. What it costs to ship them here is nothing in comparison to the $80 an hour labor to make them here at GM. Besides, GM had an electric car in the EV1 and they killed it. Not only killed it, but erased it from the face of the Earth. Times were, I would never buy a foreign car… only American. Now, I think I will never buy another American car as I will buy solely for value.

          • pm317

            Bajaj, the other car/vehicle guy from India echoes some of your thoughts. Even if GM or other guys want to manufacture some of this, they will have to go there to bring the cost down and be competitive (Hey I may write a post on all this). Watch the video:

            http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7431968.stm

        • elise

          GM killed The Electric Car years ago and built Hummers instead.

      • beebop

        Any car with 0bama in charge would be a CACA car … runs on poop.

        • Ferd Berfle

          Or a lemon.

        • oowawa

          a CACA car … runs on poop.

          Let’s see, we’re dealing with GMC here, so we could call it a BMC (Bowel Movement Car), or a Pooic.

          • oowawa

            Or how about a Scatmobile. I shouldn’t have started this.

            • Ferd Berfle

              How about CRAP (Cars Relying on an Assisting Push?

              • Ferd Berfle

                Or S H I T (Special Hybrid Individual Transportation)

              • oowawa

                Hey, Ferd, I’m the sporty sort and would like to make a big hit with the ladies–think I can get a CRAP convertible?

                • Ferd Berfle

                  LMAO. You know, this is just WAY too easy. That One is such a neophyte.

                  No, but I can give you S H I T in an elegant vinyl roof configuration.

                  • oowawa

                    LMAO–OK, then I guess I’ll have to settle for taking a SHIT. Nowadays I should learn to be happy with less.

                    • Ferd Berfle

                      We also have the truly fine Chinese Automobile, the Shang Hai, known in the China as the Bu Hou.

                    • oowawa

                      LOL-Thanks but no thanks. I’m a patriot and intend to buy Obamacan.

    • Ferd Berfle

      Maybe Barry’s also got some ideas for a cheap and efficient car of the people.

      Yeah, they’re called walking shoes (or for an obamabot, loafers). He’ll pitch in a book on hitch-hiking, too.

      • oowawa

        LOL Ferd, “loafers” indeed. Sneakers? How about Bot-puppies? And for hitch-hiking, you stand by the side of the freeway and make the secret O-salute instead of sticking out your thumb. Change you can believe in!

        • Ferd Berfle

          LMAO, oowawa. Very nicely done!

          Sneakers-hahahahaha (I wished I had thought of that one!)

          Is that secret salute, the big zero?

  • Mike the Mechanic

    Let’s be clear about what happened here. Barack Obama, somehow, is now in a position to fire the CEO of a publicly traded company.

    So? Welfare reformers conditioned welfare checks on behavioral changes of the recipients. Just last year, the federal government re-negotiated the existing labor contracts of auto workers before the auto companies could get their first bailout. These companies don’t HAVE to come to the taxpayer for a bailout. Since they are, we can dictate the terms of our loan.

    • Docelder

      Yes, look at the number of single parent families now and children born out of wedlock. We have encouraged this lifestyle for years through the welfare system by rewarding this lifestyle. Now, we have an entire underclass generation completely devoid of family structure and family values ready to wear the brown shirts of change.

      • ziggy

        How does welfare explain the fact that single motherhood is now so common among young, non-minority women who grew up in middle class and upper-middle class, two-parent households? Consider, for example, Governor Palin’s daughter. I mention her only because the things conservatives generally attribute single motherhood to are absent there–while a strong Christian influence clearly is present. Where I worked, nearly all of my coworkers daughters had their first children outside of marriage. (Four out of five, total.) Without exception these were the daughters of white, upper-middle class, actively Christian two-parent households. Nearly all of the parents were college educated.

        Welfare might be more a result than a causative factor.

        • Docelder

          But you can’t be saying that there is not a disincentive to marriage and a traditional family lifestyle built into the welfare system. I worked in an urban neighborhood for five years and saw it firsthand. Young girls who wanted out of their parents control got pregnant specifically to get to move out and into their own government apartment. Being raised in a government subsidized home themselves, choosing to be a single parent and branching out was an acceptable career choice to them. And it wasn’t for a lack of opportunity, but more for a lack of ambition to want more for themselves. I am not saying it’s a grand lifestyle, because it’s not. But often it’s one of choice made possible by the very social safeguards put in place to help them to begin with.

          • ziggy

            I agree that you have a valid point. There are unintended consequences to providing social support systems.

            By attempting to alleviate hardships on the innocent children born to mothers unable to support them, welfare encourages some syoung women in the very behavior that create the problem.

            With the unwed middle-class mothers I mentioned up above, their supportive parents sometimes had a similar effect.

            • Wisewoman

              Ziggy. Stop it. The welfare system was a flawed system when it was established or rather “changed” from what Pres. Johnson intended it to be which was temporary help for mothers and fathers who had lost their jobs and who had children. It was to truly be “aid to families with dependent children” (AFDC). The southern dems refused to pass the bill as Johnson intended insisting that they would never give aid to families as “long as there was a man in the House”. They wanted the cheap farm labor but farming was becomming more mechanized. The liberal democrats got them to “consider the starving children” so they passed a crappy bill that gave aid to “women with dependent children” not families. Stennis and Eastling from MS were the main culprits in this process. They are dead and gone but in my opinion they caused more social ills for this country than any other piece of legislation. The proposed legislation gave incentives for young women to have out of wedlock children and society pays the price. If these children are cared for and educated in an extended loving family surrounding its one thing but if they are not then they have many strikes against them before they can get started in life. As an AA, a former teacher and one who knows the facts I have seen the harm up close.

        • wodiej

          it is more profitable and includes more freebies to have children wo being married. It isn’t about the income background anymore, it’s about how you were raised-it’s about unaccountability.

          • evgenia

            So true. I’ve had many experiences taking care of critically-ill babies whose mothers were clearly in it (making babies) in order to collect government checks. I remember the most recent case I’d dealt with involves this 19 y.o. girl and her baby who was born with multiple cardiac defects. Anyways, the baby didn’t leave the ICU and intermediate care unit until she was 7 months old. You can imagine the $$$ that was spent on that alone. The thing that got us mad was when the mother announced proudly to us that she was pregnant again…when her baby was only 4 months old and still ventilator dependent, having coded many times in the ICU. Seriously, I so wanted to smack some sense into her, but she was trying to garner sympathy by telling us that she needed more $$$ so that she and her BF can move out of her dad’s basement. They figured out how to game the system via having babies. It didn’t help matters that our social workers were in the process of hooking her up with subsidized housing options and other free services, while this lazy girl did nothing to help the situation. Long story short, the baby didn’t end up going home with the mom until 8 months old. She was literally home for 4 days before the mom took her back to the ER saying the baby had choked. This baby is still here at the hospital today, and she’s not going home anytime soon. The mother is out shopping for clothes for her new baby.

            I used to be the most liberal person, but after encountering cases similar to the one that I’d just described, it made me angry towards a system/ mindset that rewards irresponsibility.

            • TeakwoodKite

              evgenia, thank you for what you do.

        • Peggy Sue

          Ziggy said:

          “I mention her [Bristol Palin] only because the things conservatives generally attribute single motherhood to are absent there . . .”

          Please.

          Look at the stats. Nearly 70% of black children are born out of wedlock; 50% Hispanic; 28% white [of all political backgrounds across all races, btw]. We’re looking at 40% of all children born in the US to single parents.

          Not good statistics for any of us. Particularly the kids.

          Women who have children without the benefit of marriage, without a helpmate, without the benifit of extra hands and money are most often setting themselves up for a life of hardship and poverty.

          Murphy Brown was a TV show, not reality.

          Doesn’t matter if you’re religious or secular, Republican or Democrat, kids still need shoes and food. And the easiest way to make that an uphill struggle is to have a kid outside marriage. It’s less of a moral question than a practical one.

          And making that easier, pretending that it’s a-okay and/or the government will step in and help pay the bills is stupid at best.

          We need to teach our daughters respect for their own futures, give them opportunities and educate, educate, educate.

          Celebrating single motherhood is stupid at best and anti-woman at worst.

    • elise

      Mike, I didn’t know you’re a mechanic.

      “These companies don’t HAVE to come to the taxpayer for a bailout. Since they are, we can dictate the terms of our loan.”

      Silly me. I thought the point was to save these companies from bankruptcy instead the governments going into the auto business and banking and insurance. Nationalization by any other name…

  • Citizen70

    I say, go for it Barack! The more he takes on, the more unmanageable it will all become. I just want it to happen as soon as possible so more folks will wise up and begin to resist this fascist regime.

    There’ll be a Boston Tea Party on April 15th in front of the State House. The more, the merrier.

  • r2d2

    Larry, you say what I thought when I heard the Dear Leader had fired Wagoner. I don’t know where were heading, but I don’t like the trail Obama has taken.

  • Mike the Mechanic

    People keep ignoring the fact that General Motors DID NOT HAVE TO TAKE THE MONEY. They came and asked for it. As a condition of providing them this taxpayer money, the administration said the CEO had to go. But no one is being fired.

    • Donna Brazile

      And same for the financial industry. Where’s his request for their CEO’s to RESIGN? They choose to accept the money as well.

      At least get some consistency Mike the Mechanical bot.

      Stop the lovefest!

      • Mike the Mechanic

        And same for the financial industry. Where’s his request for their CEO’s to RESIGN? They choose to accept the money as well.

        At least get some consistency Mike the Mechanical bot.

        Stop the lovefest!

        I love how pointing out the obvious is now a “lovefest”.

        Yes, there are probably many CEOs in the financial sector who also should go. And it’s a pity the administration didn’t include that requirement in the financial bailout. Although, be honest: wouldn’t the folks at NQ like Larry have been howling from the rafters about that kind of leveraging, too?

        • HARP

          Hope you enjoy your taxes subsidizing GM warranties around the world… sucker.

        • jbjd

          Silly goose. BO insisted on bailing out the financial services sector because even though they had mismanaged their funds, they were too big to fail! I understood he insisted on bailing out the auto industry for the same reason; or are you intimating that, as a personal favor to these auto executives, he agreed to bail out ‘their’ industries, but only if they quit?

      • jbjd

        …this is exactly where my head was. I crave parallels.

    • truthorconsequences

      Hope and ChanCe at work.

    • r2d2

      You don’t get it. It’s not that GM is a good company. It’s a bad precedent and indicative of a president that does not understand that there are boundaries that should not be crossed. If Obama nationalized GM, then he’d be in position to fire the CEO. That’s why a few of us want the banks with crumbling foundations to to be nationalized and set those banks right.

      • Mike the Mechanic

        It’s a bad precedent and indicative of a president that does not understand that there are boundaries that should not be crossed.

        Those boundaries were already crossed long ago. Our government enforces behavioral modification and agreement restructuring on those seeking aid all the time. We’ve done it to welfare recipients, we’ve done it to the auto workers, and now we’re doing it to the CEO. None of this is done in a vacuum: it is done when these groups come to the government for taxpayer money.

        • WMCB

          Except aren’t you conveniently forgetting that Obama is pushing to expand the Treasury powers to do this to companies who have not asked for taxpayer funds?

          Kind of hard to persist in your benign interpretation of his motives, when he has told us flat our he wants the power to take over any company he pleases.

    • tek

      Mike: that’s right, and if the company is going to run to the government to get “bailed out” again, then I don’t see any reason why the government can’t decide on the CEO. It’s not a private company anymore, the taxpayers own it. I don’t know anything about business and I agree with Larry that the administration doesn’t either, but these corporations can’t have it both ways: disregard the People when that’s convenient and then insist that The People bail them out when they fail.

    • beebop

      Banks were forced to take money and can’t give it back …

    • TeakwoodKite

      I know! Lets ask the Donald?
      Is “jhad to go” or “your fired!” ???

    • Wisewoman

      Hey Mike. Do you remember when Pres. Carter lent Chrysler money and they paid the govt back. I thought Obama was going to appoint a car czar to help the industry. Maybe he should have begged Lee Ioccoa who successfully turned around that company to be the czar. Obama hasn’t a clue as to what to do. As an AA Hillary supporter I’m glad I did not vote for the arrogance, race-baiting, liar.

  • politicalidentitycrisis

    This is all part of larger, get out of debt scheme. The Government takes over the auto industry, then it sells cars for $1,000,000,000,000 each and tada? Gets out of debt.

    I think Barky may have been listening to experts who keep saying, “The US doesn’t manufacture product anymore.” He thought it was for him to manufacture things himself!

    • politicalidentitycrisis

      Sorry. I shouldn’t make light of this. At this point, I am at a loss for what else I can do!

      I despise Obama!

      • Hg

        You are supposed to hate the deed and not the person.But- Fuck It, go ahead and hate the S-O-B. He’s deserving.

        • jbjd

          Since we are being politically correct – and in honor of women’s month- I want to point out that, by calling a man a SOB because you cannot stand him, you actually denigrate his mother.

          • Mike the Mechanic

            Since we are being politically correct – and in honor of women’s month- I want to point out that, by calling a man a SOB because you cannot stand him, you actually denigrate his mother.

            That never stopped anyone here.

            • beebop

              If your father needs to get laid, why don’t you pay the tab for him? Waddle off boybutt.

              • Mike the Mechanic

                If your father needs to get laid, why don’t you pay the tab for him? Waddle off boybutt.

                LOL, I don’t even know what that means. But it gets the award for non sequitur of the day!

                • beebop

                  Let me be as clear and simple for you as I can, Mike … I am over you and the rest of your little “bros b4 hos” crowd who come here when 0bama’s butt is showing and you feel the need to pull his trousers up and then slam those of us who are always here. As a woman, I don’t think you have any cause talking about how women are discussed here … now, did you understand that?

  • Ginger

    Donnie Brasco – Forget About It”

    Donnie Brasco explains “for getta bout it”
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf0ZyoUn7Vk

  • Mandelay

    Cannot support him.
    Cannot give him a chance.
    Cannot hope he succeeds because we’re told that means “America would also succeed.”
    It’s all bull shit.
    It’s all been bull shit.
    This guy needs to fail, big time. This guy needs to totally fail in his first term and lose the 2012 election big time.
    In the meantime, this guy needs a Supreme Court to rein him in.
    Hopefully, the supremes will be up to the job.
    Hopefully, those 9 judges will find their conscience at last.

  • H Towell

    I can only say “I didn’t vote for him”.I feel bad for those that will lose their pensions in the next round.All those foreclosed homes can be torn down for our new tent cities emerging—”Obamaville”

    • Docelder

      It is sad that a lot of retired GM employees will suffer as the company falters. It will also be sad when we all retire after paying into social security for a lifetime and nothing is there. It is also sad that everything we saved from a lifetime of doing everything above board will mostly be lost. All of this is equally sad. It is like we are all on the Titanic together and the captain is the only one who can’t see the iceberg ahead. Then, you begin to doubt that he really can’t also see it.

    • Hg

      Every tent city should now have a plaque with the inscription– Barack H(oover) Obama.

      • oowawa

        Those Tent Cities, coming to a neighborhood near you, should be called “Hopetopias.” I could be moving into one myself

      • IndianaDem

        Wasn’t Herbert Hoover who a lot of people here were holding out as the model for how the government should be responding to the current economic crisis? They were saying FDR was the guy that screwed everything up and prolonged the Great Depression.

        • Ferd Berfle

          Revisionist history. You can go to the very conservative state of Oklahoma and find that most of the older, conservative native Okies have the utmost respect for FDR. He wasn’t always correct but he worked for them. The two major sources of drinking water for Oklahoma City were built during the Depression and are still there.

          In East Tennessee, where I currently live, TVA is still providing state-of-the-art flood control, irrespective of their other problems. They’ve also kept rates as low as possible (as opposed to Bonneville in the west).

          • I’mFedUp

            Well, I’ve had a great day…I went to the bank and everything was so screwed up on my account and the tellers were complete incompetents. None of course were American.

            Then, I had an issue with American Express, called them, and got INDIA. Nice. And boy did they screw up.

            Then I went to the grocery store and listened to the woman ahead of me and the clerk and bagger complain about the economy. I chimed in to say that it’s only going to get worse. The woman stated that she attends UCLA. She was in class this week and the professor asked all of the people from foreign countries to raise their hands. Most people raised their hands. He said “good news for you, you guys all qualify for a new scholarship.” The AMERICAN woman is soooo WTF? Pissed as hell.

            The clerk and bagger were Hispanic, whining about the economy AND OBAMA. I couldn’t believe it. They KNOW what an asshole he is. I mentioned “pitchfork” time and the bagger giggled. He said “you got that right.” Folks, it’s coming. Time to take our pitiful country back. It’s everywhere now. I don’t care if some skanky Obot comes here and defecates on us. I believe more people are pissed than we think.

            • Ferd Berfle

              Don’t get me started on the India crapola. A couple of years ago I spent 6 hours on the telephone with someone from India (I unfortunately bought a Compaq computer) and tried to explain in my best English what I thought was wrong. He disagreed until we went through the entire manual and Lo!, I was correct. I often felt as though I was teaching him English at the same time we were discussing the computer, though I couldn’t charge him for my command of the language. Compaq got some free damn training from me.

              God damn American companies sending jobs to non-English-speaking countries so they can save a few nickels. BS- I will never buy an HP/Compaq again. We still have the computer but I do all the work on it.

            • oowawa

              Well heck, I’mFedUp, other than that, how was your day? Here in NorCal the sun was out, the birdies were singing, and I was just as happy as a hog in slop.

              • I’mFedUp

                oowawa..were you in the striped jammies and bunny slippers? ROFLMAO.

          • Ellen

            Hmmmm-I have been to Tennessee many times and I always thought the people so friendly and polite?? Guess you must not be a native, eh Fred?

            • I’mFedUp

              Smellen…STFU you Obot troll. You wish you had Ferd’s vernacular and wit. But Bots are morons.

  • wodiej

    Hopefully this will scare the shit out of these companies who continue to support and compensate ineffective, incompetent, inept, dishonest leaders in their business. They keep them until the company is practically run into the ground then send them out the door with millions in bonuses. They accept welfare from the govt and then the govt controls them. They better dig themselves out and let taxpayers keep their money.

    • Mike the Mechanic

      Hopefully this will scare the shit out of these companies who continue to support and compensate ineffective, incompetent, inept, dishonest leaders in their business. They keep them until the company is practically run into the ground then send them out the door with millions in bonuses. They accept welfare from the govt and then the govt controls them. They better dig themselves out and let taxpayers keep their money.

      I couldn’t agree with you more.

      • beebop

        We get to vote in two years and will load it up with those who opose 0zero. Then two years later, we send him home to Illinois and let them deal with him.

    • ziggy

      I am extremely curious about what has motivated so many corporate boards of directors to do this. There must be some sort of monetary reciprocity involved that won’t stand the full light of day.

      This will probably be the topic of some shocking exposé we’ll all be seeing on the national news in the very near future.

      • TeakwoodKite

        That would be the National Enquirer, ’cause like they say, Them minds want to know.

  • ziggy

    The firing of Rick Wagner was not made for any rational economic reason.

    There might be a related question worthy of consideration: After 4 years of rapidly increasing corporate losses that finally hit $82 billion, what was the GM board of directors’ rational economic reason for not only keeping Wagoner on, but more than doubling his pay?

    The government fronted GM money because over 2 million American jobs are at stake, not to mention the future of a major American industry. Now they’re back with their hands out again. Should we be enouraging this guy to stay on?

    • Mike the Mechanic

      Amen, Ziggy. No one is making this company ask for another gigantic loan. The least we can do is provide it on the taxpayer’s terms, as represented by the government.

      • beebop

        This government?

        It does not represent me!

        • Mike the Mechanic

          This government?

          It does not represent me!

          It does so with your money. If you don’t like the way it manages it, you are free to vote it out in 4 years.

          • beebop

            I can pull a Geithner and not file my taxes, asshat.

            • Mike the Mechanic

              I can pull a Geithner and not file my taxes, asshat.

              I wouldn’t recommend that.

              (“asshat”? wow, tough day?)

              • beebop

                Why? Maybe there’s a cabinet position in it for me. Not a tough day, just one too many days of watching the least qualified get promoted. Maybe you hadn’t noticed?

                • Donna Brazile

                  Mike the Mechanical Obot:

                  Beebop he’s been to CAMP THAT ONE and learned the meme well. He has kool aid on his chin and the front of his shirt. He can’t lap it up fast enough.

                  Send him your address and I’m sure he’ll pay your bills especially your mortgage.

                  His in LOVE and you know how that can be. Best to let him go and pray he’ll recover.

                  Stop the lovefest!

    • Mike the Mechanic

      Amen, Ziggy

    • truthorconsequences

      Will you use this same logic after your new hope and chanCe GM ceo shits in your nest?

  • arran

    Ok, I’ll admit that my family bought GM cars until 25 years, or so, ago when we began buying “foreign.”

    But, although struggling, Ford Motor Co. has not asked for bailout money and has been working on decreasing its debts. It plans on breaking even, or making a profit(!), by 2011.

    I’m giving Ford my applause and some attention here:

    http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/news/business/companies/ford_motor_company/index.html

    • Karma

      Well, in my experience, Ford likes to put out stuff for years it knows is a bad design.

      Then drag their feet about the probelm until most of those vehicles have died thanks to the design flaw. Then after class action lawsuits, will finally offer a rebate, only valid if the car is under 100,000 some 10 years later.

      I hope a Ford never darkens my driveway again.

      • Ferd Berfle

        Interesting, I’ve had just the opposite luck. I’ve never owned a Ford that wasn’t a pretty good automobile. From the ’70 Mustang to the ’99 taurus and ’93 Explorer (the last two I still have), I’ve had very few problems.

  • KmX

    SO Obama Bail outs Wallstreet and he will let American Auto Companies go down the drain. This is crazy. Most of the American Taxpayers money went overseas to bail out foreign banks. And he is not goign to help GM?

  • http://www.hillaryorbust.com Hillary or Bust

    All I can say is, the direction Obama is taking is CREEPING ME OUT. I don’t like inept CEOs taking huge bonuses for running companies into the ground, but I definitely do not want the GOVERNMENT dictating to companies to this extent! Outrageous!

    • ziggy

      Consider this an intervention.

      Who but the government is going to make these guys snap out of it? They’ll just continue siphoning off money from the corporations they’re ruining until somebody stops them. And their corporate boards of directors, for some odd reason, aren’t.

      • beebop

        Wait a minute … these guys in DC have no issue taking money from these companies they are allegedly ruining!!!! When all of them return the money to the new owners — read us citizens — you’ll start to get my attention. We’ve just moved the guys who’ve never run anything into the seats at the table. If you think that makes sense, maybe you’d like to have 0bama remove your tonsils? Can hospitals be far behind?

        • Ferd Berfle

          Can hospitals be far behind?

          Christ–a hospital run by people like Zippy and cynic. Hopey-changey-based medicine. Here’s the doctor “you’ve been waiting for”.

          No thanks, I’ll remove my own appendix, thank you very much.

          • oowawa

            No thanks, I’ll remove my own appendix, thank you very much

            Now that’s FUNNY! Hmmmm . . . it also suggests a possibly lucrative new line of do-it-yourself instructional DVD’s–to be marketed by Vince, the same guy who does the Sham-Wow commercials.

            “Who needs socialized medicine when you can do it at home? Are you following me, camera guy?”

            • Ferd Berfle

              it also suggests a possibly lucrative new line of do-it-yourself instructional DVD’s–to be marketed by Vince, the same guy who does the Sham-Wow commercials.

              Or the loud-mouth dud. It’s so easy, even your 6-year old daughter could do it. With the NoMoAppendIx system, you can safely remove even the most stubborn appendix and be up the next day to remove that ugly wart from the end of your proboscis.

      • http://www.hillaryorbust.com Hillary or Bust

        Let GM fail on its own! If they can’t make the company work, then it needs to shut down! I prefer cars made by Toyota and Honda anyway – they are simply better quality, which is why GM is in trouble in the first place.

        Having OBAMA take it over is NOT a solution! That is NOT capitalism!

  • Objective Analysis

    This is a competence problem indeed!

    Obama: Bankruptcy Leads Possible Plans for GM, Chrysler

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123841609048669495.html

    I understand the phrase, better late than never. But, he must think we are a bunch of fools. They are 2 different types of bankruptcy that apply to corporations:

    Chapter 7 (liquidation)
    Chapter 11 (restructuring)

    These can be done VOLUNTARILY AND INVOLUNTARILY. How in the hell is this imbecile and his staff stating that this is the only option when they could have done this a long time ago without stealing taxpayer money under Tarp and other bs?

  • candymarl

    Keep messing with the wealthy folks that helped you get where you are Obama. The bill will come due.

    Sigh.

  • mel

    Try to figure this out here, today a Chairman and CEO/President was canned for first using public money to make trips on a private airplane basically when not needed to do so!

    Then he is also fired for not providing in the 60 day alotted time, a stimulous package hat restores confidence in the markets and to the taxpayers for spending taxpayers money.

    Now I ask everyone with brain cells still functioning, doesn’t this firing echo towards another President who resides in Washington and does he not deserve the same fate that was thust upon a head of a private company, since this DC President works for a public company?

  • OxyCon

    Sean Hannity is a major endorser of Chevrolet. I wonder how he feels about Obama firing one of his bosses. Going to be an interesting show.

  • Boxer Mum 06

    This is a bit OT but I have not seen anyone else discussing this here and thought it needed some airing.

    So, Obama is headed to London for the G20 summit tomorrow. The Daily Mail has an interesting article about a foiled bomb plot that includes many details about the Obama arrival (sounds more like when the Beatles first touch downed in America).

    He is bringing along 500 people on Airforce One (that includes a gym by the way) to help him govern from miles away from DC. Of the 500, 200 are secret service, his own medical team, his armoured cadillac and helicopter and supplies of his AB blood.

    Oh, and in case you wondered, Michelle will come with her staff of 8.

    It’s quite a read and check out the comments.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1165669/Five-activists-arrested-G20-bomb-plot-London-goes-lockdown-world-leaders.html

    • Boxer Mum 06

      Check that.. they scrubbed the comments. Earlier today when I first read this, there were over 100 comments about Obama the rock star.

      • http://www.hillaryorbust.com Hillary or Bust

        Most of the comments there now are extremely negative towards Obama and talk about how ridiculous it is that they are spending all this money/energy when everyone could have just videoconferenced.

  • Doc99

    As much as I tired of partisan politics, we cannot compromise with men such as Barack Obama. We are or should be all anti-statists now.

  • Peggy Sue

    I think we have to face facts: we’re watching an Orwellian nightmare manifest itself, not in some foreign country but in the United States of America. The double speak is on the rise, the lies are flying fast and furious and we have a flim-flam man at the helm with his cheering minions, who wish to distract, distort and intimidate.

    The window to push back with our voices, our letters, our “peaceful” demonstrations is becoming ever more slender. Join your local tea parties, many of which are scheduled for April 15th. Keep sending letters, emails to your representatives. Keep your eyes and ears open for demonstrations of united Americans in DC, protesting the government’s willful and deliberate manipulation of our rights and treasure.

    This is beyond party now. This is beyond candidates. This is about holding on to what we value, what we know to be true. We owe it our ancestors and our children. We will not go quietly into that good night.

    Tea anyone???

    • Katmoon

      SPeaking of tea….this is the nationwide link for the TAx day Teaparty. I will be attending the one in Knoxville

      Source:http://taxdayteaparty.com/teaparty/tennessee/

  • oowawa

    This firing is so sad. Here the poor guy is living on a salary of $1.00 a year, and he is fired with a severance payment of $20,000,000 (or so I have read). Now that is one honey of a pink slip. I wonder if I’ll see him in line down at the unemployment office.

  • I’m a Linda too

    Oh yes, Godfather Part 4

    So man similarities. Obama loves the fish metaphors, remember? Where as Luca Brazi “sleeps with the fishs”, Palin was “you can wrap an old fish in a paper called change, but it still gonna stink”.

  • I’m a Linda too

    Oh yes, Godfather Part 4

    So many similarities. Obama loves the fish metaphors, remember? Where as Luca Brazi “sleeps with the fishs”, Palin was “you can wrap an old fish in a paper called change, but it still gonna stink”.

  • patm
  • CG
  • Dave

    I want Obama to guarantee he is an American citizen first.

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