December 10, 2008

Republican opposition to car bailout explained

The audio from this story on ATC won't be available till about 7:00pm EST, but the gist was pretty simple: Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) wants to break the unions. He tries to deny it, but he can't help himself; he keeps coming back to the word "unions" when he's trying to explain the car companies' problems.

I'm sure it's only a coincidence that BMW has a huge non-union plant in Greer, SC.

It's not just DeMint, of course. Much of the Republican opposition to the auto bailout comes from other Southern Senators who (surprise!) just happen to have non-union foreign auto plants in their states, plants that have received millions of dollars in tax subsidies to entice them to locate there. Take a look at the map in that story, then notice which Senators are the most vocal in their opposition to offering GM, Ford and Chrysler any help. Senator Shelby (R-Al), testify! Senator McConnell (R-Ky), speak up! Senator Corker (R-TN), tell us what you think!

They all speak sanctimoniously about not putting taxpayers' money at risk, yet they've all watched and promoted as their states have done exactly that.

Posted by Linkmeister at December 10, 2008 12:37 PM | TrackBack
Comments

Breaking the Unions has been the number one item on the Republican agenda since Regan. They have not let up even when you hear nothing about it they are at work looking for any place, anyway, any opportunity to break Unions because the Republicans are in bed with Big Business. They owe their souls to Big Busness, it tickled me to death when the hue and cry was where did Obama get that money. For the first time in a long time the people have had enough of the inept financial directions the Republicans have historically taken. Since Ike they have had the most dissmal affect on the economy. Rommney says the problem is the cost on wages and benefits interestingly he fails to mention the multi million dollar salaries and pensions that are more platinum than golden, to say nothing of the fringes such as homes, condos, and use of corporate aircraft. These don't sound so large in the context of bottom line but if you add the packages for all of the management of any of the Big Three and you come up with a pretty staggering figure. To add insult to injury, these are the very people who have lead these companies to the brink of collapse and we give them these huge rewards? Granted there have to be cocessions made by the Unions but that's not the agenda of the Republican party, they want to kill every union in this country because most members are middle class and that is the the one group the Repulicans both fear and hate, they would love to see two classes in this Country, the very poor and themselves, the very rich.

Posted by: Harvey at December 14, 2008 06:58 AM