GM CEO Resigns at Obama’s Request

Business • Views: 30,884

General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner has presided over a steady decline in sales and market share for the past 8 years, and now Barack Obama has asked him to step down as part of the plan to restructure the auto industry.

The Obama administration asked Rick Wagoner, the chairman and CEO of General Motors, to step down and he agreed, a White House official said.

The White House confirmed Wagoner was leaving at the government’s behest after The Associated Press reported his immediate departure, without giving a reason.

On Monday, President Obama is to unveil his plans for the auto industry, including a response to a request for additional funds by GM and Chrysler.

Industry sources had said the White House planned very tough medicine, which turned out to be an understatement. And it went to the very top. The measures to be imposed by the government will have a dramatic effect on workers, unions, suppliers, retirees and the communities where plants are located, the sources said.

GM and Chrysler have to prove their viability as a condition of a federal bailout released under former President George W. Bush, and both have asked the current administration for more money.

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820 comments
1 Killgore Trout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:03:06pm

Fascism!
/

2 brookly red  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:04:11pm

so who chooses the new ceo?

3 KingKenrod  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:04:34pm

I want to see if the govt plan has any shifting of retiree pension and healthcare costs to taxpayers.

4 rawmuse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:04:38pm

re: #1 Killgore Trout

No sarc tag required, truly.

5 Nevergiveup  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:04:49pm

re: #2 brookly red

so who chooses the new ceo?

Putin?

6 Killgore Trout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:04:58pm

re: #2 brookly red

I think the VP steps up.

7 Tarheel  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:05:40pm

How far is this president Mau-Mau going to go!

8 LSD  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:05:44pm

Travesty

9 CynicalConservative  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:05:44pm

re: #3 KingKenrod

I want to see if the govt plan has any shifting of retiree pension and healthcare costs to taxpayers.

Wouldn’t surprise me in the least.

10 Geepers  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:06:07pm
General Motors CEO has presided over a steady decline in sales and market share for the past 8 years, and now Barack Obama has asked him to step down as part of the plan to restructure the auto industry.

Sorta like Sulzberger at the helm of the NYT.

Any bets on if Obama will call for Pinch’s head when he bails out the Newspapers?

11 jimzinsocal  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:06:18pm

Good. You saw it. I stuck a link in the open thread.

without detail? I have some really bad feelings about this Charles

12 gregg  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:06:18pm

What about UAW leader Gettelfinger? What hasn’t he been asked to resign his position?

13 SixDegrees  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:06:20pm

Wait for it - the sound of Wagoner’s golden parachute inflating with a gigantic “Whumpf!” Followed by the sounds of outrage and indignation that his contract is being honored.

14 brookly red  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:06:22pm

re: #6 Killgore Trout

I think the VP steps up.

maybe, or does 0 install a croney?

15 Who Watches the Watchmen?  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:06:30pm

What? Is this for fucking real?

16 Nevergiveup  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:06:41pm

re: #7 Tarheel

Thats uncalled for

17 Catttt  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:06:44pm

Glad my Chevy S10 is paid for.

18 rawmuse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:06:59pm

GM (paraphrasing Mark Steyn here) has become a medical and retirement operation that sells a few cars as a side business.

19 USBeast  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:07:47pm

Any sightings of Wagoner’s golden parachute?

20 gregg  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:08:00pm

re: #15 Who Watches the Watchmen?

What? Is this for fucking real?

I just arrived at my hotel in Detroit and it’s all over the local news (although eclipsed by MSU’s win this afternoon).

21 Boxy_brown  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:08:11pm

These maniacs are incredibly dangerous. They think they can run GM now? They can’t even do their own jobs.

22 kansas  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:08:51pm

Now if Pelosi and Reid would resign.

23 Nevergiveup  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:08:53pm

re: #21 Boxy_brown

These maniacs are incredibly dangerous. They think they can run GM now? They can’t even do their own jobs.

Nobody can probably run GM now, that is why it should go bankrupt and be reorganized

24 Gus  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:08:54pm

re: #19 USBeast

Any sightings of Wagoner’s golden parachute?

I think he jumped out with his parachute still in the airplane. //

25 Lee Coller  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:09:02pm

GMs Board of Directors should have fired him instead.

Now can Obama ask Jeffrey Immelt (GE) to quit as well given the dismal performance of GE? (For those who don’t know, Immelt is on Obama’s economic advisory council).

26 unrealizedviewpoint  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:10:14pm

Wagoner should be asking for Obama’s resignation.

27 Jack Burton  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:10:27pm

re: #23 Nevergiveup

Nobody can probably run GM now, that is why it should go bankrupt and be reorganized

But then Obama’s union buddies will lose all their stuff!

28 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:10:46pm

re: #2 brookly red

so who chooses the new ceo?

Caroline Kennedy

29 Killgore Trout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:10:53pm

re: #4 rawmuse

Well I’m being sarcastic, you guys can do what you wish. Over the past few weeks I’ve watched conservatives outraged over the denial of million dollar AIG bonuses and seethe over Michelle’s vegetable garden. Last night conservatives banded together to intentionally waste energy just because liberals wanted to conserve it.

I know exactly what your opinions will be next week too. They’ll be exactly the opposite of Obama’s. He will decide what you favor and what you oppose, He’s in your head and you have no control.

30 NeoKong  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:11:03pm
Boxy_brown 3/29/09 3:08:11 pm reply quote

These maniacs are incredibly dangerous. They think they can run GM now? They can’t even do their own jobs.

Neither could the other guy.This will be interesting to watch.

31 nyc redneck  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:11:17pm

how long until o looks around and decides he can run an already successful business better than the current boss.
it’s all a matter of degree at this point.

32 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:11:46pm

re: #21 Boxy_brown

These maniacs are incredibly dangerous. They think they can run GM now? They can’t even do their own jobs.

You mean like this one:

The United States can do nothing to stop North Korea from breaking international law in the next 10 days by firing a missile that is unlikely to be shot down by the U.S. or its allies, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Sunday.

“I think if we had an aberrant missile, one that was headed for Hawaii, that looked like it was headed for Hawaii or something like that, we might consider it,” Gates said. “But I don’t think we have any plans to do anything like that at this point.”

33 Aviator  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:11:54pm

My guess is the CEO has a Golden Parachute. I wonder if there will be calls to tax his benefits at 90%. Just to make sure nobody worth a damn takes a CEO job at any place the government is anywhere near.

34 The Other Les  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:12:22pm

re: #10 Geepers

Sorta like Sulzberger at the helm of the NYT.

Any bets on if Obama will call for Pinch’s head when he bails out the Newspapers?

No.

35 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:12:25pm
36 rawmuse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:12:53pm

re: #29 Killgore Trout

When President Obama does the first thing correctly, no one will applaud him louder than I.

But I’m still waiting…

37 Colonel Panik  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:12:54pm

re: #12 gregg

What about UAW leader Gettelfinger? What hasn’t he been asked to resign his position?

Gettelfinger? Wasn’t there a James Bond movie about him with a theme song by Shirley Bassey?

“Gettelfinger!”
(Horn riff)
“He’s the man, the man with the pension of gold!”

38 Boxy_brown  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:13:17pm

re: #23 Nevergiveup

Nobody can probably run GM now, that is why it should go bankrupt and be reorganized

It needs to go into chapter 11, that way contracts can be re-negotiated for real by people who have made their careers in the auto industry and have some small idea of what is involved. Anything short of that is just throwing OUR money at a failing business plan. Having MORONS impose another business plan on GM is just another blueprint for failure.

39 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:13:46pm

re: #32 pink freud

You mean like this one:

The United States can do nothing to stop North Korea from breaking international law in the next 10 days by firing a missile that is unlikely to be shot down by the U.S. or its allies, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Sunday.

“I think if we had an aberrant missile, one that was headed for Hawaii, that looked like it was headed for Hawaii or something like that, we might consider it,” Gates said. “But I don’t think we have any plans to do anything like that at this point.”

Afternoon pink.

40 Bloodnok  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:13:53pm

I have a massive distrust of 0bama’s “plans” for restructuring the auto industry (given his lack of business experience and the fact that he can’t even organize his own administration). But having said that I also believe that part of the opposition to the bailout of the Big 3 was that we shouldn’t hand out money to failed companies with failed business models. I think this man, well-intentioned as he might be did a bad job and should have resigned. I’m not outraged over this. I’d be outraged if the government invented some legal reason to fire him.

41 Macker  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:14:15pm

Should I be glad I bought a Ford?

42 callahan23  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:14:38pm

How long before The 0 nationalizes ‘key industries’ as is stated in his comm-unity manifesto?

43 debutaunt  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:14:45pm

re: #14 brookly red

maybe, or does 0 install a croney?

Barney Eff would do a smashing job.

44 rightymouse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:14:46pm

This is what happens when one gets in bed with dogs.

45 USBeast  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:15:03pm

re: #41 Macker

Should I be glad I bought a Ford?

Be glad you could afford a Ford.

46 WindHorse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:15:08pm

just because I oppose everything about Obama and what he’s done so far doesn’t make him wrong.

47 Kosh's Shadow  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:15:10pm

re: #17 Catttt

Glad my Chevy S10 is paid for.

Hope it has reached the end of warranty; if GM goes bankrupt, they can be let out of it.
And then hope 3rd party manufacturers make parts.

Any deal with GM should include continued warranty coverage, and an agreement that parts can continue to be made, including releasing any necessary specifications and data, if GM goes out of business.
And the government shouldn’t give much more than that.

48 Gus  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:15:19pm

re: #29 Killgore Trout

Last night conservatives banded together to intentionally waste energy just because liberals wanted to conserve it.

That’s a generalization. The reality is that last night the majority of Americans, including conservatives, did not participate in that publicity stunt nor had any clue to its existence.

49 Fenway_Nation  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:15:35pm

What gives? Was GM not circling the drain fast enough for Hussein Dolt’s taste so the Goverment had to step in and show everyone how it’s really done? This is like a rapist bitching about how unethical robbers are….

50 Noah's Arrrgh  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:15:51pm

Mickey Kaus writes:

Auto czarito Seven Rattner’s $245 million investiment in Maxim, Blender and Stuff isn’t looking very good these days. Stuff was closed long ago. Now Blender’s print edition has been shut down. Luckily, Rattner is one step ahead of the posse now busy restructuring the American automobile industry

So, it *does* look like GM will go into bankrupcy!

51 CyanSnowHawk  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:15:57pm

re: #37 Colonel Panik

Gettelfinger? Wasn’t there a James Bond movie about him with a theme song by Shirley Bassey?

“Gettelfinger!”
(Horn riff)
“He’s the man, the man with the pension of gold!”

This looks like a job for buzzsawmonkey.

52 Boxy_brown  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:16:00pm

re: #30 NeoKong


Neither could the other guy.This will be interesting to watch.

Interesting… like Pol Pot blowing up all the automobiles to save gas. These are the same people who believe you can spend your way into prosperity.

53 brookly red  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:16:17pm

Can’t wait to see the markets reaction…

54 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:16:24pm

re: #39 jorline

Good afternoon, jorline!

55 sleepyone  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:16:25pm

Holy shit! The President of the United States has asked a private citizen to step down from his job! Holy shit is all I can say.

Are we sure B.H.O.’s middle name isn’t Hugo (as in Chavez)?

56 WindHorse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:16:30pm

re: #48 Gus 802

I agree. Very few people had any awareness of last night’s whatever it was.

57 Nevergiveup  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:16:37pm

re: #41 Macker

Should I be glad I bought a Ford?

I am—well a Volvo.

58 Kosh's Shadow  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:16:40pm

re: #38 Boxy_brown

It needs to go into chapter 11, that way contracts can be re-negotiated for real by people who have made their careers in the auto industry and have some small idea of what is involved. Anything short of that is just throwing OUR money at a failing business plan. Having MORONS impose another business plan on GM is just another blueprint for failure.

Good idea, but I doubt the execs of Honda and Toyota would take the job.

59 Killian Bundy  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:16:53pm
Barack Obama has asked him to step down as part of the plan to restructure the auto industry.

Um, the Congressionally mandated deadline for restructuring the auto industry was supposed to be Tuesday, but apparently Obama doesn’t think GM’s had enough succor off the public teat yet.

/GM declares bankruptcy today, you’ll still have plenty of car buying opportunities tomorrow, who elected Obama bankruptcy judge?

60 irongrampa  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:16:57pm

Don’t know much about corporations, but doesn’t the Board of Directors have the authority here?

61 Macker  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:17:02pm

re: #55 sleepyone

Holy shit! The President of the United States has asked a private citizen to step down from his job! Holy shit is all I can say.

Are we sure B.H.O.’s middle name isn’t Hugo (as in Chavez)?

Last time I checked it’s still Hussein.

62 rawmuse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:17:04pm

Last night was just another night for me, BTW, I neither observed nor scorned, nor acted like a wastrel. Basically, I am cheap thrifty.

63 Boxy_brown  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:17:10pm

re: #32 pink freud

“”I think if we had an aberrant missile, one that was headed for Hawaii, that looked like it was headed for Hawaii or something like that, we might consider it,” Gates said. “But I don’t think we have any plans to do anything like that at this point.”

Good thing he is spelling out everything to Kim…

64 Kosh's Shadow  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:17:20pm

re: #32 pink freud

You mean like this one:

The United States can do nothing to stop North Korea from breaking international law in the next 10 days by firing a missile that is unlikely to be shot down by the U.S. or its allies, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Sunday.

“I think if we had an aberrant missile, one that was headed for Hawaii, that looked like it was headed for Hawaii or something like that, we might consider it,” Gates said. “But I don’t think we have any plans to do anything like that at this point.”

But if it heads for Alaska, they’ll send Palin to stop it.

65 nyc redneck  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:17:20pm

o has never had a real job in the private sector.

66 RockmanVermont  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:17:37pm

I disagree with auto bailouts because the “facts” presented for keeping them around seems rediculous. A common myth is that when you buy a Ford/GM/Chrysler is that you are “buying American”.This seems rediculous because since NAFTA,the big three have put a majority of their production plants in Mexico,and the plants in detroit require so much money to run(unions…) that the average cost of a car made by them is roughly 4-8 thousand dollars overpriced. And when looking at the competition,Toyota,VW,and Honda have plants in Tenn.,Georgia, and Alabama that have produced the majority of their cars sold in the US. I dislike the term “made in America” when assosiated with the big three because if you buy a F-150,70% of the parts are made out of this country,and assembled in detroit or elsewhere,and if you buy a Camry,60% of the parts are made IN this country,and assembled here.

67 jimzinsocal  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:17:51pm

Administration Playbook: Dont Worry…Well Get The Fat Cats…well make things right.
Bankers first
Other Ceo’s

68 Gus  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:18:12pm

re: #65 nyc redneck

o has never had a real job in the private sector.

FTFY

//

69 unrealizedviewpoint  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:18:29pm

re: #55 sleepyone

Holy shit! The President of the United States has asked a private citizen to step down from his job! Holy shit is all I can say.

Are we sure B.H.O.’s middle name isn’t Hugo (as in Chavez)?

The American people will now think BO’s on the job. Thumbs up!
/

70 Kosh's Shadow  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:18:46pm

re: #65 nyc redneck

o has never had a real job in the private sector.


FTFY

71 Macker  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:18:50pm

re: #66 RockmanVermont

And that’s why my next vehicle will very likely be a Toyota, Honda, or Nissan.

72 Boxy_brown  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:19:29pm

re: #58 Kosh’s Shadow

“Good idea, but I doubt the execs of Honda and Toyota would take the job.”

Ouch… sadly true.

73 Nevergiveup  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:19:30pm

I am waiting till he asks all the Union Leaders to resign. Still waiting?

74 DisturbedEma  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:19:34pm

re: #71 Macker

And that’s why my next vehicle will very likely be a Toyota, Honda, or Nissan.


Honda…for real

75 Macker  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:19:36pm

re: #69 unrealizedviewpoint

The American people will now think BO’s on the job. Thumbs up the asses of those who voted for him!
/

There, fixed that for ya!

76 unrealizedviewpoint  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:19:54pm

re: #65 nyc redneck

o has never had a real job in the private sector.

He does now. Seems to have lots of influence over.
/

77 rightymouse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:20:02pm

re: #29 Killgore Trout

Last night conservatives banded together to intentionally waste energy just because liberals wanted to conserve it.

Conserving energy was not the liberal agenda for Earth Hour. Please.

And there are times when a middle finger up at THEIR childishness is not a bad thing.

We need to do more of that, actually.

78 callahan23  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:20:04pm

re: #55 sleepyone

Holy shit! The President of the United States has asked a private citizen to step down from his job! Holy shit is all I can say.

Are we sure B.H.O.’s middle name isn’t Hugo (as in Chavez)?

Have a look at my: re: #42 callahan23

79 brookly red  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:20:17pm

re: #55 sleepyone

Holy shit! The President of the United States has asked a private citizen to step down from his job! Holy shit is all I can say.

Are we sure B.H.O.’s middle name isn’t Hugo (as in Chavez)?

Rush is going to have a cow.

80 Boxy_brown  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:20:20pm

re: #60 irongrampa

Don’t know much about corporations, but doesn’t the Board of Directors have the authority here?

You would think…

81 Kosh's Shadow  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:20:38pm

re: #72 Boxy_brown

Ouch… sadly true.

But maybe after North Korea attacks South Korea, we can get the Hyundai execs to take run our auto industry.
/

82 KingKenrod  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:20:40pm

When you come groveling to the government for help, they get to call the shots.

This lesson can be universally applied to any government program, subsidy, or service.

83 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:20:59pm

Boy, the sky has fallen like eight times since I logged on.

/

84 Bobblehead  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:21:05pm

re: #71 Macker

And that’s why my next vehicle will very likely be a Toyota, Honda, or Nissan.

Got 2 Nissans. The most reliable cars we’ve ever owned.

85 pingjockey  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:21:14pm

Good afternoon! May every hacker, worm designer, little bastard that fucks with the intertubes have their hands cut off and toungues ripped out! Got a totally nasty bug that required using the recover disc to fix! Goddamn sonsabitches!

86 USBeast  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:21:19pm

re: #79 brookly red

Rush is going to have a cow.

Probably for dinner.

87 Killian Bundy  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:21:20pm

But Bluto, if GM goes bankrupt, no one will buy a GM car!

/as opposed to the last six months?

88 Ruebacca  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:21:20pm

GM needs to go into Chapter 11 and get ride of the UAW. A GM free of the UAW is viable. No way the Democrats are going to let that happen. The Dems will print money to keep the UAW going.

89 Abu Lahab  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:21:32pm

The Onion had a sad, yet true article about GM:
GM Introduces New Line Of Layoffs

Calling it the automotive company’s “toughest and longest-lasting” line of cutbacks to date, General Motors proudly unveiled its new 2008 model layoffs on Monday, bringing months of rumor and speculation to an end.
According to industry insiders, the automaker’s latest offering of layoffs is by far its largest, with hundreds of unemployed workers expected to hit the streets as early as next week, and thousands more scheduled to come off Michigan assembly lines by the end of spring.
While many details have yet to be released, the new layoffs are said to boast a number of exciting features, including automatic suspension of health-care benefits and a no-money-down payment option on all severance and forced-retirement packages. In addition, the 2008 layoffs will come equipped with a three-day notice of termination, rather than the standard two-week notice offered on earlier models……
……
While General Motors has strongly disputed that claim, the recent firing of its entire public relations department has made it difficult for the automaker to get a positive side of the story out.
“I don’t know what people were expecting,” Wagoner said. “We’re General Motors. Firing great people is what we do.”
90 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:21:32pm

Question

What’s the “Monopoly” game board going to look like next year?

Government owns everything and guess who the banker is…lol

Adding several zeros to the Luxury Tax as well.

91 alegrias  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:21:46pm

They made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

92 sleepyone  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:21:47pm

re: #69 unrealizedviewpoint

The American people will now think BO’s on the job. Thumbs up!
/

/ Yeah, Obama’s really sticking it to the man. Oh wait, he is the man.

93 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:22:10pm

re: #85 pingjockey

A pox upon their heads!

Glad you’re back up and running.

/bastidges!

94 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:22:12pm

re: #84 Bobblehead

Got 2 Nissans. The most reliable cars we’ve ever owned.

I loved my Datsun, but my brother’s Sentra was a piece of crap.

Honda and Toyota have served me well, and I got a lot of good years out of my 1985 GMC pickup.

95 summergurl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:22:17pm

re: #80 Boxy_brown

You would think…

You need to stop doing that —thinking that is —-

it’s a new world out there//

96 USBeast  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:22:20pm

re: #83 OldLineTexan

Boy, the sky has fallen like eight times since I logged on.

/

That’ll teach ya. ;)

97 Bloodnok  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:22:21pm

re: #82 KingKenrod

When you come groveling to the government for help, they get to call the shots.

This lesson can be universally applied to any government program, subsidy, or service.

Agreed. That is was the President that made the recommendation might be new (I do not know the precedent), but this was to be expected in some form.

98 Kosh's Shadow  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:22:42pm

re: #84 Bobblehead

Got 2 Nissans. The most reliable cars we’ve ever owned.

We have one Toyota (1996, 89,000 miles) starting to have things like the gas filler rot, but after 13 years, I’m not complaining,
and one Honda, (1999, 165,000 miles) that has only had a few repairs as opposed to parts wear out that you’d expect t wear out.

99 Jetpilot1101  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:22:46pm

Obama asked for the resignation, Wagoner said yes. He could have said no and there would be nothing Obama could do about it.

Wagoner most likely as a fat retirement plan laid up for him and my guess is Obama told him he wouldn’t go after it if he agreed to resign. Wagoner wins on this one.

100 Aviator  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:22:51pm

The bailout money to the auto industry was doomed to fail. The unsupportable contracts the companies had themselves in guaranteed that. To give them money without changing the underlying issues did nothing but kick the failure can down the road a small amount. The bailout was a bailout of the Union not the company. For O to now act this way is just more of his deception. Unless the plan includes restructuring these contracts the government plan will fail.

101 sleepyone  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:22:52pm

re: #42 callahan23

How long before The 0 nationalizes ‘key industries’ as is stated in his comm-unity manifesto?

I hope you’re wrong but I fear you may be right.

102 pingjockey  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:22:55pm

re: #93 pink freud
Pox hell! I want an uncluttered field of fire!

103 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:23:04pm

re: #92 sleepyone

/ Yeah, Obama’s really sticking it to the man. Oh wait, he is the man.

So, theoretically, he’s sticking it to himself?

/commercial on TV that was really funny

104 unrealizedviewpoint  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:23:15pm

re: #90 jorline

Question

What’s the “Monopoly” game board going to look like next year?

Government owns everything and guess who the banker is…lol

Adding several zeros to the Luxury Tax as well.

It’s the “Free Parking” that’s most worrisome.

105 avanti  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:23:32pm

re: #29 Killgore Trout

Well I’m being sarcastic, you guys can do what you wish. Over the past few weeks I’ve watched conservatives outraged over the denial of million dollar AIG bonuses and seethe over Michelle’s vegetable garden. Last night conservatives banded together to intentionally waste energy just because liberals wanted to conserve it.

I know exactly what your opinions will be next week too. They’ll be exactly the opposite of Obama’s. He will decide what you favor and what you oppose, He’s in your head and you have no control.

Like the economy, there are two ways this can work out, hero or a chump. If he rides in with a plan to save GM and he restores it to profitability he’s golden, if it blows up in his face, not so much.

106 midwestgak  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:23:53pm

re: #46 WindHorse

just because I oppose everything about Obama and what he’s done so far doesn’t make him wrong.

What? Help me understand.

a) I oppose everything about Obama.
b) and what he’s done so far.
c) doesn’t make him wrong.

What? Help me understand!/

107 eon  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:24:08pm

So, The One can simply ask someone, unconnected to his administration, to “fall on their sword” for him. And get it done.

Obviously, conservatives have been going about it all wrong all these years. Instead of tolerating excuses for Papa-Cubed (P**s-Poor Performance) from private industry heads, they should have just done a Simon Cowles impression on them.

“You are the weakest link. Goodbye.”

////

/Of course, if they had, there would have been Hell to pay in the press, and elsewhere.

cheers

eon

108 alegrias  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:24:13pm

re: #12 gregg

What about UAW leader Gettelfinger? What hasn’t he been asked to resign his position?

* * * *
Joe Biden said it at the Union meeting at the Union hotel in Miami Beach recently:

You dance with the one that brung ya! ACORN and alll that.

109 Fenway_Nation  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:24:15pm

re: #66 RockmanVermont


Don’t forget London, Ontario- although that will be less tenable when the printing presses at the Fed kick into overdrive and the Loonie skyrockets in value compared to the US dollar once again.

110 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:24:54pm

re: #85 pingjockey

Good afternoon! May every hacker, worm designer, little bastard that fucks with the intertubes have their hands cut off and toungues ripped out! Got a totally nasty bug that required using the recover disc to fix! Goddamn sonsabitches!

Hey ping….sorry to hear that.
Government owned recovery disc will cost more in the future…your taxes at work.
/

111 Macker  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:25:00pm

re: #86 USBeast

Probably for dinner.

And also for breakfast and lunch!

112 Catttt  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:25:02pm

Thinking of L’il Abner:

What’s good for General Bullmoose is what’s good for the U.S.A.
And by Dow Jones and all their little averages,
Don’t you forget it! Right, boys?

Right!

Three rousing rahs and a few hussahs
And a hip-hip-hip hooray
What’s good for General Bullmoose
Is good for the U.S.A.

We’ll show these hillbillies what’s what!
Right, boys?

Right!

He makes the rules
And he intends to keep it thataway
What’s good for General Bullmoose
Is good for the U.S.A.

113 Ruebacca  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:25:02pm

re: #73 Nevergiveup

I am waiting till he asks all the Union Leaders to resign. Still waiting?

maybe at the next bbq at camp david, obama will ask.

114 Boxy_brown  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:25:09pm

re: #95 summergurl

You need to stop doing that —thinking that is —-

it’s a new world out there//

You are right.. I think.. Doah!

115 USBeast  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:25:10pm

re: #105 avanti

Like the economy, there are two ways this can work out, hero or a chump. If he rides in with a plan to save GM and he restores it to profitability he’s golden, if it blows up in his face, not so much.

In order to have plan you must first have a clue. Obama has given no sign of having one.

116 DisturbedEma  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:25:17pm

re: #90 jorline

Question

What’s the “Monopoly” game board going to look like next year?

Government owns everything and guess who the banker is…lol

Adding several zeros to the Luxury Tax Patriotic Duty feeas well.

There we go…

117 alegrias  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:25:20pm

re: #18 rawmuse

GM (paraphrasing Mark Steyn here) has become a medical and retirement operation that sells a few cars as a side business.

* * * *
Hey, they’re holding my mortgage!

118 Bobblehead  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:25:33pm

re: #98 Kosh’s Shadow

We have one Toyota (1996, 89,000 miles) starting to have things like the gas filler rot, but after 13 years, I’m not complaining,
and one Honda, (1999, 165,000 miles) that has only had a few repairs as opposed to parts wear out that you’d expect t wear out.

I would say you can’t go wrong with Toyota, Nissan or Honda. My sister has a Mazda and she loves it.

119 sleepyone  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:25:52pm

re: #103 OldLineTexan

So, theoretically, he’s sticking it to himself?

/commercial on TV that was really funny

Yeah, only he’s got the power so it doesn’t matter how shitty he makes the country. Sort of like Castro….

// (only slightly)

120 brookly red  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:26:00pm

re: #115 USBeast

In order to have plan you must first have a clue. Obama has given no sign of having one.

oh he has a plan alright…

121 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:26:01pm

re: #107 eon

That wasn’t Simon. That was a woman that only wishes she was as pretty as Simon.

/

122 summergurl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:26:23pm

re: #105 avanti


I would say that the fix is in. The Big O wouldn’t have done this unless he had the UAW in his back pocket. They wouldn’t agree with concessions before now - but you watch, they’ll be doing back flips trying to make O look like the a Detroit Wizard.

123 nyc redneck  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:26:28pm

re: #42 callahan23

How long before The 0 nationalizes ‘key industries’ as is stated in his comm-unity manifesto?


how many american citizens ever thought they could be ‘fired’ by the totus?

124 pingjockey  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:26:45pm

re: #110 jorline
Gaaaaah! I’m so needing a winning lottery ticket. Move to the South Pacific, waaay out in nowhere. But since that ain’t gonna happen, I will resist socialism to the best of my ability!

125 USBeast  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:26:58pm

re: #120 brookly red

oh he has a plan alright…

“Plan” or plot?

126 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:27:00pm

re: #104 unrealizedviewpoint

It’s the “Free Parking” that’s most worrisome.

ding

lol Jokes on you…no one has a car.

127 rawmuse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:27:10pm

I drive the Ford Oppressor. Nice size to power ratio, 14 cup holders, DVD player in the back for the kids, front mounted ma duece.

128 callahan23  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:27:23pm

re: #101 sleepyone

I hope you’re wrong but I fear you may be right.

I sincerely hope I’m wrong too but …
Killgore Trout might not have been too far off when he stated:
re: #1 Killgore Trout

Fascism!
/

129 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:27:44pm

re: #106 midwestgak

What? Help me understand.

a) I oppose everything about Obama.
b) and what he’s done so far.
c) doesn’t make him wrong.

What? Help me understand!/

{gak}

130 Nevergiveup  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:27:51pm

Shit, if UNC wins they play my other favorite team in the Semi- Villinova.

131 pingjockey  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:28:04pm

BBL! Shampooing carpet!

132 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:28:11pm

re: #111 Macker

Speaking of Rush, a surprising opinion piece in the LATimes today, Take the Limbaugh Challenge”:

“The mainstream media (a.k.a. the Matrix) don’t want you to listen to Limbaugh because they’re afraid he’ll wake you up and set you free of their worldview. You don’t want to listen to him because you’re afraid of the same thing.

Don’t believe me? Well, then, gird your loins. Gather your courage. Accept the Limbaugh Challenge. See what happens.

I dare you.”

133 unrealizedviewpoint  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:28:13pm

re: #127 rawmuse

I drive the Ford Oppressor. Nice size to power ratio, 14 cup holders, DVD player in the back for the kids, front mounted ma duece.

LOL

134 debutaunt  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:28:19pm

re: #128 callahan23

It sure is a fer piece from Capitalism.

135 jimzinsocal  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:28:19pm

re: #116 DisturbedEma

There we go…

I was actually messing with a new Obama The Board game last week.
Replace Community Chest and Chance cards with Stimulus and Omnibus…
pass go and its 5000/

And there is no Banker…no Hotels or Houses and all the properties are a medium and pc grey

136 jester6  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:28:29pm

re: #29 Killgore Trout

Even if everything is true, and even if many people screaming fascist don’t understand the meaning of the word, what the Administration is doing on many fronts is fascist.

While they are letting the private sector maintain ownership of the means of production they are increasing their authority to tell the private sector how they must use the means of production.

This is gotten way beyond Republicans and Democrats, Conservatives and Liberals. Obama is building a very powerful machine. Even if he does not use it for nefarious purposes someone will.

137 joncelli  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:28:35pm

This is what GM signed up for. You take the government’s gold, you take the government’s orders. There is a perfectly legal, reasonably common course of action they could have taken instead of allowing the government to dictate their business: bankruptcy and reorganization. They chose not to, and this is the outcome. I have 0, that is, zero, zilch, nada, kein, nichevo sympathy for GM and Chrysler.

138 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:28:37pm

OT: It’s my lucky day! Check out this email I just got (with emphasis added). It’s nothing but champagne and caviar for me from now on. In your face, poor people.

I have an obscured business suggestion for you. There is the sum of $19,500,000.00 in my bank “Hang Seng Bank” Hong kong. There were no beneficiaries stated concerning these funds which mean no one would ever come forward to claim it. That is why I ask that we work together so as to have the sun transferred out of my bank into your account.

Please do not be offended with the manner I contacted you. It was necessitated by the urgency and nature of this transaction. Should you be interested please send me your,

1. Full names:
2. Private phone number:
3. Current residential address:

Kind Regards,
Mr. Song Li

Wait, aren’t sun transfers illegal? And how did this guy end up with one in his bank? I’ll bet you this is where all that global warming is coming from.
//

139 VioletTiger  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:28:44pm

So the president is stepping in to run private industry and have a say in who heads up a major corporation. This is the job of the board of directors, not the government. This all plays in with his objective to demonize capitalism and success.
Don’t be surprised if one of the next steps is private pension funds.

140 brookly red  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:28:56pm

re: #127 rawmuse

I drive the Ford Oppressor. Nice size to power ratio, 14 cup holders, DVD player in the back for the kids, front mounted ma duece.

does it pull to the right when you use the duece?

141 unrealizedviewpoint  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:29:03pm

re: #126 jorline

ding

lol Jokes on you…no one has a car.

I was always the car. Darnit!

142 eon  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:29:12pm

re: #121 OldLineTexan

That wasn’t Simon. That was a woman that only wishes she was as pretty as Simon.

/

Don’t look at me, I never watched it, just knew the name and the quote.

cheers

eon

143 midwestgak  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:29:14pm

re: #129 jorline

Hey! {jorline} {jorline} {jorline} :) Good to see you.

144 Jack Burton  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:29:49pm

re: #73 Nevergiveup

I am waiting till he asks all the Union Leaders to resign. Still waiting?

This should happen shortly after Obama cuts the ribbon at the “Wonders of Capitalism” Exposition on Mars.

145 rawmuse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:30:16pm

re: #140 brookly red

does it pull to the right when you use the duece?

Naw, I got the optional stabilizer.

146 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:30:23pm

re: #124 pingjockey

Gaaaaah! I’m so needing a winning lottery ticket. Move to the South Pacific, waaay out in nowhere. But since that ain’t gonna happen, I will resist socialism to the best of my ability!

I hear ya.
My wife was saying earlier today we need to sell everything and move to Costa Rica.

147 Fenway_Nation  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:30:25pm

re: #135 jimzinsocal

And there is no Banker…no Hotels or Houses and all the properties are a medium and pc grey

Does the Banker Go To Jail- Do Not Pass Go- Do Not Collect $200?

148 brookly red  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:30:38pm

re: #145 rawmuse

Naw, I got the optional stabilizer.

sweet!

149 callahan23  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:30:46pm

re: #123 nyc redneck

how many american citizens ever thought they could be ‘fired’ by the totus?

Are we there yet? “Terminator”? Machines (TOTUS) firing humans?
I hope not “…. at humans”, anytime soon.

150 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:31:02pm

re: #146 jorline

I hear ya.
My wife was saying earlier today we need to sell everything and move to Costa Rica.

I did not know the Baldwins had a sister!

/

151 summergurl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:31:37pm

re: #139 VioletTiger

So the president is stepping in to run private industry and have a say in who heads up a major corporation. This is the job of the board of directors, not the government. This all plays in with his objective to demonize capitalism and success.
Don’t be surprised if one of the next steps is private pension funds.


They need to be siphoned off into Social Security. If you are a government bailout company your pension plan funds go directly there. That’s shore up SS for a year or two. //////

152 Gus  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:31:37pm

Another magic plan in the works from Team Obama:

Very little was being done in negotiations with debtholders and the union ahead of Obama’s announcement, a person briefed on the GM talks said Sunday. This person did not want to be identified because the negotiations are private.

Under the terms of a loan agreement reached during the Bush administration, GM and Chrysler are pushing the UAW to accept shares of stock in exchange for half of the payments into a union-run trust fund for retiree health care. They also want labor costs from the union to be competitive with Japanese automakers with U.S. operations.

153 Macker  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:31:59pm

re: #127 rawmuse

I drive the Ford Oppressor. Nice size to power ratio, 14 cup holders, DVD player in the back for the kids, front mounted ma duece.

Is that also known as the Saddam Special?

154 Boxy_brown  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:32:03pm

re: #146 jorline


My wife was saying earlier today we need to sell everything and move to Costa Rica.

How about we take back our country and ship these clowns to Costa Rica, Leavenworth?

155 Aviator  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:32:09pm

re: #137 joncelli

This is what GM signed up for. You take the government’s gold, you take the government’s orders. There is a perfectly legal, reasonably common course of action they could have taken instead of allowing the government to dictate their business: bankruptcy and reorganization. They chose not to, and this is the outcome. I have 0, that is, zero, zilch, nada, kein, nichevo sympathy for GM and Chrysler.

I have no sympathy for them either. They should have filed Chapter 11. I’m concerned for the country.

156 Shug  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:32:18pm

Will Obama resign after mismanaging the country?

157 USBeast  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:32:24pm

re: #144 ArchangelMichael

This should happen shortly after Obama cuts the ribbon at the “Wonders of Capitalism” Exposition on Mars.

Hey, I’m scheduled for that. As the ribbon falls monkeys will fly out my butt. No firm date yet…

158 Capitalistincharge  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:32:24pm

While I agree that having GM file Chapter 11 is probably the only way to proceed, I hope the reality of the extent of the feeder companies also going down is understood. I grew up in Michigan and after the bust of the late 70’s-early 80’s, the place dried up. It is like a third world country now. Not just Detroit, even the UP is wasting away. The government bailing the industry out will end badly, just take longer than if they are allowed to fail.

159 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:32:42pm

re: #156 Shug

Will Obama resign after mismanaging the country?

To be fair, no one else ever has.

160 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:32:44pm
161 golf and ski  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:32:49pm

If giving this power to Obama was part of GM’s bailout money, then tough on GM for agreeing to this.

162 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:33:17pm

re: #143 midwestgak

Hey! {jorline} {jorline} {jorline} :) Good to see you.

How are you girl? You owe me an email…hope all is well.

163 Shug  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:33:43pm

re: #159 OldLineTexan

To be fair, no one else ever has.


This would be change I could believe in

164 brookly red  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:33:49pm

re: #159 OldLineTexan

Nixon?

165 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:33:59pm

re: #163 Shug

This would be change I could believe in

You have hope.

166 CyanSnowHawk  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:34:09pm

re: #55 sleepyone

Holy shit! The President of the United States has asked a private citizen to step down from his job! Holy shit is all I can say.

Are we sure B.H.O.’s middle name isn’t Hugo (as in Chavez)?

He didn’t ask, he made it a condition of a loan from the government. Seems fair enough. The case can be made that Wagoner did not do his job well, and the board was negligent in not getting rid of him sooner.

167 Shug  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:34:09pm

Is Wagoner gonna get a golden parachute?

168 midwestgak  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:34:34pm

re: #147 Fenway_Nation

Does the Banker Go To Jail- Do Not Pass Go- Do Not Collect $200?

Funny about collecting $200. It’s an amount of cash I wouldn’t mind having in my pocket today. What was $200 worth in 1934 when the game was created?

169 USBeast  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:35:13pm

re: #164 brookly red

Nixon?

He resigned because he mismanaged his own office, not the country.

170 unrealizedviewpoint  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:35:14pm

re: #164 brookly red

Nixon?

Did he mismanage the country or his lies?

171 Irene NYC  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:35:17pm

Well, you know what they say: What’s good for GM is good for the country.

/

172 Manfred the Wonder Dog  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:35:26pm

Manfred drives: 1995 Olds 88 with 260K miles and 2003 Buick Century with 130K miles- daily driver, looks good, 30 MPG measured (last week).

Now that all of that’s out of the way- I grew up in and near Detroit and we’ve all joked about who’s going to be the last one out and who’d turn out the lights.

Now we know.

And F Toyota- white designers I know who worked for them in the area say they were treated like s***.

173 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:35:28pm

re: #164 brookly red

Nixon?

Nixon got the Blago treatment. He committed the sin of being caught. He had also gone rather round the bend.

It wasn’t really mismanagement of the country per se as it was mismanagement of his baser political instincts.

174 markx  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:35:44pm

Never believed I say this…. I long for the good of days of the Bubba Administration. Obambi makes Bubba’s reign look like far-right… at least, Bubba keep his hands off everyone….

(unless you wore a skirt)

175 summergurl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:35:59pm

500 plus people going with him? Is it just me or does that seem nuts?

Lots of Folks

176 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:36:09pm

re: #150 OldLineTexan

I did not know the Baldwins had a sister!

/

She tired of my bitching…lol
She means well…she thinks the less information I have the better my health.

177 brookly red  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:36:09pm

re: #168 midwestgak

Funny about collecting $200. It’s an amount of cash I wouldn’t mind having in my pocket today. What was $200 worth in 1934 when the game was created?

a judgeship or maybe a mayor’s seat…

178 Killgore Trout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:36:10pm

re: #167 Shug

Is Wagoner gonna get a golden parachute?

Probably. We’ll see if there are bailout conditions that would prevent it. If Obama tries to take it conservatives will cry. If Obama allows it they’ll cry too.

179 Killian Bundy  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:36:22pm

re: #158 Capitalistincharge

While I agree that having GM file Chapter 11 is probably the only way to proceed, I hope the reality of the extent of the feeder companies also going down is understood.

The damage is already done, baked in.

/how many cars has GM sold in the last six months and how would that be noticeably different from bankruptcy?

180 Nevergiveup  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:36:31pm

UNC by 17—let Coach Williams run GM

181 markx  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:36:50pm

re: #156 Shug

Will Obama resign after mismanaging the country?

…ha ha ha ha …. I know you did not mean that as a joke, but is is funny….

182 sleepyone  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:36:54pm

re: #155 Aviator

I have no sympathy for them either. They should have filed Chapter 11. I’m concerned for the country.

I agree. I have no sympathy for a corporation that continually caves in to unions to their own detriment and then pass the cost along to the consumer in the form of cheap materials and fewer options, etc. They should have filed Ch. 11 and negotiated a more favorable union deal or better yet, kicked the UAW out of Detroit.

But when a sitting President can ask a private citizen (regardless of his or her incompetence) to step down from the job then we are headed somewhere that I don’t want to go.

183 Bloodnok  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:36:59pm

re: #168 midwestgak

Funny about collecting $200. It’s an amount of cash I wouldn’t mind having in my pocket today. What was $200 worth in 1934 when the game was created?

As of 2007 it was $3067.

The Inflation Calculator

184 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:37:02pm

re: #154 Boxy_brown

How about we take back our country and ship these clowns to Costa Rica, Leavenworth?

Got one of these for you….DING

185 Nevergiveup  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:37:13pm

re: #178 Killgore Trout

Probably. We’ll see if there are bailout conditions that would prevent it. If Obama tries to take it conservatives will cry. If Obama allows it they’ll cry too.

It’s not conservative—it is called the rule of law and Obama and his ilk not being able to change it on a whim

186 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:37:23pm

re: #178 Killgore Trout

Probably. We’ll see if there are bailout conditions that would prevent it. If Obama tries to take it conservatives will cry. If Obama allows it they’ll cry too.

TOTALITARIANISM!

/just to give you something else to bitch about
/fair’s fair
/redistribution of wealth

187 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:37:43pm

Britain will get its first chance to see Barack Obama this week when a White House cavalcade - complete with armoured limousines, helicopters, 200 US secret service staff and a six-doctor medical team - sweeps into the UK.

Prospect of Barack Obama show causes UK to clear its decks

Obama will fly into London for his first visit to the UK as president of the United States on Tuesday to take part in the G20 summit in the capital’s Docklands area. He will not be travelling light.

More than 500 officials and staff will accompany the president on his tour this week - along with a mass of high-tech security equipment, including the $300,000 presidential limousine, known as The Beast. Fitted with night-vision camera, reinforced steel plating, tear- gas cannon and oxygen tanks, the vehicle is the ultimate in heavy armoured transport.

In addition, a team from the White House kitchen will travel with the president to prepare his food. As one official put it: “When the president travels, the White House travels with him, right down to the car he drives, the water he drinks, the gasoline he uses, the food he eats. America is still the sole superpower and the president must have the ability to handle any crisis, anywhere, any time.”

“Should the president feel the need to retaliate offensively, Obama is able to launch a nuclear strike while flying. The aircraft, among the most photographed in the world, has 85 telephones, 19 televisions, computer suites and faxes to ensure Obama stays in touch with the outside world. At the rear of the aircraft is Obama’s travelling press corps.”

188 brookly red  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:37:56pm

re: #170 unrealizedviewpoint

Did he mismanage the country or his lies?

well before Clinton it was considered the same thing… (sheesh, kids today)

189 WindHorse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:38:01pm

re: #178 Killgore Trout

if Obama has anything to do with it, I won’t cry….. but I will sadly reflect on what this country has become.

190 HelloDare  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:38:10pm

GM is going to retool. Joe Biden, the countries biggest tool, is going to head-up the company. Following Obama’s directive, they are going to produce a hybrid that nobody wants, The Kludge…just when Prius sales are tanking.

191 Fenway_Nation  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:38:26pm

re: #168 midwestgak

Funny about collecting $200. It’s an amount of cash I wouldn’t mind having in my pocket today. What was $200 worth in 1934 when the game was created?

Not sure….wasn’t exactly around for that.

192 sleepyone  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:38:28pm

re: #166 CyanSnowHawk

He didn’t ask, he made it a condition of a loan from the government. Seems fair enough. The case can be made that Wagoner did not do his job well, and the board was negligent in not getting rid of him sooner.

I guess all I can say to that is he shouldn’t have taken the bailout money then. And you’re right that it should have been the board to dismiss him, not the government.

193 Killian Bundy  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:39:00pm

re: #166 CyanSnowHawk

He didn’t ask, he made it a condition of a loan from the government.

Why are we going to loan them more money?

/Congress passed a law saying we weren’t going to do that unless they got their [expletive deleted] together by Tuesday, which obviously isn’t going to happen

194 Aviator  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:39:08pm

re: #182 sleepyone

I agree. I have no sympathy for a corporation that continually caves in to unions to their own detriment and then pass the cost along to the consumer in the form of cheap materials and fewer options, etc. They should have filed Ch. 11 and negotiated a more favorable union deal or better yet, kicked the UAW out of Detroit.

But when a sitting President can ask a private citizen (regardless of his or her incompetence) to step down from the job then we are headed somewhere that I don’t want to go.

I agree. Who would want a job where he can be removed at the whim of a politician.

195 gregg  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:39:10pm

I know this is just a one-off story, but I bought a Chevy Colorado one year ago. Last week it stopped running (check engine light, engine would die a few seconds after starting). The dealer told me to have it towed in for repair. After of couple of days trying to figure out what was wrong, they discovered that the bolt on the exhaust manifold had loosened and practically fell off. What the heck would cause that? Best I can come up with is the worker on the line just didn’t give a rat’s butt.

196 WindHorse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:39:17pm

re: #189 WindHorse

….and bear in mind, I think what George Bush did last Fall was just as bad as anything Obama has done - or will do. ($ bail-out-wise)

197 callahan23  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:39:21pm

re: #134 debutaunt

It sure is a fer piece from Capitalism.

It’s far away from capitalism. Socialism and Fascism are both for nationalization of property.
The difference being that the former owner will be killed in the first and continues to be CEO in the second, both under state command.

198 Killgore Trout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:39:47pm

Check out what has been happening to GM stock since this guy took over in 2000. (click to see full chart).

Let’s not try to turn this guy into another capitalist martyr sacrificed for socialism. It was bad to try it with the AIG executives and it will be bad to try it with the GM CEO.

199 Irene NYC  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:39:48pm

re: #175 summergurl

500 plus people going with him? Is it just me or does that seem nuts?

Lots of Folks

Well now, summergurl, “nuts” is relative. Is this nuts compared to Obama’s other acts since becoming president? I think it’s a minor blip.

Symbolic value, of course, is another matter altogether.
;)

200 HelloDare  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:39:49pm

Is Obama going to bring an American DVD player to Europe so Brown can look at those movies?

201 Gus  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:40:04pm

Who’s going to buy a GM vehicle now? Given the worsening situation with GM potential customers will have no confidence in the lifetime warranties of their products. Beyond individual customers fleet purchases will plummet even further given the greater liability.

202 midwestgak  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:40:12pm

re: #162 jorline

How are you girl? You owe me an email…hope all is well.

I am well, sir. I’ll send you an email tomorrow.

203 6pat6  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:40:34pm
On Monday, President Obama is to unveil his plans for the auto industry

Well, so much for shareholders. BHO has done what Fascism, by its very definition, does - establishes State control over “private” enterprise. In a normal time, the shareholders would vote out the CEO. But, with DC control of a sizeable amount of the US economy already established, they now have free rein to do whatever the hell they want with business.

Once you say “yes” to ANY Federal money, they own you, period. Whether it’s the local school board, any State entity, or business, the Feds now control.

It’s BHOs economy now. He can’t blame ANY of this on any of his predecessors.

204 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:40:37pm

re: #187 pink freud

Bush the Elder’s motorcade ran me off the freeway (politely) lo these many years ago … they brought all their vehicles into Ellington Field … limos, armored Suburbans with pop-up guns, all kinds of cool crap.

This is the same thing.

205 swamprat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:40:50pm

Did Ayn Rand write this? I keep on waking up on the stage.

206 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:40:59pm
207 Nevergiveup  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:41:02pm

re: #198 Killgore Trout

Check out what has been happening to GM stock since this guy took over in 2000. (click to see full chart).

Let’s not try to turn this guy into another capitalist martyr sacrificed for socialism. It was bad to try it with the AIG executives and it will be bad to try it with the GM CEO.

Hum but how about appointing an AIG board member to the Administration? Holbrooke? How about them eggs?

208 USBeast  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:41:07pm

re: #200 HelloDare

Is Obama going to bring an American DVD player to Europe so Brown can look at those movies?

I hope he tries to plug it in himself. He will get a lesson in cultural differences.

209 unrealizedviewpoint  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:41:26pm

re: #200 HelloDare

Is Obama going to bring an American DVD player to Europe so Brown can look at those movies?

He’ll then forget the power converter.

210 Bloodnok  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:41:26pm

re: #198 Killgore Trout

Check out what has been happening to GM stock since this guy took over in 2000. (click to see full chart).

Let’s not try to turn this guy into another capitalist martyr sacrificed for socialism. It was bad to try it with the AIG executives and it will be bad to try it with the GM CEO.

Maybe it is time to rethink my opposition to the newspaper industry bailout. Goodbye Pinch…

///

211 freetoken  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:41:31pm

re: #29 Killgore Trout

Someday should President Obama declare the sky to be “blue”, I wonder what sort of retort the Beck/Limbaugh/Coulter crowd would come up with?

212 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:41:33pm

re: #200 HelloDare

Is Obama going to bring an American DVD player to Europe so Brown can look at those movies?

He’ll forget the plug adapter.

213 MarkX  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:41:55pm

re: #205 swamprat

The last 60 days have been a nightmare…

214 Aviator  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:42:16pm

re: #211 freetoken

Someday should President Obama declare the sky to be “blue”, I wonder what sort of retort the Beck/Limbaugh/Coulter crowd would come up with?

Maybe: “He finally got something right.”

215 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:42:18pm

re: #211 freetoken

Someday should President Obama declare the sky to be “blue”, I wonder what sort of retort the Beck/Limbaugh/Coulter crowd would come up with?

The sky is always blue where you are?

Sweet.

216 HelloDare  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:42:34pm

re: #212 OldLineTexan

He’ll forget the plug adapter.

Joe Biden will remind him. Joe’s an expert on plugs.

217 rawmuse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:42:34pm

re: #198 Killgore Trout

Agreed, except the party asking him to step down should be the stockholders.

218 eon  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:42:42pm

re: #136 jester6

Even if everything is true, and even if many people screaming fascist don’t understand the meaning of the word, what the Administration is doing on many fronts is fascist.

While they are letting the private sector maintain ownership of the means of production they are increasing their authority to tell the private sector how they must use the means of production.

This is gotten way beyond Republicans and Democrats, Conservatives and Liberals. Obama is building a very powerful machine. Even if he does not use it for nefarious purposes someone will.

And I find it fascinating that, like the Republicans with the Homeland Security Act and the Patriot Act, he is doing so in an apparent absolute conviction that his political opponents will never hold the reins of power, and thus be able to misuse the power he now has.

When HSA and PA were passed, my best bud, the E-5, and I looked at each other, and almost in unison said, “Imagine what President Hillary could do with that.”

There is no such thing as a Divine Right of Rule, for any king, any theocrat, or any political party. The wheel turns, and what goes around, comes around.

That’s why the first rule of political power is “Never seek to create a power you wouldn’t want your opponents to have.” Because, barring coup d’etat, dictatorship, or outright nihilism (in which the government kills people at random just to amuse itself, and destroys things just to avoid boredom), one day, the other side will have that power.

The Republicans were unwise in creating DHS and PA. In trying to create a level of power over the private sector, and society as a whole, at this level, The One is being reckless.

And if he really believes that “his side” will never, ever lose power, he isn’t simply naive’, egotistical, and narcissistic- he is an idiot.

I find myself standing in awe of such apparently blatant stupidity in the Oval Office.

Because up to now, I thought even the Democrats were smarter than that.

/Not sure if this is a rant or not, but the mode is off now

cheers

eon

219 swamprat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:43:08pm

It’s only right; Bush did this all the time. Oh wait, that never happened.

220 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:43:16pm

re: #216 HelloDare

Joe Biden will remind him. Joe’s an expert on plugs.

It’s good to have a specialty that’s in demand.

221 Tarheel  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:43:17pm

Al Gore leaves the lights on Sat. for the Great Dark Out.
[Link: politics.nashvillepost.com…]

222 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:43:18pm

re: #204 OldLineTexan

Bush the Elder’s motorcade ran me off the freeway (politely) lo these many years ago … they brought all their vehicles into Ellington Field … limos, armored Suburbans with pop-up guns, all kinds of cool crap.

This is the same thing.

It doesn’t *feel* like the same thing. I don’t remember reading anything on this scale when any other Pres traveled.

223 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:44:05pm

Isn’t “Entourage” a show on HBO.

Prospect of Barack Obama show causes UK to clear its decks

With an entourage of 500 staff, an armour-plated limousine and a fleet of decoy helicopters, America’s new president will arrive for his first visit to Britain amid huge razzmatazz on Tuesday for the G20 summit.

224 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:44:11pm

re: #219 swamprat

It’s only right; Bush did this all the time. Oh wait, that never happened.

Under Bush, there was only ONE corporation, heade by Dick Cheney …

MWKELLOGGROOTBROWNHALLIBURTON!

225 DisturbedEma  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:44:54pm

re: #187 pink freud

Um…this is the GREEN MOVEMENT president…?

226 Lincolntf  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:44:54pm

I’m almost at a loss for words. Insane is to mild a word for this. It’s (and I say this knowing full well that it’s verboten in some circles) un-American.
It’s quintessentially wrong for a President to make such a demand (and when the President asks, it’s ALWAYS a demand) on a private corporation, not to mention on a private citizen.

227 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:45:25pm

re: #187 pink freud

Britain will get its first chance to see Barack Obama this week when a White House cavalcade - complete with armoured limousines, helicopters, 200 US secret service staff and a six-doctor medical team - sweeps into the UK.

Prospect of Barack Obama show causes UK to clear its decks

Obama will fly into London for his first visit to the UK as president of the United States on Tuesday to take part in the G20 summit in the capital’s Docklands area. He will not be travelling light.

More than 500 officials and staff will accompany the president on his tour this week - along with a mass of high-tech security equipment, including the $300,000 presidential limousine, known as The Beast. Fitted with night-vision camera, reinforced steel plating, tear- gas cannon and oxygen tanks, the vehicle is the ultimate in heavy armoured transport.

In addition, a team from the White House kitchen will travel with the president to prepare his food. As one official put it: “When the president travels, the White House travels with him, right down to the car he drives, the water he drinks, the gasoline he uses, the food he eats. America is still the sole superpower and the president must have the ability to handle any crisis, anywhere, any time.”

“Should the president feel the need to retaliate offensively, Obama is able to launch a nuclear strike while flying. The aircraft, among the most photographed in the world, has 85 telephones, 19 televisions, computer suites and faxes to ensure Obama stays in touch with the outside world. At the rear of the aircraft is Obama’s travelling press corps.”

Beat me to it pink.

228 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:45:29pm

re: #222 pink freud

It doesn’t *feel* like the same thing. I don’t remember reading anything on this scale when any other Pres traveled.

I am going to have to say it: it’s the same thing.

He may bring more unicorns than Boooooosh, but that’s about it.

The POTUS does NOT arrange these trips; FEDpeons that know their business arrange these trips, and cover the necessary details.

229 jaunte  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:45:31pm

re: #217 rawmuse

Agreed, except the party asking him to step down should be the stockholders.

On the other hand:
“GM has received $13.4 billion in government aid, and has been seeking $16.6 billion more.”
It would be naive not to expect some strings attached to all that cash.

230 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:45:42pm

re: #225 DisturbedEma

Um…this is the GREEN MOVEMENT president…?

*Green for thee and not for me*

/just ask manbearpig

231 avanti  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:45:48pm

re: #115 USBeast

In order to have plan you must first have a clue. Obama has given no sign of having one.

Then he will fail miserably and the GOP’s will look brilliant for opposing him.

232 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:45:54pm

re: #225 DisturbedEma

Um…this is the GREEN MOVEMENT president…?

Look at all the hot air leaving the USA for that period …

233 Vet_Missing_Parts (1LT, Ret)  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:46:00pm

re: #225 DisturbedEma

Um…this is the GREEN MOVEMENT president…?

For us… rules don’t apply to the elites, they are designed to keep the proles from getting uppity.

234 Racer X  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:46:08pm

re: #187 pink freud

I can only imagine the carbon fartprint.

235 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:46:17pm

re: #200 HelloDare

Is Obama going to bring an American DVD player to Europe so Brown can look at those movies?

An American (NTSC) DVD player? Oh, I so hope he does. This would be the gaffe that keeps on giving.

236 Fenway_Nation  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:46:22pm

re: #221 Tarheel

Al Gore leaves the lights on Sat. for the Great Dark Out.
[Link: politics.nashvillepost.com…]

You’d think he’d have the Clapper installed or something.

237 nyc redneck  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:46:23pm

re: #225 DisturbedEma

Um…this is the GREEN MOVEMENT president…?

exactly,
i was wondering how many miles per gallon “The Beast” gets, btw?

238 kansas  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:46:24pm

re: #222 pink freud

It doesn’t *feel* like the same thing. I don’t remember reading anything on this scale when any other Pres traveled.

Both Bush’s and Clinton hauled around all this stuff when they traveled. The Dems bitched about the Bushs, the Republicans bitched about Clinton.

239 6pat6  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:46:28pm

re: #200 HelloDare

Is Obama going to bring an American DVD player to Europe so Brown can look at those movies?

Here is what Mr Brown needs to view those US NTSC-standard DVDs:

A multi-standard television that is also dual voltage (110/120 VAC and 220/240VAC) that has an adapter plug for the UK outlets…

A NTSC-standard DVD player that is compatible with the UK voltage (220/240VAC) to plug into the TV. That would be the hard thing to find.

240 brookly red  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:46:34pm

re: #223 jorline

Prospect of Barack Obama show causes UK to clear its decks

The Barack Obama show? now that is funny.

241 unrealizedviewpoint  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:46:38pm

re: #221 Tarheel

Al Gore leaves the lights on Sat. for the Great Dark Out.
[Link: politics.nashvillepost.com…]

Gore has got to be the the King of hypocrites.

242 Vicious Babushka  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:46:39pm

re: #190 HelloDare

GM is going to retool. Joe Biden, the countries biggest tool, is going to head-up the company. Following Obama’s directive, they are going to produce a hybrid that nobody wants, The Kludge…just when Prius sales are tanking.

In Joe’s honor they should name it the Gaffe.

243 freetoken  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:46:46pm

re: #128 callahan23

GM has become a ward of the State. This is what you get when you declare something “too big to fail”.

244 rawmuse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:46:50pm

Clinton would travel with a huge entourage that included orders to bust up any demonstrations along the way. He got away with that for 8 years.

245 Irene NYC  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:46:57pm

Where’s our resident economic soothsayer, 3 wood, when we need him, eh?

YOO HOO! 3 WOOD!

;)

246 DisturbedEma  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:47:02pm

re: #232 OldLineTexan

Look at all the hot air leaving the USA for that period …

Let’s take back the WH- he is NEVER THERE…:)

247 Mezzetino  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:47:04pm

Dang! GM has just been nationalized! In one swell foop!
Who’s next?

248 WindHorse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:47:09pm

what will happen to each and every one of us if GM goes bankrupt tomorrow?

(oh yeah, that’s right…..nothing.)

I want my tax dollars back.

249 alegrias  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:47:11pm

re: #194 Aviator

I agree. Who would want a job where he can be removed at the whim of a politician.

* * * * *
In totalitarian regimes, everyone’s “job” is at the pleasure of the government. Single payer healthcare, like in Cuba, where Fidel tells doctors how much they can earn—so people become taxidrivers instead.

You gotta problem with that?
/sarc

250 Photon Cowboy  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:47:17pm

Wow ! Welfare for one of this country’s biggest company’s in the U.S. A company that is using BILLIONS of tax payer dollars to upgrade factories in foreign countries like Mexico and Brazil .
Meanwhile I just spent $ 250.00 out of my own pocket last month to have some help with my taxes ! Can’t “o” see that the money will never stop,and if it does they have better factory’s south of us where they can relocate the company and hire cheaper workers,make more money and never have to pay taxes to the U.S. govt ?
This administration is in way over their head.

251 NavyMustang  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:47:19pm

Capitalism is being destroyed before our very eyes. I am flabbergasted at the arrogance and stupidity of this administration. There are NO companies or industries that are too large to fail. If that were the case, why didn’t our economy collapse when companies like TWA, Pan Am, WorldCom, Enron, Lehman Brothers went down the tubes? If we’re going to be capitalists, we have to let capitalist forces run their course! Man! I am PISSED!

252 Randall Gross  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:47:20pm

It’s hubristic of Obama, but on the other hand I”m in a wait and see mode. Every pundit you hear lately tells us the only way out for GM is Chapter 11, so maybe this is the prelude.

253 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:47:25pm

Mama says it’s time to eat…see you later tonight.

254 Racer X  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:47:30pm

re: #198 Killgore Trout

Check out what has been happening to GM stock since this guy took over in 2000. (click to see full chart).

Let’s not try to turn this guy into another capitalist martyr sacrificed for socialism. It was bad to try it with the AIG executives and it will be bad to try it with the GM CEO.

Martyr?

The guy failed miserable, and should be kicked to the curb.

255 Mr. In get Mr. Out  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:47:39pm

Does Obama have a majority of the stock?

256 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:47:40pm

re: #239 6pat6

Here is what Mr Brown needs to view those US NTSC-standard DVDs:

A multi-standard television that is also dual voltage (110/120 VAC and 220/240VAC) that has an adapter plug for the UK outlets…

A NTSC-standard DVD player that is compatible with the UK voltage (220/240VAC) to plug into the TV. That would be the hard thing to find.

Philips makes one, IIRC.

257 gregg  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:48:00pm

re: #198 Killgore Trout

Check out what has been happening to GM stock since this guy took over in 2000. (click to see full chart).

Let’s not try to turn this guy into another capitalist martyr sacrificed for socialism. It was bad to try it with the AIG executives and it will be bad to try it with the GM CEO.

I don’t care that Wagoner is out. I am concerned if the White House forced him out. These are matters that should be handled by the board of directors and if they aren’t smart enough to do it, then GM should end up in bankruptcy.

258 kansas  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:48:01pm

re: #221 Tarheel

Al Gore leaves the lights on Sat. for the Great Dark Out.
[Link: politics.nashvillepost.com…]

Well good for him. I did too.

259 Lincolntf  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:48:19pm

re: #229 jaunte

I wish there were some strings attached to the money I send to Congress every single day I work (or breathe).
This is garbage, and I don’t care if the CEO was a lousy CEO, or if the law of the land dictated that his corporation receive a trillion dollars. It’s fundamentally wrong no matter how we got here.

260 Vicious Babushka  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:48:20pm

It’s fucking snowing in Detroit! For real snow. I am not making this up.

261 DisturbedEma  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:48:37pm

re: #237 nyc redneck

exactly,
i was wondering how many miles per gallon “The Beast” gets, btw?

Yep…

262 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:48:39pm

re: #228 OldLineTexan

I am going to have to say it: it’s the same thing.

He may bring more unicorns than Boooooosh, but that’s about it.

The POTUS does NOT arrange these trips; FEDpeons that know their business arrange these trips, and cover the necessary details.

Maybe this explains it:

“It was decided 18 months ago, when he was still a presidential candidate, that his African-American background put him at particular risk of an assassination attempt and he was provided with his security guards.”

263 alegrias  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:48:42pm

re: #200 HelloDare

Is Obama going to bring an American DVD player to Europe so Brown can look at those movies?

* * * *
Mr. Brown’s only got one good EYE—to add further insult to the man’s injury.

264 MarkX  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:48:42pm

...

265 kansas  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:48:56pm

re: #255 Mr. In get Mr. Out

Does Obama have a majority of the stock?

He shorted a ton of shares Friday at the bell.//

266 USBeast  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:49:05pm

re: #231 avanti

Then he will fail miserably and the GOP’s will look brilliant for opposing him.

That’s a hope, not a given. The Republicans have too many dim bulbs on their marquee to appear anywhere near brilliant…at least for now.

267 rawmuse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:49:06pm

Oh, wait, I own GM stock. Just bought some last Oct. when it was in the dumper.
Turn that company around, Obama!

268 MarkX  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:49:08pm

Hey.. where did my post go?

269 brookly red  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:49:12pm

re: #255 Mr. In get Mr. Out

Does Obama have a majority of the stock?

no but his boss has quite a bit…

270 HelloDare  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:49:13pm

re: #239 6pat6

Here is what Mr Brown needs to view those US NTSC-standard DVDs:

A multi-standard television that is also dual voltage (110/120 VAC and 220/240VAC) that has an adapter plug for the UK outlets…

A NTSC-standard DVD player that is compatible with the UK voltage (220/240VAC) to plug into the TV. That would be the hard thing to find.

No need to be compatible with UK power. The player runs on solar and wind power.

271 avanti  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:49:17pm

re: #122 summergurl

I would say that the fix is in. The Big O wouldn’t have done this unless he had the UAW in his back pocket. They wouldn’t agree with concessions before now - but you watch, they’ll be doing back flips trying to make O look like the a Detroit Wizard.

You could be correct. If he gets the CEO to resign, and gets nothing from the unions, he’ll look silly.

272 Mr. In get Mr. Out  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:49:22pm

re: #243 freetoken

GM has become a ward of the State. This is what you get when you declare something “too big to fail”.

No company and nobody should be immune to failing.

273 Irene NYC  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:49:26pm

re: #260 Alouette

It’s fucking snowing in Detroit! For real snow. I am not making this up.

That’s the heavens crying, Alouette.

274 Aviator  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:49:31pm

re: #252 Thanos

It’s hubristic of Obama, but on the other hand I”m in a wait and see mode. Every pundit you hear lately tells us the only way out for GM is Chapter 11, so maybe this is the prelude.

Even if they do file now billions of taxpayer’s dollars have been pissed away.

275 Racer X  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:49:34pm

re: #221 Tarheel

Al Gore leaves the lights on Sat. for the Great Dark Out.
[Link: politics.nashvillepost.com…]

Do as I say!

Not as I do.

276 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:49:46pm

re: #262 pink freud

Maybe this explains it:

“It was decided 18 months ago, when he was still a presidential candidate, that his African-American background put him at particular risk of an assassination attempt and he was provided with his security guards.”

I would bet just as many people wanted to get Boooosh, and I imagine the Secret Service acted in the same way. Flighty they aren’t.

277 DisturbedEma  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:49:57pm

re: #244 rawmuse

Clinton would travel with a huge entourage that included orders to bust up any demonstrations along the way. He got away with that for 8 years.

Did he run as the president who would heal the world air trees and oceans?

278 jaunte  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:50:01pm

re: #259 Lincolntf

It’s fundamentally wrong no matter how we got here.

I agree. I wish that the people running these companies would refuse the money. It’s a trap.

279 A Kiwi Infidel  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:50:13pm

Slightly OT but in line with government interference and taking control.

Has there been much publicity about the “Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Bill”. It forms what is being called “Obama’s Youth Brigade.”

Here is part of the HR1388 Bill’s wording:
SEC. 1304. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES AND INELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS.

Section 125 (42 U.S.C. 12575) is amended to read as follows:

SEC. 125. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES AND INELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS.

(a) Prohibited Activities- A participant in an approved national service position under this subtitle may not engage in the following activities.(1) Attempting to influence legislation.

(2) Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes

(7) Engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship, constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship, maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship, or engaging in any form of religious proselytization.

280 DisturbedEma  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:50:34pm

re: #262 pink freud

Maybe this explains it:

“It was decided 18 months ago, when he was still a presidential candidate, that his African-American background put him at particular risk of an assassination attempt and he was provided with his security guards.”

Puleeze- everybody loves him and US again…remember? //

281 callahan23  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:50:37pm

re: #225 DisturbedEma

Um…this is the GREEN MOVEMENT president…?

Have a look at this:
Lights out for the green protesters.
Climate won’t be on the agenda this time around in London. The climate issue is postponed to the summer. The financial crisis is way more important.

282 freetoken  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:50:49pm

re: #239 6pat6

Here is what Mr Brown needs to view those US NTSC-standard DVDs:

Or, he could have just played the DVDs on his laptop, if he has the right software.

283 LGoPs  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:50:55pm

re: #218 eon

The Republicans were unwise in creating DHS and PA. In trying to create a level of power over the private sector, and society as a whole, at this level, The One is being reckless.

And if he really believes that “his side” will never, ever lose power, he isn’t simply naive’, egotistical, and narcissistic- he is an idiot.

I’m not trying to be contradictory or overly pessimistic but unless and until the Pravda like control of the media is undone I am deeply worried that these people will remain in control. Having seized it they will not sit idly by. even now, there are moves afoot to implement the Fairness Doctrine indirectly, thru local control. And I fear they might get away with it.
The media controls the national dialog and the salinity of the sea we all swim in. We are in danger of becoming the fish that doesn’t realize that he’s wet.
Until the media comes back to some modicum of balance these aspiring fascists will stay in power.

284 MandyManners  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:50:55pm

re: #187 pink freud

Britain will get its first chance to see Barack Obama this week when a White House cavalcade - complete with armoured limousines, helicopters, 200 US secret service staff and a six-doctor medical team - sweeps into the UK.

Prospect of Barack Obama show causes UK to clear its decks

Obama will fly into London for his first visit to the UK as president of the United States on Tuesday to take part in the G20 summit in the capital’s Docklands area. He will not be travelling light.

More than 500 officials and staff will accompany the president on his tour this week - along with a mass of high-tech security equipment, including the $300,000 presidential limousine, known as The Beast. Fitted with night-vision camera, reinforced steel plating, tear- gas cannon and oxygen tanks, the vehicle is the ultimate in heavy armoured transport.

In addition, a team from the White House kitchen will travel with the president to prepare his food. As one official put it: “When the president travels, the White House travels with him, right down to the car he drives, the water he drinks, the gasoline he uses, the food he eats. America is still the sole superpower and the president must have the ability to handle any crisis, anywhere, any time.”

“Should the president feel the need to retaliate offensively, Obama is able to launch a nuclear strike while flying. The aircraft, among the most photographed in the world, has 85 telephones, 19 televisions, computer suites and faxes to ensure Obama stays in touch with the outside world. At the rear of the aircraft is Obama’s travelling press corps.”

Please, please, please don’t let him fuck this up.

285 Photon Cowboy  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:51:10pm

re: #159 OldLineTexan

Nixon quit in disgrace. I think he was the only one to sneak out of town

286 HelloDare  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:51:15pm

re: #252 Thanos

It’s hubristic of Obama, but on the other hand I”m in a wait and see mode. Every pundit you hear lately tells us the only way out for GM is Chapter 11, so maybe this is the prelude.

Obama majored in Hubristics at Columbia.

287 freetoken  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:51:24pm

re: #247 Mezzetino

Dang! GM has just been nationalized! In one swell foop!
Who’s next?

Any company that goes begging to the government for money.

288 sammysdad  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:51:31pm

What a shame if GM went under and stopped producing cars and trucks with engines designed 60 years ago.

289 DisturbedEma  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:51:44pm

re: #280 DisturbedEma

Puleeze- everybody loves him and US again…remember? //

AND given the open and gleeful moonbats who were out there,and what they were saying…GWB was at risk too…serious risk, as I now see…

290 debutaunt  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:51:58pm

re: #198 Killgore Trout

Check out what has been happening to GM stock since this guy took over in 2000. (click to see full chart).

Let’s not try to turn this guy into another capitalist martyr sacrificed for socialism. It was bad to try it with the AIG executives and it will be bad to try it with the GM CEO.

I doubt if those AIG folks would have accepted the job for $1.00 per year, without the contract saying there would be a bonus at the end.

291 FrogMarch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:52:10pm

Scary. Since when to presidents do this?

292 Vicious Babushka  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:52:11pm

re: #273 Irene NYC

That’s the heavens crying, Alouette.

Well it was raining all day long, just turned into big white flakes of snow.

293 MandyManners  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:52:12pm

re: #237 nyc redneck

exactly,
i was wondering how many miles per gallon “The Beast” gets, btw?

The same it got for Pres. Bush.

294 Capitalistincharge  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:52:17pm

The unions have always had too much political power. I don’t see any concessions coming. They are parasitic, to the point of sucking the host dry. And now the taxpayer is supposed to just keep pumping blood into the host to keep the parasite alive. It won’t fix it.

295 DisturbedEma  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:52:22pm

re: #281 callahan23

Have a look at this:
Lights out for the green protesters.
Climate won’t be on the agenda this time around in London. The climate issue is postponed to the summer. The financial crisis is way more important.

OMG! Hear that popping noise…moonbat heads…

296 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:52:25pm

re: #285 Photon Cowboy

Nixon quit in disgrace. I think he was the only one to sneak out of town

I already explained upthread why I do not consider the Nixon resignation to fit the “mismangement” phrase that was used.

297 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:52:44pm

re: #271 avanti

You could be correct. If he gets the CEO to resign, and gets nothing from the unions, he’ll look silly.

Absolute understatement of the year.

298 MarkX  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:52:53pm

re: #247 Mezzetino

Dang! GM has just been nationalized! In one swell foop!
Who’s next?

They were nationalized when they took the bait … er… bail-out.

They should have filed Chapter 11 & got out of the mess themselves. But, GM couldn’t help themselves —mis-management and bad decision making is in their corporate DNA.

Adios, GM

299 LGoPs  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:52:59pm

re: #291 FrogMarch

Scary. Since when to presidents do this?

When they become messiah’s unfortunately……
///

300 6pat6  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:53:09pm

re: #288 sammysdad

What a shame if GM went under and stopped producing cars and trucks with engines designed 60 years ago.

We need to go BACK to those days, not the current crop of plastic crap that passes for automobiles and trucks these days. I’d much rather drive a ’50s or ’60s vehicle for a daily driver, any day of the week!

301 Boxy_brown  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:53:36pm

re: #284 MandyManners

Please, please, please don’t let him fuck this up.

I hope the teleprompter shorts out on the British current.

302 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:53:40pm

re: #276 OldLineTexan

I would bet just as many people wanted to get Boooosh, and I imagine the Secret Service acted in the same way. Flighty they aren’t.

Agreed. The constant playing of the race card has gotten very old, though.

303 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:53:46pm

re: #288 sammysdad

I happen to like those 60 year old engines, thank you very much!

/coke v. pepsi
/mac v. pc
/ford v. chevy

304 unrealizedviewpoint  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:53:55pm

re: #291 FrogMarch

Scary. Since when to presidents do this?

I suspect this is one of many firsts.
*sigh*

305 rawmuse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:54:04pm

re: #300 6pat6

I wish I had a 1957 Ford Thunderbird, the two seater with the little porthole windows in the back.

306 nyc redneck  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:54:09pm

re: #284 MandyManners

Please, please, please don’t let him fuck this up.

he will. somehow.
it’s inevitable.
it’s so above his pay grade.
sadly.

307 OldLineTexan  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:54:17pm

re: #293 MandyManners

The same it got for Pres. Bush.

I thought only Obama has ridden this “Beast”.

/no, not HER
/BAD!

But I agree - same-same as any other POTUS.

308 jelo  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:54:29pm

re: #156 Shug

Will Obama resign after mismanaging the country?

The unfortunate outcome may be that China demands such…….

309 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:54:30pm

That’s just frightening, on so many levels. Regardless of whether he should or should not be deep-sixed, it’s not BHO’s call to make.

310 MarkX  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:54:37pm

re: #300 6pat6

We need to go BACK to those days, not the current crop of plastic crap that passes for automobiles and trucks these days. I’d much rather drive a ’50s or ’60s vehicle for a daily driver, any day of the week!


Don’t wish for it, it could happen sooner than you think….


(think Cuba)

311 Mezzetino  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:54:40pm

Time for a little historical perspective:
In ancient Rome, when the emperor let you know that the State no longer required your existence, you committed suicide.

312 DisturbedEma  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:54:44pm

re: #301 Boxy_brown

I hope the teleprompter shorts out on the British current.

Or goes on vow of silence mode over the lack of global green initiatives…:)

313 brookly red  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:55:12pm

re: #308 jelo

The unfortunate outcome may be that China demands such…….

/ so there IS hope?

314 alegrias  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:55:16pm

re: #260 Alouette

It’s fucking snowing in Detroit! For real snow. I am not making this up.

* * * *
Have you all seen those Fargo North Dakotans piling sand bags in the SNOW? Entire towns of people out in the snow, working together to save their towns?

Obama’s not in charge of those people.

315 Killian Bundy  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:55:22pm

re: #201 Gus 802

Who’s going to buy a GM vehicle now?

As opposed to the last six months?

/look at their sales figures

316 FrogMarch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:55:27pm

re: #105 avanti

Like the economy, there are two ways this can work out, hero or a chump. If he rides in with a plan to save GM and he restores it to profitability he’s golden, if it blows up in his face, not so much.

Not his job to do either.

317 Aviator  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:55:31pm

re: #301 Boxy_brown

I hope the teleprompter shorts out on the British current.

Perhaps he can borrow Brown’s big screen. He can’t watch his movies on it anyway.

318 Boxy_brown  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:55:38pm

re: #312 DisturbedEma

Or goes on vow of silence mode over the lack of global green initiatives…:)

Zero must have been pretty quiet during earth hour.

319 MandyManners  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:55:41pm

I don’t begrudge one thing about this trip. He’s not just FCBBHO when he’s over there. He’s the president of the United States of America. He is representing US.

320 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:55:48pm

Will he ask Joe the Senator to step down so he can spend more time with his family, who obviously need him right now?
I don’t think so.

321 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:55:58pm

re: #284 MandyManners

Please, please, please don’t let him fuck this up.

As Justin Wilson was so fond of saying, “I “ga-ron-tee” (you he will fuck this up).

322 DisturbedEma  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:56:01pm

re: #318 Boxy_brown

Zero must have been pretty quiet during earth hour.

yep- for sure

323 swamprat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:56:08pm

bad scenarios;
Government appointed board takes over.

Obama friend gets the seat.

Did a major car company just get nationalized?

324 callahan23  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:56:12pm

re: #295 DisturbedEma

OMG! Hear that popping noise…moonbat heads…

And the reaction in the AlGore villa:
“Turn off them lights.
Our investments are going down the river.”

325 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:56:12pm
326 Gus  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:56:13pm

re: #315 Killian Bundy

As opposed to the last six months?

/look at their sales figures

I meant that it will get worse.

327 Ojoe  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:56:18pm

Who is in charge in this country anyway?

Why did the pussy resign?

This is unseemly.

I am completely disgusted with the resigner, the resignee, and the idiotic mass of people who voted in the current moron into the White House.

This is another case of the monster growth of the mistaken idea that the government can solve our problems.

The more the country runs after this illusion the worse off we will be.

328 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:56:35pm

re: #311 Mezzetino

Not- so -ancient- Tokyo auto execs have been known to do the same.

329 HelloDare  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:56:41pm

re: #284 MandyManners

Please, please, please don’t let him fuck this up.

That shows us the position we’re in. We’re worried about him screwing this up. Meanwhile, Norh Korea is going to launch a missile and Iran is about to get the bomb. And Biden is V.P. and Hillary is Secretary of State.

330 Killian Bundy  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:56:53pm

re: #326 Gus 802

I meant that it will get worse.

/that’s hardly possible

331 Nevergiveup  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:56:57pm

Tiger just birdied to tie

332 jaunte  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:57:11pm

re: #327 Ojoe

He probably resigned to keep his parachute.
It was a missed opportunity.

333 Gus  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:57:18pm

re: #330 Killian Bundy

/that’s hardly possible

Mmmm hmmm.

334 eon  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:57:29pm

re: #190 HelloDare

GM is going to retool. Joe Biden, the countries biggest tool, is going to head-up the company. Following Obama’s directive, they are going to produce a hybrid that nobody wants, The Kludge…just when Prius sales are tanking.

The major reason for the Prius going dirty-side-up sales-wise is that, however cheap it is to run, it’s expensive up front, and a nightmare to maintain. Like most “first examples” of a new technology, it has to be cosseted and babied to maintain operational availability. (The Germans had the same problem in WWII- their Pzkw V Panther was a world-beater on the battlefield, but each one was a hand-built custom job, and a holy terror to keep running, driving their mechanics nuts.)

Most people who bought the Prius up front either never understood, or just never were aware of, the concepts of “operational availability” and “maintenance cycle”.

Continuing the WWII analogy, our Sherman was far less tactically effective than the Panther (less effective gun, etc.), but (a) it never broke down, (b) was easy to fix if it got dinged, and (c) was so cheap and easy to mass -produce that we built more Shermans than the Germans built tanks of all types they fielded between 1934 and 1945.

Which is why we kept winning tank battles. When one world-beating tank is up against 100 “pretty good” tanks, sooner or later the world-beater is gonna bite it. (An uncle of mine saw this phenomenon first-hand, as a tank commander under Patton.)

As a Russian general once said, “Quantity has a quality all its own.”

And if you want something revolutionary (as opposed to evolutionary) to be around a while, it better be affordable and reliable.

There’s a reason they don’t build many Lamborghinis. And it has very little to do with the number of people who can afford one.

/That’s why there’s always a waiting list for a new model- and they rarely manage to build enough for everyone on the list.

cheers

eon

335 LGoPs  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:57:36pm

re: #314 alegrias

* * * *
Have you all seen those Fargo North Dakotans piling sand bags in the SNOW? Entire towns of people out in the snow, working together to save their towns?

Obama’s not in charge of those people.

Why do I think that if these people had been the inhabitants of New Orleans during Katrina, things would have turned out way differently…………

336 nyc redneck  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:57:42pm

re: #293 MandyManners

The same it got for Pres. Bush.

lol, so he’s no greener than bush.

337 seekeroftruth  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:57:44pm

re: #222 pink freud

It doesn’t *feel* like the same thing. I don’t remember reading anything on this scale when any other Pres traveled.

Me either. I don’t begrudge him what he needs, but does seem like much more than other presidents. And I don’t think Bush had this either :
At the same time, Obama will be constantly minded by his personal aide Reggie Love, who dials his BlackBerry, fetches his jacket and tie and supplies him with snacks
He can’t dial his own blackberry now?…..

338 Vicious Babushka  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:57:45pm

re: #314 alegrias

* * * *
Have you all seen those Fargo North Dakotans piling sand bags in the SNOW? Entire towns of people out in the snow, working together to save their towns?

Obama’s not in charge of those people.

You won’t see this in Detroit.

339 Nevergiveup  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:57:49pm

re: #331 Nevergiveup

Tiger just birdied to tie

And from like 30 feet

340 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:57:55pm

re: #211 freetoken

Is that a misprint, and is your nic actually ’ freetokin’ ?

341 SixDegrees  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:58:21pm

re: #21 Boxy_brown

These maniacs are incredibly dangerous. They think they can run GM now? They can’t even do their own jobs.

Actually, they’re only saying what others have been saying for years now. The real mystery is: why has Wagoner been allowed to remain at the helm for so long and do so much damage? Dumping him is long overdue.

I’d like to get more information on this. Chairmen can normally be ousted without board approval. The government may hold a significant stake, but they can’t call the shots at GM by fiat. I suspect the delivery of any further funds was made contingent on Wagoner’s departure.

I can’t get too upset over this. When you take the King’s money, you’re in the King’s service, and Wagoner crawled to the government on his belly begging for their aid. He got it, and now he gets to pay the price. Figuratively, anyway; you can bet that his separation package by itself will be several hundred times what any of his workers could expect to make in a lifetime.

The really unpleasant thing is: GM may very well wind up in bankruptcy after all this, and all those billions that have been pumped into it with the expectation of keeping it alive will have gone for naught. Tens of billions flushed down the toilet, with the end result exactly what they were trying to avoid.

Next up: who will replace Wagoner, and how will that person be selected? Will it be left up to the (ragingly incompetent) board, per the company’s charter? Or will the government attempt to exert new-found powers of appointment? Stay tuned.

342 Bloodnok  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:58:36pm

re: #336 nyc redneck

lol, so he’s no greener than bush.

It’s been a late spring this year…

343 MandyManners  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:58:49pm

re: #336 nyc redneck

lol, so he’s no greener than bush.

He’s the president. He has to be protected. I don’t give a flying fuck about his politics. He’s the president.

344 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:59:31pm

re: #337 seekeroftruth

Me either. I don’t begrudge him what he needs, but does seem like much more than other presidents. And I don’t think Bush had this either :
At the same time, Obama will be constantly minded by his personal aide Reggie Love, who dials his BlackBerry, fetches his jacket and tie and supplies him with snacks
He can’t dial his own blackberry now?…..

His 24 year old facebook wunderkind.

345 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:59:41pm

re: #337 seekeroftruth

Reggie Love was the shady lawyer played by Susan Sarandon in Grisham’s ’ The Client’. How appropriate.

346 nyc redneck  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 3:59:55pm

re: #321 pink freud

As Justin Wilson was so fond of saying, “I “ga-ron-tee” (you he will fuck this up).

lol,
gmta.
or maybe everybody knows this.

347 Photon Cowboy  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:00:15pm

re: #296 OldLineTexan

Sorry. I didn’t have time to read the whole page.

348 jelo  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:00:58pm

re: #313 brookly red

/ so there IS hope?

Literally between a rock and a hard place.

349 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:01:01pm

re: #346 nyc redneck

Ironing is my favorite too, for the exact same reason. :D

350 Sharmuta  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:01:07pm

Once again Washington misses the mark.

The problem is big labor.

351 FrogMarch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:01:54pm

So, like with Edward Liddy at AIG, will GM now have a government appointed CEO?

Of course.

352 swamprat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:02:18pm

Gee, the President is deciding the course for a major corporation; nothing socialistic about that.

Based on his history, this comes as a major shock.

‘Cause we know he didn’t hang out with any wild-eyed revolutionary types; if he had, the media would have told us.

353 WindHorse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:02:18pm

re: #350 Sharmuta

The problem with big labor is their disinclination towards any labor.

354 Aviator  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:02:35pm

re: #351 FrogMarch

So, like with Edward Liddy at AIG, will GM now have a government appointed CEO fallguy?

Of course.

FIFY

355 Racer X  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:02:39pm

re: #350 Sharmuta

Once again Washington misses the mark.

The problem is big labor.


And previous GM management agreed to those labor contracts.

356 swamprat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:03:13pm

re: #330 Killian Bundy

/that’s hardly possible


Oh, you don’t want to go there.

357 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:03:29pm

Wave the White Flag in the Limbaugh War

“President Obama and the Democrats should wave the white flag in their strawman war on Rush Limbaugh. The Media Research Center delivered the grim casualty figures for the Democrats. Since January, the top talk show gabber’s ratings have soared off the charts. Radio affiliates that carry Limbaugh’s syndicated show call the ratings boost he’s gotten from the Democrat’s orchestrated attack on him a “dramatic surge.” This writer predicted as much when President Obama cracked to Congressional Republicans in late January that they should knock off listening to Limbaugh if they expected to get anything done in Congress and with his administration.”

From Huffpo, no less.

Hahahaha!

358 rawmuse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:03:49pm

The President travels with one of these now, from what I understand. Not in this car, but has this in the entourage.

359 flyovercountry  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:03:59pm

Truly, this is scary stuff indeed. I do not ever recall a sitting President or any President actually using their office to run a corporation in this fashion. Even with the bailout, these corporations have governing processes in place. Follow those processes at least. Elect a new slate of directors, etc. the entire rule of corporate governance is being circumvented here. There are still non governmental owners who have a stake in this company.

360 WindHorse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:04:01pm

re: #350 Sharmuta

the automakers, under the guidance of big labor, will make fine, fine, government employees.

361 Killian Bundy  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:04:14pm

So, now the Obama drones, who know absolutely nothing about the auto industry, are running GM.

/do they all have to give up their Japanese cars?

362 Racer X  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:04:32pm

re: #357 pink freud

LMAO!

Rush will be giddy tomorrow.

363 Dianna  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:04:54pm

OT: Survey question, relates to my novel, doesn’t require thoughtful responses.

A man gets a girl to agree to marry him.

Should he already have a ring, or is it appropriate to take the girl shopping for it?

364 funky chicken  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:04:54pm

Hey, Franklin Raines is out of work! I think Jaime Gorelick is too!

365 USBeast  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:05:07pm

Well, Lizards, today is my Friday. I’m going to grill myself a bacon wrapped tenderloin and then kick back with my weekly cigar and movie of the week. Tonight’s offering is “Charlie Chan: Meeting At Midnight”.

I will probably BBL. My best to you and yours.

366 alegrias  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:05:11pm

re: #350 Sharmuta

Once again Washington misses the mark.

The problem is big labor.

* * * *
No it is not. We’ve all dug deep into our pockets to bail out BIG LABOR for the rest of our lives and our childrens’ lives and their children’s children’s lives.

Big Labor is in Fat City and driving this car.

367 Nevergiveup  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:05:14pm

Last update - 00:53 30/03/2009

Open Letter to President Barack Obama


Tags: Durban, Barack Obama

This is a letter written by dozens of human rights groups and activists in the United States, urging President Barack Obama to rethink his decision to boycott the United Nations-sponsored anti-racism conference.


[Link: www.haaretz.com…]

You got to go to the link to see the “things” that signed this!

368 FrogMarch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:05:24pm

re: #350 Sharmuta

Once again Washington misses the mark.

The problem is big labor.

It’s a problem the democrats will never fix. In fact, as we all know, the democrats plan to make that problem worse with pay-to-play paybacks to big labor unions. Big labor and the democrat party share the same bed.

369 rawmuse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:05:26pm

re: #363 Dianna

He should have a ring, but not get tweaked if she wants to exchange it.

370 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:05:26pm

re: #357 pink freud

No, please let ‘em keep on digging. It’s working out so well.

371 alegrias  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:05:53pm

re: #355 Racer X

And previous GM management agreed to those labor contracts.

* * * *
On the torture rack.

372 MandyManners  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:05:56pm

Does anyone know for a stone-cold fact that Pres. Bush didn’t have a personal aide?

373 claire  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:06:02pm

Okay, now it’s making more sense why a bunch of the banks want to give the $$ back!

374 Dianna  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:06:20pm

re: #369 rawmuse

He should have a ring, but not get tweaked if she wants to exchange it.

What about shopping for wedding rings?

375 Bloodnok  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:06:26pm

re: #365 USBeast

Well, Lizards, today is my Friday. I’m going to grill myself a bacon wrapped tenderloin and then kick back with my weekly cigar and movie of the week. Tonight’s offering is “Charlie Chan: Meeting At Midnight”.

I will probably BBL. My best to you and yours.

Me and mine says “thanks”. Enjoy the steak and the film.

376 jaunte  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:06:26pm

re: #363 Dianna

Seems like he should know her preferences (a ring present, or shopping) by the time he asks.

377 debutaunt  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:06:32pm

re: #297 pink freud

Absolute understatement of the year.

Silly wasn’t the word to use.

378 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:06:42pm

re: #363 Dianna


OT: Survey question, relates to my novel, doesn’t require thoughtful responses.

Marhglebark!

379 unrealizedviewpoint  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:07:00pm

re: #363 Dianna

OT: Survey question, relates to my novel, doesn’t require thoughtful responses.

A man gets a girl to agree to marry him.

Should he already have a ring, or is it appropriate to take the girl shopping for it?

Should be his mothers who died while giving birth to him.

380 Dianna  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:07:06pm

re: #372 MandyManners

Does anyone know for a stone-cold fact that Pres. Bush didn’t have a personal aide?

I’d think he would have one. There’s one heck of a lot to manage!

381 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:07:06pm
382 MandyManners  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:07:20pm

re: #363 Dianna

OT: Survey question, relates to my novel, doesn’t require thoughtful responses.

A man gets a girl to agree to marry him.

Should he already have a ring, or is it appropriate to take the girl shopping for it?

I guess it depends on the woman. Some like to be surprised, and their men should know their tastes if they’re close enought to contemplate marriage.

383 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:07:41pm

re: #363 Dianna

I think it is appropriate to choose the ring together.

384 HelloDare  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:07:48pm

re: #334 eon

And what is the replacement cost for the Prius batteries? I’ve heard figures of 3 to 5 grand. And what is the impact on the environment from manufacturing and disposing the batteries? Never read anything on that.

385 funky chicken  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:07:50pm

re: #363 Dianna

OT: Survey question, relates to my novel, doesn’t require thoughtful responses.

A man gets a girl to agree to marry him.

Should he already have a ring, or is it appropriate to take the girl shopping for it?

I think so, as long as she’s reasonable and doesn’t throw a tantrum if he can “only” afford a half carat or less main stone. Why drop thousands of dollars on something she won’t love wearing?

386 Gus  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:07:54pm

re: #381 buzzsawmonkey

Out with the Oldsmobile, in with the new!
When next year is the MoonBatMobile due?

The MoonBatMobile will not be available in black.

//

387 eon  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:08:12pm

re: #363 Dianna

OT: Survey question, relates to my novel, doesn’t require thoughtful responses.

A man gets a girl to agree to marry him.

Should he already have a ring, or is it appropriate to take the girl shopping for it?

It varies. Around here (OH) “ring-shopping” (for the wedding ring) together is part of the process for the soon-to-be bride and groom.

But he should definitely have the engagement ring up front.

cheers

eon

388 rawmuse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:08:14pm

re: #374 Dianna

We shopped for ours together, after she accepted my engagement ring.

389 swamprat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:08:19pm

Not so bad that he did this. The bad part is that we know about it. What happened to all the oh-so-very-smooth diplomacy stuff? This guy makes Homer Simson look suave.

390 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:08:38pm
391 Aviator  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:08:50pm

re: #386 Gus 802

The MoonBatMobile will not be available in black.

//

Just Red.

392 Gus  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:09:11pm

re: #391 Aviator

Just Red.

Green! //

393 MandyManners  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:09:12pm

re: #374 Dianna

What about shopping for wedding rings?

Do what the man did in Sweet Home Alabama: move all the ring displays from Tiffany into an empty floor in an office building.

394 Dianna  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:09:21pm

Emerging consensus, then, is that he ought to have the ring - or at least a solitaire - in advance?

Though Pink Freud’s view is being factored in.

395 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:09:38pm

re: #381 buzzsawmonkey

I miss my Oldsmobile, but when gas got over $4/gal I had to put ‘er down.

*sniff sniff*

396 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:09:40pm

re: #366 alegrias

The problem is not Big Labor… it’s Big Labor Leadership.
I had to carry a Teamsters card when I flew because my airline was based in a closed-shop state, and damned if any of us agreed with whichever wise guy was leading ‘em at the time. Teamsters had little time for ‘stewardess issues’, but they did manage to take our money on a regular basis. We did notice that union honchos always seemed to be having fun in Vegas at conventions , and they drove really nice cars.

397 Boxy_brown  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:09:41pm

re: #341 SixDegrees

Actually, they’re only saying what others have been saying for years now. The real mystery is: why has Wagoner been allowed to remain at the helm for so long and do so much damage? Dumping him is long overdue.


Perhaps 6, but there is a process for removing a CEO. It involves shareholders voting and the board of directors taking action. If the shareholders/board are suffering they should take action. At the moment I am not too thrilled with members of my government who were legitimately voted in, however I can’t unilaterally remove them.

The government may hold a significant stake, but they can’t call the shots at GM by fiat. I suspect the delivery of any further funds was made contingent on Wagoner’s departure.


We will give you money if you hire who we want you to hire…. What is the stick to that carrot? Cement loafers?

I can’t get too upset over this.


You’re no fun. Come on, shake your fist at the computer screen with me.

“When you take the King’s money, you’re in the King’s service…”


So we are living in a monarchy now? That explains it.

GM may very well wind up in bankruptcy after all this, and all those billions that have been pumped into it with the expectation of keeping it alive will have gone for naught. Tens of billions flushed down the toilet, with the end result exactly what they were trying to avoid.


Or as bad, a perpetual parasite that is just clinging to life instead o a reorganized company producing valuable products.

398 alegrias  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:09:46pm

re: #374 Dianna

What about shopping for wedding rings?

* * * *
Bourgeouis excessive consumption not allowed in socialist society.

399 SixDegrees  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:10:02pm

re: #350 Sharmuta

Once again Washington misses the mark.

The problem is big labor.

To be fair, Wagoner’s a real problem, and his ouster is long overdue. He has a near-decade of declining sales and market share under his belt.

Over the last few years, the American auto industry as a whole has made a lot of progress in bringing their labor costs in line with their competition. It’s still a bit higher, but not nearly as much as it used to be when comparing new hires to new hires. The older workers are still bound to their existing agreements, which has created a two-tiered labor force and brought a lot of resentment onto the floor, as might be imagined. But as the older labor pool drifts off into retirement, US auto companies will drift toward pay equity with their overseas counterparts. Honda, for example, has huge production facilities in Ohio; it isn’t having similar problems because it doesn’t have that long history of past excess to deal with.

The really big problem is all those decades of retirees that the Big Three are bound by contract to serve, and there’s just not a whole hell of a lot that can be done about those costs - although the Union would be happy to take control of the billions of dollars in pension funds now under GM’s control. No one but the UAW thinks this is a good idea, but it would make GM’s bottom line a lot brighter.

400 reine.de.tout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:10:05pm

re: #363 Dianna

OT: Survey question, relates to my novel, doesn’t require thoughtful responses.

A man gets a girl to agree to marry him.

Should he already have a ring, or is it appropriate to take the girl shopping for it?

I think he should already have the ring.
But in today’s world, it seems likes brides like to pick out their own settings ahead of time.
Which he then fills with the perfect diamond to present to her.

401 Gus  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:10:08pm

re: #390 buzzsawmonkey

But that’s racist.

//

It’s code I tell ya! //

402 swamprat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:10:26pm

re: #358 rawmuse

The President travels with one of these now, from what I understand. Not in this car, but has this in the entourage.


Quiet and effective. He should take notes.

403 Aviator  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:10:30pm

re: #392 Gus 802

Green! //

OK, with a red interior.

404 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:10:35pm

re: #394 Dianna

One thing to consider though, it that nowadays there isn’t an engagement ring and then a wedding ring. They are predominantly sold in sets.

405 nyc redneck  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:10:42pm

re: #343 MandyManners

He’s the president. He has to be protected. I don’t give a flying fuck about his politics. He’s the president.

wtf?
of course he’ll be protected. those people know how to do their jobs.

406 Dianna  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:10:47pm

re: #388 rawmuse

We shopped for ours together, after she accepted my engagement ring.

Thank you.

I’ve never done the whole engagement bit, myself. Or marriage, for that matter. It’s making this section a little dicey.

407 FrogMarch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:11:28pm
There is something more than a little unsettling when a government and industry collaborate. Government is all about political power … and the use of force against those who refuse to cooperate. Industry is all about economic activity and, in free societies; it is closer to the individual. Business, after all, provides most of us our jobs, our income, our career paths. When business and government combine they form effectively fascist societies; combining the economic power or industry with the coercive power of the state.

/but don’t call the Obama administration Fascist. That would sound crazy.

408 Gus  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:11:32pm

re: #403 Aviator

OK, with a red interior.

OK, sounds good.

409 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:12:10pm

re: #379 unrealizedviewpoint

I can only say how we do it down here. He should have a) already asked her Daddy, and sworn her parents to secrecy, b) known what she liked from asking questions when the opportunity came up to examine friends’ rings, and c) gotten her size from her sister or some other method before purchasing the ring and having it on him when he asks.

410 DisturbedEma  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:12:26pm

re: #363 Dianna

OT: Survey question, relates to my novel, doesn’t require thoughtful responses.

A man gets a girl to agree to marry him.

Should he already have a ring, or is it appropriate to take the girl shopping for it?

Have the ring for romance

If more modern and strong female protagonist…shop

411 Dianna  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:12:34pm

re: #400 reine.de.tout

I think he should already have the ring.
But in today’s world, it seems likes brides like to pick out their own settings ahead of time.
Which he then fills with the perfect diamond to present to her.

This is set in 1977. Present behavior isn’t all that relevant.

412 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:12:40pm

re: #404 pink freud

Huh?

413 SixDegrees  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:12:43pm

re: #361 Killian Bundy

So, now the Obama drones, who know absolutely nothing about the auto industry, are running GM.

/do they all have to give up their Japanese cars?

Like these?

414 JustMyView  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:12:52pm

re: #337 seekeroftruth

Me either. I don’t begrudge him what he needs, but does seem like much more than other presidents. And I don’t think Bush had this either :
At the same time, Obama will be constantly minded by his personal aide Reggie Love, who dials his BlackBerry, fetches his jacket and tie and supplies him with snacks
He can’t dial his own blackberry now?…..

I never heard that GWB used a BlackBerry, but it’s not unusual for presidents and presidential candidates to have a “body man”. Even President Bartlett in The West Wing had one.

415 Sifty  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:13:07pm

I worry for my little boy.

416 FrogMarch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:13:20pm

I don’t have a problem with this guy stepping down. I have a problem with the government (Obama) asking him to do it.

417 UncleRancher  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:13:26pm

re: #363 Dianna

OT: Survey question, relates to my novel, doesn’t require thoughtful responses.

A man gets a girl to agree to marry him.

Should he already have a ring, or is it appropriate to take the girl shopping for it?

The answer to that depends entirely upon how much he squandered on the ring. He’s probably safe if the number was close to $10k.

418 DisturbedEma  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:13:43pm

re: #378 Slumbering Behemoth

Marhglebark!

hagflagnuffin…

419 reine.de.tout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:13:56pm

re: #411 Dianna

This is set in 1977. Present behavior isn’t all that relevant.

In 1977, it seems like most engagement rings I saw were solitaires in a simple setting. Rings over the past few years have gotten fancier.

So I would say, in 1977, he should have the ring.

420 brookly red  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:13:57pm

re: #363 Dianna

OT: Survey question, relates to my novel, doesn’t require thoughtful responses.
A man gets a girl to agree to marry him.
Should he already have a ring, or is it appropriate to take the girl shopping for it?

man gets girl to agree? hmmmm, now there’s a twist :)

421 Dianna  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:13:57pm

re: #404 pink freud

One thing to consider though, it that nowadays there isn’t an engagement ring and then a wedding ring. They are predominantly sold in sets.

1977 setting. I remember my sister in law just walking into the jewelry store with my brother and saying, “I want a wrap.” I had no idea what that meant, and still don’t. Presently, I’m googling for terms.

422 alegrias  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:14:09pm

re: #396 tradewind

The problem is not Big Labor… it’s Big Labor Leadership.
I had to carry a Teamsters card when I flew because my airline was based in a closed-shop state, and damned if any of us agreed with whichever wise guy was leading ‘em at the time. Teamsters had little time for ‘stewardess issues’, but they did manage to take our money on a regular basis. We did notice that union honchos always seemed to be having fun in Vegas at conventions , and they drove really nice cars.

* * * *
You’re right.

Big Labor LEADERSHIP then, is driving this car! Yes, labor leaders suck, they screwed my dad, a professional engineer forced to join the union (closed shop) to work. Union dues pay for their fat cat priorities.

423 DisturbedEma  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:14:16pm

re: #419 reine.de.tout

In 1977, it seems like most engagement rings I saw were solitaires in a simple setting. Rings over the past few years have gotten fancier.

So I would say, in 1977, he should have the ring.

me too…

424 MandyManners  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:14:31pm

re: #414 JustMyView

THERE YOU ARE.

425 irongrampa  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:14:39pm

Poop on this. Time to grab the lab and go walk.

Keep the faith, good people. Somehow, someway we’ll come out on top.

426 Bloodnok  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:14:47pm

re: #419 reine.de.tout

In 1977, it seems like most engagement rings I saw were solitaires in a simple setting. Rings over the past few years have gotten fancier.

So I would say, in 1977, he should have the ring.

And a leisure suit. They can go shopping for chest medallions.

427 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:14:59pm

Gotta take my grandma shopping. Later Lizards.

428 Dr. Shalit  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:15:01pm

Note to President Obama -

DON’T BE A PUTZ - BRING BACK LUTZ! That is al.

-S-

429 reine.de.tout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:15:49pm

re: #421 Dianna

1977 setting. I remember my sister in law just walking into the jewelry store with my brother and saying, “I want a wrap.” I had no idea what that meant, and still don’t. Presently, I’m googling for terms.

A “wrap” is one ring with two sides and a “slot” in the center where the solitaire engagement ring can be placed. It “wraps” the engagement ring.

try bluenile.com for info. on rings and etc.

430 Dianna  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:15:51pm

re: #420 brookly red

man gets girl to agree? hmmmm, now there’s a twist :)

It’s an important twist in the plot.

431 MandyManners  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:15:57pm

re: #411 Dianna

This is set in 1977. Present behavior isn’t all that relevant.

Are their behaviors traditional for that era?

432 DisturbedEma  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:16:17pm

re: #421 Dianna

1977 setting. I remember my sister in law just walking into the jewelry store with my brother and saying, “I want a wrap.” I had no idea what that meant, and still don’t. Presently, I’m googling for terms.


wrap, IIRC, is the engagment ring “cozy” instead of a band and ring, the wrap fit around the engagment ring to give the appearence of a whole ring, not 2 seperate ones…my SIL has this, and she had them welded together…sodered…

433 jelo  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:16:29pm

Tiger is back!

I know “it ain’t over till it’s over” but it’s good!

434 summergurl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:16:44pm

re: #211 freetoken

Someday should President Obama declare the sky to be “blue”, I wonder what sort of retort the Beck/Limbaugh/Coulter crowd would come up with?

I highly doubt that the three you mentioned all have the same contingent of followers… though some may like Beck or Rush, Coulter can be out there.

435 avanti  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:16:46pm

re: #267 rawmuse

Oh, wait, I own GM stock. Just bought some last Oct. when it was in the dumper.
Turn that company around, Obama!

Me too, but in Jan.

436 brookly red  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:16:47pm

re: #430 Dianna

It’s an important twist in the plot.

you took that well :)

437 gregg  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:16:48pm

re: #260 Alouette

It’s fucking snowing in Detroit! For real snow. I am not making this up.

I left the Twin Cities this morning which is expecting 4 inches of snow tomorrow, drove through Chicago where they were getting 3-6 inches of snow, and arrive in Detroit just a bit ago where the rain has turned to snow. I still no sunspots.

438 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:17:06pm

re: #414 JustMyView

I bet BHO’s handlers are freaking out at the possibilities that ride with his continuing to pack a personal crackberry and being able to fire off e-mails at will.

439 eon  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:17:07pm

re: #384 HelloDare

And what is the replacement cost for the Prius batteries? I’ve heard figures of 3 to 5 grand. And what is the impact on the environment from manufacturing and disposing the batteries? Never read anything on that.

Replacement costs for a Prius battery flat (six units, IIRC) runs about $2500 per unit, or about $15 grand for the set.

And the batteries have acids, heavy metals, etc., in them that you absolutely do not want leaching into ground water. So yes, disposal is pretty much a Yucca Mountain level evolution.

That remark isn’t snark, either. People get frantic about radiation, but totally overlook the fact that toxic chemicals do not have a “half-life”, like radioactive materials. As Spider Robinson once observed, while plutonium-239 loses half its radiation output in “only” 24,100 years, the “half-life” of arsenic’s toxicity is… roughly the remainder of Time itself.

Chemical poisons are, and always will be, more of a b***h-kitty to dispose of safely than any fissionable material.

cheers

eon

440 Bloodnok  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:17:12pm

re: #431 MandyManners

Are their behaviors traditional for that era?

Did they listen to a lot of Foghat?

441 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:17:30pm
442 MJBrutus  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:17:39pm

Well that ought to put to rest the fear and mistrust of the One in the hearts of industrialists all over this country. If you company is losing money, the One will decide if you’re small enough to fail. The One will decide if you’re worthy of salvation and the One will decide who will run your company with the benefit of the One’s most merciful and kind largess.

Isn’t the “new freedom” just grand?

443 Dianna  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:17:55pm

re: #431 MandyManners

Are their behaviors traditional for that era?

More than for now. Besides, my protagonist (male) isn’t some kid.

444 Shug  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:18:01pm

Perhaps we can convince Lee Iacocca to come and fix this bankrupt Industry …..and replace Obama as President

445 Racer X  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:18:23pm

Conservatives need to walk-the-walk.

Conserve energy
Conserve resources
Conserve finances

We need to stop reacting to what Liberals are doing.

446 swamprat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:18:23pm

re: #363 Dianna If he knows he is going to ask, he should have a ring, a place, and everything set up.

If he is taken by the moment (and the person), that is Romance in, and of, itself.

447 summergurl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:18:47pm

re: #223 jorline

Isn’t “Entourage” a show on HBO.

Prospect of Barack Obama show causes UK to clear its decks

Maybe he should refer to everyone as his posse?

448 Dianna  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:19:02pm

re: #436 brookly red

you took that well :)

I usually do.

449 alegrias  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:19:04pm

Wow, GM’s Mr. Wagoner went to Duke U, played basketball and “could have been a professional” basketball player.

Bet Wagoner’s sorry he bothered working at GM!

* * * *
Obama’s gonna threaten companies with bankruptcy! He’s Mr. Moneybags, your moneybags, now.

450 rawmuse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:19:09pm

re: #443 Dianna

I did not take a knee when I asked her, to my eternal regret. She did not quibble, however.

451 mfarmer1  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:19:10pm

Dear President Obama,

Thank you for my $13 per week stimulus. I have invested this money into my company and am purchasing lots and lots of high tech green energy saving equipment. With this new wealth generously given to me from your own wallet, I was thinking about hiring a new person for my small business. What is your e-mail address so I may forward his resume for your inspection and approval? If you think he should be the boss and I should resign, let me know.

Thank you,
A. Devotee

452 Bloodnok  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:19:16pm

re: #444 Shug

Perhaps we can convince Lee Iacocca to come and fix this bankrupt Industry …..and replace Obama as President

The “cocca” part should at least get 0bama’s attention.

///

453 unrealizedviewpoint  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:19:35pm

re: #414 JustMyView

I never heard that GWB used a BlackBerry, but it’s not unusual for presidents and presidential candidates to have a “body man”. Even President Bartlett in The West Wing had one.

He was your fav Prez, right?

454 seekeroftruth  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:19:38pm

re: #414 JustMyView

Even President Bartlett in The West Wing had one.

Ummmm. I’m don’t really care what a TV character does on TV show. LOL

455 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:19:47pm

re: #412 tradewind

Huh?

They’re sold in matching sets.

456 Gus  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:20:04pm

Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry

Senior Advisor on Auto Issues at the Treasury Department

Ron Bloom, Senior Advisor on the Auto Industry, Department of Treasury

Who is Ron Bloom?

Ron Bloom, whom the Treasury Department is expected to bring in as a senior adviser to help handle the U.S. auto industry’s restructuring, is a special assistant to the president of United Steelworkers union and a former investment banker.

457 nyc redneck  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:20:13pm

re: #416 FrogMarch

I don’t have a problem with this guy stepping down. I have a problem with the government (Obama) asking him to do it.

that is the problem.
who ever dreamed the president could just pink slip people.
it’s frightening to imagine where this could go.

458 Dr. Shalit  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:20:14pm

re: #428 Dr. Shalit

Reply to Self -

“al” = “all” - An alternative to Lutz, by the way would be NONE OTHER THAN MITT ROMNEY. Would Pres. Obama have the cojones to do it? Would MITT accept? Per our Chinese friends - Interesting Times.

-S-

459 swamprat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:20:19pm

re: #450 rawmuse

I did not take a knee when I asked her, to my eternal regret. She did not quibble, however.


Your reget speaks well of you.

460 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:20:28pm

re: #423 DisturbedEma

me too …

461 Killgore Trout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:20:35pm

re: #372 MandyManners

Does anyone know for a stone-cold fact that Pres. Bush didn’t have a personal aide?

Bush’s ex-personal aide, 28, joins senior staff
Why do you ask? Is there a new outrage about Obama having a personal aide?

462 Capitalistincharge  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:20:49pm

Both Son-in-laws asked me for permission and swore me to secrecy. Then bought the rings and really planned the proposal circumstances. Both girls were surprised and delighted and loved the engagement rings. Each girl claimed the rings were exactly what they would have picked out. The oldest daughter claimed it meant the world to her that hubby-to-be put so much of himself into the design pick.

463 neverquit  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:20:54pm

Obama Admin: “All your corporations are belong to us”…..

464 Killian Bundy  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:21:44pm

Obama Town Hall Questioners Were Campaign Backers

/well, that explains fixation on marijuana

465 DistantThunder  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:21:44pm

Obama is delusional if he thinks he can fix the car industry. Image if we had elected Mitt. We wouldn’t have to worry - at least not as much. Oh, and Obama will fix that “Profit/Earnings” issue. LOL

466 eon  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:21:44pm

Well, I’m off for tonight. Up early in the morning.

Good night, Lizards.

Pleasant dreams.

cheers

eon

467 swamprat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:21:47pm

re: #463 neverquit
That was a goody.

468 alegrias  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:22:04pm

re: #445 Racer X

Conservatives need to walk-the-walk.

Conserve energy
Conserve resources
Conserve finances

We need to stop reacting to what Liberals are doing.

* * * *
How do you know whether any given conservative person doesn’t already do these things because they are RATIONAL things to do?

Conservatives and rational people don’t need to be nagged to do the smart thing.

469 Dianna  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:22:27pm

re: #455 pink freud

They’re sold in matching sets.

I had no idea.

470 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:22:29pm

re: #455 pink freud

Not any that I see around here. I guess that would be convenient. It’s kind of traditional down South to have an engagement ring made….. either from a family stone or with help from a jeweler who matches the stone you want/fits your budget with the setting you prefer, or makes one.

471 JustMyView  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:22:59pm

re: #438 tradewind

I bet BHO’s handlers are freaking out at the possibilities that ride with his continuing to pack a personal crackberry and being able to fire off e-mails at will.

Based on what I’ve read, he uses it for a very narrow set of people. The question of whether he would have it and what he’d use it for seems to have been pretty thoroughly analyzed.

472 reine.de.tout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:23:03pm

Well, I’m completely bummed out.
I just had a late lunch with a friend of mine, a person who I dearly love.
I knew she had more “liberal”views than I do, but what I didn’t realize until today is that she is a stark raving moonbat idiot.

She has no problems saying bye-bye to freedome and allowing the government to intrude itself into people’s business as long as it’s “for their own good”.

She thinks the O is brilliant and doing a wonderful job.

She thinks bonuses should not be paid to people but instead, the money should be distributed among the poor so they can feed themselves. When I suggested that perhaps those people ought to take their money and build additional mansions in order to provide jobs to these poor people so they can feed themselves, I thought her head would explode. The current economic mess, she insists, is because people make big salaries and spend their money on all sorts of stuff (rather than simply distributing it to the poor, I guess).

I am so flabbergasted and upset, I could cry.

473 Photon Cowboy  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:23:16pm

re: #396 tradewind


I know the felling ! I am a dues paying member of a labor union. I’m still in the union because 15 years ago I got mad and quit. After that I averaged 2 flat tires a month for 3 months. Once they take over all the concern and love for the brothers and sisters is not so important. Don’t ever let a union take over you job ! The more expensive you become ,the less they need you

474 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:23:26pm

re: #461 Killgore Trout

No joke. I bet he could use/needs a bunch of them.

475 gmsc  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:23:47pm

re: #7 Tarheel

How far is this president Mau-Mau going to go!

Don’t ask a question you don’t really want to know the answer to.

476 Racer X  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:23:49pm

re: #468 alegrias

* * * *
How do you know whether any given conservative person doesn’t already do these things because they are RATIONAL things to do?

Conservatives and rational people don’t need to be nagged to do the smart thing.

Then it doesn’t matter, because liberals are getting the credit for doing these things, and conservatives are getting knocked for wasting energy, resources and finances.

477 alegrias  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:24:00pm

re: #457 nyc redneck

that is the problem.
who ever dreamed the president could just pink slip people.
it’s frightening to imagine where this could go.

* * * * *
Back in the USSR,
You don’t know how lucky you are!

478 DistantThunder  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:24:24pm

re: #458 Dr. Shalit

Reply to Self -

“al” = “all” - An alternative to Lutz, by the way would be NONE OTHER THAN MITT ROMNEY. Would Pres. Obama have the cojones to do it? Would MITT accept? Per our Chinese friends - Interesting Times.

-S-

Mitt has said over and over what should be done. all they have to do is follow his outline - but includes renegotiating of union contracts.

479 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:24:47pm

re: #471 JustMyView

That narrow set may widen unexpectedly with less than happy** results.
** for the Dems. We can only hope.

480 debutaunt  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:24:53pm

re: #379 unrealizedviewpoint

Should be his mothers who died while giving birth to him.

My story is close to that and it really meant a lot more than ring shopping to me.

481 Bloodnok  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:25:01pm

re: #478 DistantThunder

Mitt has said over and over what should be done. all they have to do is follow his outline - but includes renegotiating of union contracts.

That’s a big but. Theirein lies the rub.

482 Racer X  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:25:15pm

re: #472 reine.de.tout

Ask your friend if she gives all of her “extra” money to the poor. Or is it just YOUR money she wants to give away?

483 lostlakehiker  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:25:26pm

re: #334 eon

The major reason for the Prius going dirty-side-up sales-wise is that, however cheap it is to run, it’s expensive up front, and a nightmare to maintain. Like most “first examples” of a new technology, it has to be cosseted and babied to maintain operational availability. (The Germans had the same problem in WWII- their Pzkw V Panther was a world-beater on the battlefield, but each one was a hand-built custom job, and a holy terror to keep running, driving their mechanics nuts.)

[excerpts]

Which is why we kept winning tank battles. When one world-beating tank is up against 100 “pretty good” tanks, sooner or later the world-beater is gonna bite it. (An uncle of mine saw this phenomenon first-hand, as a tank commander under Patton.)

As a Russian general once said, “Quantity has a quality all its own.”

[excerpts]


One of GM’s problem is that the quantity of pensioners and their claims on the money stream is unsustainable. GM is bankrupt: there is no way that they can meet their legal obligations. None. How’d they get there? On Wagoner’s watch.

Another of their problems is that when it comes to cars, quantity of gas used to get a mile down the road is not a selling point. GM, under Wagoner at any rate, has said that it’s simply not interested in exploring the structural use of composite materials in its vehicles.

If they cannot figure out how to do that, and won’t even try, then they cannot offer any car that will get affordable mileage when the price of gasoline goes back towards $5 per gallon.

Under those circumstances, if I were the majority stockholder, which in effect the government now is, I’d fire the CEO too.

484 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:25:38pm

re: #472 reine.de.tout

I’m sorry, This is rough, I know. I’ve been though it a few times, now.

485 swamprat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:25:57pm

re: #363 Dianna

He has the engagement ring. He buys the wedding ring that she chooses.

486 Dr. Shalit  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:25:59pm

re: #478 DistantThunder

Mitt has said over and over what should be done. all they have to do is follow his outline - but includes renegotiating of union contracts.

Distant Thunder -

AND - under a President McCain, the announcement of him as President of GM would probably be tomorrow.

-S-

487 axegrinder  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:26:02pm

Wagoner earned his money. He suckered congress into bailing out his company. In today’s brave new world, that’s what the best and brightest of us are going to do; put all their blood, sweat and tears into extracting hard working joe six-packs from their money and putting it into their company’s pocket. Incentives are changing. It’s not about what you manufacture or what service you provide; it’s how much your able to get in tax breaks or grants or stimulus handouts. Welcome to the U.S.S.A.

488 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:26:23pm

re: #473 Photon Cowboy

Well, we had no choice…. they payroll-deducted you whether or not you carried a card. The great state of MN. Not my home.
Where I live, you can join or not. In other words, the American way.

489 gmsc  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:26:24pm

Rest assured, The Country’s In The Very Best of Hands:

Youtube Video
490 Killgore Trout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:26:40pm

Regarding Obama’s outrageous travel staff. When will these unheard of abuses end?
/everything old is new again.

491 DistantThunder  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:26:42pm

re: #472 reine.de.tout

Well, I’m completely bummed out.
I just had a late lunch with a friend of mine, a person who I dearly love.
I knew she had more “liberal”views than I do, but what I didn’t realize until today is that she is a stark raving moonbat idiot.

She has no problems saying bye-bye to freedome and allowing the government to intrude itself into people’s business as long as it’s “for their own good”.

She thinks the O is brilliant and doing a wonderful job.

She thinks bonuses should not be paid to people but instead, the money should be distributed among the poor so they can feed themselves. When I suggested that perhaps those people ought to take their money and build additional mansions in order to provide jobs to these poor people so they can feed themselves, I thought her head would explode. The current economic mess, she insists, is because people make big salaries and spend their money on all sorts of stuff (rather than simply distributing it to the poor, I guess).

I am so flabbergasted and upset, I could cry.

You have to ask her why the poor in our country are so much better off than the poor and destitute in other countries?

Next time ask her why 35,000 people died when France had a heatwave in 2003.

492 reine.de.tout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:26:48pm

re: #470 tradewind

Not any that I see around here. I guess that would be convenient. It’s kind of traditional down South to have an engagement ring made….. either from a family stone or with help from a jeweler who matches the stone you want/fits your budget with the setting you prefer, or makes one.

Yes, my cousin got my grandmother’s ring to have remade for his fiance.
But when that was gone, the remaining 7 of us had to do something else for our rings!

493 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:27:13pm
494 seekeroftruth  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:28:03pm

re: #461 Killgore Trout

Bush’s ex-personal aide, 28, joins senior staff
Why do you ask? Is there a new outrage about Obama having a personal aide?

No outrage. Per your article:

In his previous White House position, Gottesman turned a job that customarily has been somewhat junior — keeper of the bags and papers — into a management position that streamlined the president’s paper flow. He also built a rapid, fail-safe, thank-you-note process that has been continued and has brought the president considerable goodwill with people he meets around the world.
495 Racer X  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:28:05pm

re: #490 Killgore Trout

I got no problem with The President of the United States having a huge entourage. It reminds everyone else who is really in charge.

We are.

496 MandyManners  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:28:24pm

re: #438 tradewind

I bet BHO’s handlers are freaking out at the possibilities that ride with his continuing to pack a personal crackberry and being able to fire off e-mails at will.

I wonder what Ayers’ addy is.

497 reine.de.tout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:28:41pm

re: #491 DistantThunder

You have to ask her why the poor in our country are so much better off than the poor and destitute in other countries?

Next time ask her why 35,000 people died when France had a heatwave in 2003.

What I should have asked her, had I not been so upset, was whether or not she thinks the “bailout” trillions should have been distributed directly to people, if she thinks redistribution is the way to go.
I suspect I know what her answer would have been.
People cannot be “trusted” to spend money properly - the gov’t has to do it on their behalf through “programs”.
Ugh.

498 Ward Cleaver  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:28:53pm

I for one am glad that Wagoner is out. He’s been unwilling to make the tough choices to save GM. I think Henderson will make a good CEO, but I think Mark LaNeve would be even better.

499 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:28:58pm
500 esch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:28:59pm

re: #478 DistantThunder

Mitt has said over and over what should be done. all they have to do is follow his outline - but includes renegotiating of union contracts.

When are people going to realize that unions have to cease to exist, as they are nothing but violent extortion rackets, that now have succeeded in blackmailing the United States in toto?

501 Onslow  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:29:09pm

General Motors Death Watch 239: Rick Wagoner’s Resignation

502 reine.de.tout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:29:13pm

re: #484 pink freud

I’m sorry, This is rough, I know. I’ve been though it a few times, now.

Pink, I’m so upset - I’m not sure I really want to keep up the friendship!
That’s how upset I am.

503 SixDegrees  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:29:22pm
“When you take the King’s money, you’re in the King’s service…”


So we are living in a monarchy now? That explains it.

Taking government money came with a price tag of government control firmly attached, and in plain sight. The fact that Wagoner has behaved like a bumbling idiot since arriving in Washington in first class without any answers at all, and who after all this time still doesn’t have anything remotely resembling a plan, simply paints a great big target on his forehead. All sorts of industry analysts have been calling for Wagoner’s ouster for years. When he signed up for government aid, he agreed to government intervention. The government didn’t force itself on him; he was free to pursue all manner of private-sector options, like massive layoffs, bankruptcy, plant closures and many others.

The original quote is a reference to British press gangs, who would enforce the edict about being in the King’s service if you accepted money from the Crown by drafting ne’er-do-wells into the Navy through the method of buying them a pint and leaving a coin of the realm in the glass. When the “draftee” finished up, he would think it was his lucky day and pocket the coin, only to be frog-marched to a waiting ship for his trouble. Different in the sense that being pressed into service like this was based on trickery; very similar, though, in the sense that once you’ve accepted money from someone, you’re bound by the terms that come with it. And in GM’s case, those terms clearly included government oversight and control.

504 DistantThunder  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:29:24pm

re: #490 Killgore Trout

Regarding Obama’s outrageous travel staff. When will these unheard of abuses end?
/everything old is new again.

He needs people to wipe his chin and his @ss. Not to mention all the handlers for Michelle - high maintenance. Why isn’t the government tightening it’s belt?

505 pingjockey  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:29:30pm

re: #496 MandyManners
bayers@lenin,com

506 MandyManners  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:29:42pm

re: #461 Killgore Trout

Bush’s ex-personal aide, 28, joins senior staff
Why do you ask? Is there a new outrage about Obama having a personal aide?

Not with me.

507 summergurl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:29:53pm

re: #335 LGoPs

Why do I think that if these people had been the inhabitants of New Orleans during Katrina, things would have turned out way differently…………

Because people would have helped each other and themselves instead of waiting for the government to step in? You create an entitlement society and you get folks who can’t fend for themselves when times require them to.

508 MandyManners  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:30:09pm

GAH. bbl

509 axegrinder  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:30:14pm

re: #399 SixDegrees

To be fair, Wagoner’s a real problem, and his ouster is long overdue. He has a near-decade of declining sales and market share under his belt.

Over the last few years, the American auto industry as a whole has made a lot of progress in bringing their labor costs in line with their competition. It’s still a bit higher, but not nearly as much as it used to be when comparing new hires to new hires. The older workers are still bound to their existing agreements, which has created a two-tiered labor force and brought a lot of resentment onto the floor, as might be imagined. But as the older labor pool drifts off into retirement, US auto companies will drift toward pay equity with their overseas counterparts. Honda, for example, has huge production facilities in Ohio; it isn’t having similar problems because it doesn’t have that long history of past excess to deal with.

The really big problem is all those decades of retirees that the Big Three are bound by contract to serve, and there’s just not a whole hell of a lot that can be done about those costs - although the Union would be happy to take control of the billions of dollars in pension funds now under GM’s control. No one but the UAW thinks this is a good idea, but it would make GM’s bottom line a lot brighter.

Under bankruptcy they’d have been able to restructure those agreements with retirees. They should have done that 20 years ago and would have if continued subsidies hadn’t propped them up. It should be a lesson learned but our government never learns.

510 Killgore Trout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:30:44pm

re: #504 DistantThunder

Click that link.

511 swamprat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:31:03pm

re: #472 reine.de.tout

Then a man should run her life, no? He can make the best decisions for her, just like the government. It is for her own good.

Those poor slaves couldn’t run their own lives anyway; This rationale was actually used in the 1800’s.

512 Dr. Shalit  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:31:23pm

re: #498 Ward Cleaver

I for one am glad that Wagoner is out. He’s been unwilling to make the tough choices to save GM. I think Henderson will make a good CEO, but I think Mark LaNeve would be even better.

Ward -

I see the new President of GM being an “Outsider” of one type or another. The questions are:

1. WHO, and

2. FROM WHERE?

-S-

513 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:31:49pm

re: #492 reine.de.tout

My then-fiancee bought a stone first, and then had help from a jeweler friend with a setting.
I have two boys, and I’m not sure about handing over a family diamond…mine or my Mom’s… my without a right-of-return clause…
(meeowww)

514 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:32:50pm
515 pingjockey  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:32:56pm

re: #513 tradewind
Damn straight, family heirloom and all that!

516 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:33:00pm

re: #496 MandyManners

billthebomber@kaboom . com

517 reine.de.tout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:33:06pm

re: #513 tradewind

My then-fiancee bought a stone first, and then had help from a jeweler friend with a setting.
I have two boys, and I’m not sure about handing over a family diamond…mine or my Mom’s… my without a right-of-return clause…
(meeowww)

That was my thought, too.
But it wasn’t my decision.

518 Racer X  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:33:49pm

re: #502 reine.de.tout

Don’t let politics get in the way of a good friendship.

I have several friends who are liberals. We talk about beer instead.

519 XENONIAN  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:33:56pm

SO

did the ONE ask the UAW head to step down too?

OH wait

He Can’t - he is too deep into the Union money for 2012

520 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:33:56pm

re: #502 reine.de.tout

After going through the mental steps, I walked.

521 wong fei hung  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:34:07pm

What I really wonder is:

Was he asked to resign? Or was he told to?

-WFH

522 pingjockey  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:34:49pm

re: #516 tradewind
Heh.
ayers@marxist/leninist.sonsabitches

523 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:34:57pm
524 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:35:02pm

Dearly beloved fellow Lizards (in friendship, no sarc) … just came in after several hour away, and noticed Killgore’s below:

re: #29 Killgore Trout

Well I’m being sarcastic, you guys can do what you wish. Over the past few weeks I’ve watched conservatives outraged over the denial of million dollar AIG bonuses and seethe over Michelle’s vegetable garden. Last night conservatives banded together to intentionally waste energy just because liberals wanted to conserve it.

I know exactly what your opinions will be next week too. They’ll be exactly the opposite of Obama’s. He will decide what you favor and what you oppose, He’s in your head and you have no control.

It’s time for a bit of friendly, respectful, contrarianism of my own, to benefit the communal good.

I think Killgore has a damned good point. IMHO, he went overboard into an all-inclusive statement. It depends upon the individual. That said, we still might want to stick his words up on the bathroom mirror and meditate upon them.

/myself included

525 summergurl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:35:05pm

re: #472 reine.de.tout

Don’t cry —just stop having lunch with her or make sure you have a way home so you can drink lots of wine with lunch.

I have a “friend” who has major issues with me owning a gun. She is a liberal and was upset that I laughed at Earth hour. She also believes every bit of drivel that comes out of Gore’s mouth -

My blood pressure stays in the normal range when we don’t get together.

526 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:35:16pm

re: #521 wong fei hung

Horses’ head in the bed?

527 Bloodnok  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:35:31pm

re: #523 buzzsawmonkey

He woke up to find a transmission in his bed.

Excellent work Buzz.

528 reine.de.tout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:35:37pm

re: #511 swamprat

Then a man should run her life, no? He can make the best decisions for her, just like the government. It is for her own good.

Those poor slaves couldn’t run their own lives anyway; This rationale was actually used in the 1800’s.

We had a very long (and for me, disturbing) discussion.

I’m still trying to process it.

529 SixDegrees  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:35:53pm

re: #457 nyc redneck

that is the problem.
who ever dreamed the president could just pink slip people.
it’s frightening to imagine where this could go.

I’m not hearing that that’s what happened. The deal was simple, apparently: the government came up with a plan for the next phase of any bailout - and Wagner’s resignation was part of the price tag. GM is free to turn the offer down.

Wagoner’s not worth it. He’s a putz. He’s smart enough to know, however, when the jig is up; he’ll yank the ripcord on his golden parachute and pull a Nardelli, resurfacing at some other huge corporation as CEO or CFO in short order. To date, he still doesn’t have a plan to save GM’s behind - only his own.

If the government wanted to assert itself over capitalism, it could make a good start by insisting that as part of this deal, they got to tattoo “Incompetent Boob” on Wagoner’s forehead in bright red ink before he left.

In case anyone hasn’t noticed, I loath and despise GM, and Wagoner. A certain amount of bias may be encountered in my posts.

530 JustMyView  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:35:57pm

re: #491 DistantThunder

You have to ask her why the poor in our country are so much better off than the poor and destitute in other countries?

Next time ask her why 35,000 people died when France had a heatwave in 2003.

That was a horrible event, but the death toll was nowhere near 35,000.

531 reine.de.tout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:36:35pm

re: #520 pink freud

After going through the mental steps, I walked.

That’s what I’m afraid will happen.

532 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:36:46pm

re: #522 pingjockey

Or ayers @canttouchmesucka.com

533 pingjockey  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:37:17pm

re: #532 tradewind

No shit!

534 reine.de.tout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:37:44pm

re: #524 pre-Boomer Marine brat

Dearly beloved fellow Lizards (in friendship, no sarc) … just came in after several hour away, and noticed Killgore’s below:

It’s time for a bit of friendly, respectful, contrarianism of my own, to benefit the communal good.

I think Killgore has a damned good point. IMHO, he went overboard into an all-inclusive statement. It depends upon the individual. That said, we still might want to stick his words up on the bathroom mirror and meditate upon them.

/myself included

Well, I did NOT jump on the “turn on all your lights” bandwagon.
I don’t care if others did. To each his own.
But the all-inclusive sweeping statement is over the top.

535 pingjockey  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:39:18pm

re: #534 reine.de.tout
I forgot! Actually made up for it today, shampooed carpets! /// It made folks feel god I guess, turning off lights. That’s about it.

536 Dustyvet  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:39:21pm

re: #381 buzzsawmonkey

Out with the Oldsmobile, in with the new!
When next year is the MoonBatMobile due?

OH please not the Yugo again! Know how to triple the value of a Yugo…put gas in it.


/S

537 SixDegrees  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:39:40pm

re: #509 axegrinder

Under bankruptcy they’d have been able to restructure those agreements with retirees. They should have done that 20 years ago and would have if continued subsidies hadn’t propped them up. It should be a lesson learned but our government never learns.

If Wagoner had GM’s interests at heart, rather than his own, he would have taken the company into bankruptcy in order to save it and put it in a stronger position for the future with renegotiated labor contracts. Wagoner, however, is only interested in feathering his own nest, and his Golden Egg is his enormous pile of stock options - which would be rendered worthless under any sort of bankruptcy agreement. Can’t have that now, can we, Dick? “Screw the company, it’s all about me!”

You can bet he’ll be walking away from this deal with a gigantic mountain of cash that will exceed his average worker’s lifetime payroll by a couple orders of magnitude.

538 summergurl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:40:33pm

re: #536 Dustyvet

OH please not the Yugo again! Know how to triple the value of a Yugo…put gas in it.


/S


I had one of those! My EX husband bought it for me —- one of the many reasons he is an “ex”…

539 Killgore Trout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:40:41pm

re: #524 pre-Boomer Marine brat

Thanks for the support. I know it was harsh and I was painting with a broad brush but I think that it’s something to consider.

540 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:40:56pm

re: #534 reine.de.tout

Well, I did NOT jump on the “turn on all your lights” bandwagon.
I don’t care if others did. To each his own.
But the all-inclusive sweeping statement is over the top.

Yes, very over-the-top, but the underlying idea caused me to sit here and stare at that for a couple of minutes.

The point I wanted to make is, we should be careful to stay rational in our opposition.

/I oughta hang a mirror on the wall behind my computer monitor

541 nyc redneck  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:41:09pm

re: #472 reine.de.tout

Well, I’m completely bummed out.
I just had a late lunch with a friend of mine, a person who I dearly love.
I knew she had more “liberal”views than I do, but what I didn’t realize until today is that she is a stark raving moonbat idiot.

She has no problems saying bye-bye to freedome and allowing the government to intrude itself into people’s business as long as it’s “for their own good”.

She thinks the O is brilliant and doing a wonderful job.

She thinks bonuses should not be paid to people but instead, the money should be distributed among the poor so they can feed themselves. When I suggested that perhaps those people ought to take their money and build additional mansions in order to provide jobs to these poor people so they can feed themselves, I thought her head would explode. The current economic mess, she insists, is because people make big salaries and spend their money on all sorts of stuff (rather than simply distributing it to the poor, I guess).

I am so flabbergasted and upset, I could cry.

so sorry {reine}
you have described almost exactly what i go thru w/ my lib friends on a daily
basis. they have so bought into the glory of o there is no making them see reason. they believe he will take care of their every need. it is pathetic.
and they take personal umbrage if i disparage their dear leader.
as it unfolds before my eyes, i am horrified at their ignorance and willful
stupidity.
they have given up their identities to o.
one guy is just sure he is going to be getting a check in the mail for his
blue cross blue shield insurance. when i tell him gov’t health ins. will be run like the post office if we are lucky. he gets mad at me.
they do not want their bubble burst w/ reality.
they are trying to wait patiently and respectfully for all that o has promised.
i can’t even joke abt. waiting on my unicorn, anymore.
i don’t think i can have libs as friends.
the fundamental difference in philosophy that i have w/ these people is
getting greater every day. ugh.

542 DistantThunder  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:41:18pm

re: #502 reine.de.tout

Pink, I’m so upset - I’m not sure I really want to keep up the friendship!
That’s how upset I am.

When I ran into this problem with my brother, I realized that he had been completely indoctrinated. So I googled deprogramming and found “exit counseling” which is a respectful, cooperative way to help deprogram a person and get them to see other alternatives.

Mostly the emphasis is on examples of other people in similar situations instead of a direct attack - so health care is easy because there are so many victims of government health care in other countries. Story after story.

Using examples of the collapse of New York, California, and showing actually diagrams of job creation and money circulation. Here in New Jersey we have examples of the elderly forced to sell their homes from high taxes.

Have you seen Evan Sayets latest speech to the Heritage Foundation - “Hating What’s Right - Why liberals take the wrong side of every argument?” It helps to understand their upside down indoctrination, and resistance.

543 WindHorse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:41:25pm

re: #537 SixDegrees

exactly why the Govt should tell GM to screw themselves instead of wasting taxpayer money this way.

544 Capitalistincharge  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:41:33pm

re: #502 reine.de.tout

I have had the same experience. Unfortunately, out friendship has dwindled due to the extreme differences in values and beliefs. It’s not a matter of not being friends with someone who doesn’t share the same political beliefs as much as seeing someone buy into the Obama leftist radical crap. She seemed so centered before and we could have intelligent debate. Now she’s angry and leaning more to the left extreme every day. Instead of debate, I am a capitalist pig, period. Unbelievable.

545 albusteve  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:41:47pm

re: #539 Killgore Trout

Thanks for the support. I know it was harsh and I was painting with a broad brush but I think that it’s something to consider.

I considered it and agree…bad vibe around here sometimes when objectivity flys out the window

546 Dustyvet  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:42:07pm

re: #540 pre-Boomer Marine brat

Yes, very over-the-top, but the underlying idea caused me to sit here and stare at that for a couple of minutes.

The point I wanted to make is, we should be careful to stay rational in our opposition.

/I oughta hang a mirror on the wall behind my computer monitor

Mirror, mirror on the wall…:)

547 DistantThunder  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:42:11pm

re: #542 DistantThunder

When I ran into this problem with my brother, I realized that he had been completely indoctrinated. So I googled deprogramming and found “exit counseling” which is a respectful, cooperative way to help deprogram a person and get them to see other alternatives.

Mostly the emphasis is on examples of other people in similar situations instead of a direct attack - so health care is easy because there are so many victims of government health care in other countries. Story after story.

Using examples of the collapse of New York, California, and showing actually diagrams of job creation and money circulation. Here in New Jersey we have examples of the elderly forced to sell their homes from high taxes.

Have you seen Evan Sayets latest speech to the Heritage Foundation - “Hating What’s Right - Why liberals take the wrong side of every argument?” It helps to understand their upside down indoctrination, and resistance.

548 Gearhead  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:42:16pm

Welcome the United Socialist States of America. Private industry is a thing of the past. Your employment is at the pleasure of the president.

549 Irene NYC  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:42:54pm

re: #540 pre-Boomer Marine brat

Yes, very over-the-top, but the underlying idea caused me to sit here and stare at that for a couple of minutes.

The point I wanted to make is, we should be careful to stay rational in our opposition.

/I oughta hang a mirror on the wall behind my computer monitor

No need to limit yourself to just rationality. Hard times call for different weapons.

550 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:43:21pm

re: #502 reine.de.tout

Look at it this way.. it’s a sickness. You wouldn’t lose a friend over say, diabetes.
Just readjust and stay away from the topics, unless you really have decided that you don’t want the friendship or the person in your life any more.
There’s always hope for a spontaneous remission.

551 rawmuse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:43:26pm

re: #524 pre-Boomer Marine brat

It’s just so much easier to write us all off as a uniform mass, waiting to get our orders every day from Rush.

552 MarineMomSue  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:43:29pm

re: #223 jorline

Prospect of Barack Obama show causes UK to clear its decks

Does any other ‘head of state’ have anything even close to this?

553 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:43:34pm

re: #539 Killgore Trout

Thanks for the support. I know it was harsh and I was painting with a broad brush but I think that it’s something to consider.

heh

Thanks for posting it. Maybe yours, and mine, and reine’s reply to me, and my reply to her, will illuminate that underlying wisdom.

554 Photon Cowboy  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:43:40pm

re: #488 tradewind


That’s the same law we have here. I have the right to refuse to pay dues , but it’s cheaper to pay off your co-workers than bye truck tires every month.

I can’t prove it was my own brothers and sisters of my local , but when I started paying dues again the flat tires stopped. It’s kind of like being a member of the Addams family. Ya just can’t quit !

555 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:43:50pm

re: #541 nyc redneck

I feel the same way. Political affiliation is a reflection of life and philosophical world-view and values.

556 reine.de.tout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:44:05pm

re: #525 summergurl

Don’t cry —just stop having lunch with her or make sure you have a way home so you can drink lots of wine with lunch.

I have a “friend” who has major issues with me owning a gun. She is a liberal and was upset that I laughed at Earth hour. She also believes every bit of drivel that comes out of Gore’s mouth -

My blood pressure stays in the normal range when we don’t get together.

I’m afraid I will not be able to get out of my head the fact that she thinks it’s perfectly acceptable for gov’t to intrude when it’s done “for your own good” (as defined, of course, by somebody else). She literally shrugged her shoulders.

I’ve got to quit now, or I will bore everyone with the idiocy I heard. I am just so sad.

557 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:44:33pm

re: #546 Dustyvet

Mirror, mirror on the wall…:)

Are you CRACKED?!
SHEESH!

:D

558 goddessoftheclassroom  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:45:33pm

re: #557 pre-Boomer Marine brat


MWAH!

559 WindHorse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:45:35pm

why does being contrary immediately equate to someone with obsessive hatred who has NO self control?

sorry, that goes too far for me.

560 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:46:13pm

re: #464 Killian Bundy

Handlers wanted to make sure no one harshed the prez’s mellow.

561 anchors_aweigh  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:46:57pm

Dear Leader Obama,

Before you make any more economic decisions, I request you open an ECON 1101 textbook and attempt to understand what moral hazard means, vis a vis economic policy making.

Thanks
The Taxpayers

562 Irene NYC  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:47:03pm

I’m sorry, but this obsession with remaining rational during these times is just bunk. I can give you plenty of examples where backing socialist policies is rational.

We are talking about our country being ruined, dammit! If all you can muster up is just rationality, we’ve already lost.

563 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:47:13pm

re: #556 reine.de.tout

Your story hits home with a lot of us, reine, of this I am sure. Not boring in the least. I have grappled with this same thing over the last two years.

564 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:47:43pm
565 esch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:47:58pm

re: #556 reine.de.tout

I’m afraid I will not be able to get out of my head the fact that she thinks it’s perfectly acceptable for gov’t to intrude when it’s done “for your own good” (as defined, of course, by somebody else). She literally shrugged her shoulders.

I’ve got to quit now, or I will bore everyone with the idiocy I heard. I am just so sad.

Just tell her W was a far more competent dictator than O will ever be.

Even he admitted he was a ‘loser’ as a community organizer.

566 reine.de.tout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:48:17pm

re: #541 nyc redneck

so sorry {reine}
you have described almost exactly what i go thru w/ my lib friends on a daily
basis. they have so bought into the glory of o there is no making them see reason. they believe he will take care of their every need. it is pathetic.
and they take personal umbrage if i disparage their dear leader.
as it unfolds before my eyes, i am horrified at their ignorance and willful
stupidity.
they have given up their identities to o.
one guy is just sure he is going to be getting a check in the mail for his
blue cross blue shield insurance. when i tell him gov’t health ins. will be run like the post office if we are lucky. he gets mad at me.
they do not want their bubble burst w/ reality.
they are trying to wait patiently and respectfully for all that o has promised.
i can’t even joke abt. waiting on my unicorn, anymore.
i don’t think i can have libs as friends.
the fundamental difference in philosophy that i have w/ these people is
getting greater every day. ugh.

Anyone wanting government health care should check out VA facilities.

And I am afraid I will lose my cool with this person the next time we meet, and so I will have to avoid her.

Thank goodness I have other friends, and through LGF, I know there is sanity left in the world!

567 albusteve  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:48:50pm

Tiger Woods just too the lead at Bayhill…two to play..he’s baaaack!

568 Irene NYC  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:49:24pm

re: #566 reine.de.tout

reine,

She sounds clueless. You most definitely are not. Get some other friends.

569 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:49:45pm

re: #549 Irene NYC

No need to limit yourself to just rationality. Hard times call for different weapons.

One can be a junkyard dog and still be rational.
A rational junkyard dog is more dangerous, more deadly.
An emotion-driven junkyard dog merely charges the guns.
A rational junkyard dog maintains the savvy to get inside the OODA loop.

570 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:50:39pm

O/T laffer…….
Losing your nerve, BHO?
Maybe someone hit on him?
[Link: www.foxnews.com…]

571 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:51:15pm

re: #551 rawmuse

It’s just so much easier to write us all off as a uniform mass, waiting to get our orders every day from Rush.

I hear that, and know how you mean it.
BTW, I up-dinged your reply to KT too.

572 esch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:52:09pm

re: #570 tradewind

O/T laffer…….
Losing your nerve, BHO?
Maybe someone hit on him?
[Link: www.foxnews.com…]

Looks like somebody dropped the soap.

573 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:52:54pm

Tiger needs to be POTUS…clutch!

574 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:52:56pm

re: #558 goddessoftheclassroom


MWAH!

*yawwwwwwn*

575 JustMyView  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:53:08pm

re: #552 MarineMomSue

Prospect of Barack Obama show causes UK to clear its decks

Does any other ‘head of state’ have anything even close to this?

KT pointed out above that this is pretty much standard procedure for traveling American presidents. I agree, though, that it is ridiculous, and, based on what he’s said about being followed around by a guy w/ a defibrillator, I think BHO agrees.

576 albusteve  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:53:29pm

Woods is back to even again….he’s got his hands full it seems

577 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:53:38pm

re: #572 esch

Might have something to do with this new offensive (no pun intended) in Afghanistan Pakistan…

578 J.S.  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:53:57pm

So, Big Brother is now dictating who will be head of an industry…formerly a “capitalist” one. And does Big Brother also have a hand-picked crony in-waiting? (any monies exchanged hands? who’s “donating”?) and how and who will have “oversight” of a couple trillion dollars?

579 albusteve  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:54:17pm

re: #573 jorline

Tiger needs to be POTUS…clutch!

he digs pressure…the more the better

580 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:54:18pm
581 summergurl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:54:22pm

Tiger won,,, amazing comeback

582 Irene NYC  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:54:38pm

re: #569 pre-Boomer Marine brat

One can be a junkyard dog and still be rational.
A rational junkyard dog is more dangerous, more deadly.
An emotion-driven junkyard dog merely charges the guns.
A rational junkyard dog maintains the savvy to get inside the OODA loop.

Come on, nobody is saying become a rabid dog. All I’m saying is there is more to life than rationality - and rationality can also be abused. Rationality is not life. It is one method of apprehending life. We need to use it sure, but also keep it from limiting us.

583 Lincolntf  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:55:14pm

re: #576 albusteve

What network? I can’t find it!

584 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:55:22pm
585 pingjockey  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:55:49pm

re: #583 Lincolntf
NBC Tiger won.

586 Gearhead  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:56:13pm

re: #575 JustMyView

KT pointed out above that this is pretty much standard procedure for traveling American presidents. I agree, though, that it is ridiculous, and, based on what he’s said about being followed around by a guy w/ a defibrillator, I think BHO agrees.

Just a disguise for the teleprompter. Clearly he’s a little embarrassed.

BTW, I wonder how many DVD gift sets he’s taking with him.

587 albusteve  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:56:16pm

re: #581 summergurl

Tiger won,,, amazing comeback

awsome…FOX is way late on the net….I wanted him to win ans a sqeeker is even better

588 swamprat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:56:34pm

re: #578 J.S.

So, Big Brother is now dictating who will be head of an industry…formerly a “capitalist” one. And does Big Brother also have a hand-picked crony in-waiting? (any monies exchanged hands? who’s “donating”?) and how and who will have “oversight” of a couple trillion dollars?

Hey! Dis job ain’t for sale! You have to know somebody, capishe?

589 Lincolntf  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:56:40pm

Holy crap, did he just win? Finally found it, aarrrghhhh!

He’s the best ever.

590 FrogMarch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:56:43pm

re: #581 summergurl

Tiger won,,, amazing comeback

aha. That was the “Oh my God” I heard coming from the other room.

591 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:56:55pm

re: #583 Lincolntf

What network? I can’t find it!

NBC

592 nyc redneck  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:57:03pm

re: #555 pink freud

I feel the same way. Political affiliation is a reflection of life and philosophical world-view and values.

that’s what it comes down to for me too. it’s deeper than politics.
it’s a basic outlook and philosophy of life. i look at these libs who are my friends
and i see people who really just want to be taken care of. most have a victim
mentality. and blame everyone else for their problems. it is easy to see why
they have fallen for a grifter like o.
his promises are irresistible.
and they aren’t educated to even know the horrors of communism.
they really think the gov’t will have their best interests at heart.
these people are in a frame of mind now, they could so easily be fleeced at times square. any kind of side walk ponzi scheme. they are not thinking.

593 Lincolntf  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:57:14pm

Unbelievable.

594 Gus  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:57:23pm

re: #584 buzzsawmonkey

If so, can the government takeover of GM be for the purpose of getting into the healthcare business rather than for the purpose of “fixing the auto industry?”

A bridgehead perhaps.

595 goddessoftheclassroom  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:58:02pm

re: #574 pre-Boomer Marine brat

It’s part of my grander plan…

596 albusteve  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:58:05pm

did he birdie the last hole?….what happened?

597 Lincolntf  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:58:08pm

Thanks all, I flipped to it just in time to see the replay of his putt. Can’t believe I missed it.

598 rawmuse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:58:22pm

re: #584 buzzsawmonkey

I would dare say that the government is already very much in the medical and retirement business. Right now we are astride the fence, and are getting the worst of both worlds.

“We find ourselves at a fork in the road. One way leads to complete ruin and the other to utter despair.”
-Woody Allen

599 fpxr  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:58:24pm

Well, if you want a Cadillac CTS-V or a Camaro SS you’d better go out and get yourself one this weekend.

Same goes for any of the Chrysler SRT cars, because you can bet that the Gas Guzzling 425 hp Challenger SRT8 or 300C SRT8 will be first on the chopping block when O starts running the domestic auto industry.

600 Gearhead  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:58:33pm

re: #584 buzzsawmonkey

If so, can the government takeover of GM be for the purpose of getting into the healthcare business rather than for the purpose of “fixing the auto industry?”

I just got a severe case of the willies.

601 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:58:34pm

Wow …WAPO crackin’ hard on Obama:

Where Are the Leaders?

“Gradually it becomes clear. This is not just a global economic crisis. It’s a global leadership crisis. Obama is still finding his footing, Gordon Brown is on his way out, Hugo Chávez is nuts and Wall Street management is larcenous. Isn’t there someone somewhere with decent values, a firm hand on the tiller and at least one big new idea? Where have all the leaders gone? “

“But there is the president of the United States sitting in the same “Tonight Show” seat that Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan once occupied.”

602 HoosierHoops  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:58:47pm

re: #596 albusteve

did he birdie the last hole?….what happened?

Yes..The place went nuts..Tiger is Back!

603 Shug  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:58:48pm

re: #596 albusteve

did he birdie the last hole?….what happened?

holed a 16 footer for the win.

what else is new.

604 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:59:07pm
605 summergurl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 4:59:11pm

re: #596 albusteve

did he birdie the last hole?….what happened?


He birdied - it was a 16 foot putt

606 albusteve  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:00:01pm

re: #603 Shug

holed a 16 footer for the win.

what else is new.

the puttMeister….he putted very bad on 12/13 in there

607 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:00:02pm

re: #589 Lincolntf

I lost a job because of Tiger Woods once.

Boss called him the “n” word, I called the boss and ass-hole.

608 Killgore Trout  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:00:22pm

re: #552 MarineMomSue

Yes.

609 pingjockey  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:00:29pm

re: #607 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Truth hurts!

610 albusteve  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:00:46pm

re: #607 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

I lost a job because of Tiger Woods once.

Boss called him the “n” word, I called the boss and ass-hole.

he’s not black

611 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:00:50pm

re: #609 pingjockey

I dig.

612 seekeroftruth  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:00:57pm

re: #580 Iron Fist

Amen.

613 Shug  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:01:06pm

re: #606 albusteve

the puttMeister….he putted very bad on 12/13 in there

the greatest player in any sport at any time in the history of sports.
except for maybe that roman greco roman wrestler guy from 10 years ago

614 Macker  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:01:14pm

re: #368 FrogMarch

And who’s pegging who?

615 summergurl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:01:52pm

re: #601 pink freud

For a sitting President, or any President, to go on the Tonight Show doesn’t uphold the dignity of the office. Shows he likens himself more to a celeb than the Leader of the Free World.

616 fpxr  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:02:16pm

re: #610 albusteve

Neither is Obama…

617 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:02:20pm

Exactly!

618 pingjockey  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:02:27pm

Little thing on Nat Geo, one out of every 3 people on the planet is….Christian……not Muslim! Oh my!

619 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:02:34pm

Can someone please tell me why every effing time I boot up my computer it wants to do a “java” update? I keep saying yes…it does it. Next time I boot up…same thing…ad infinitum…

620 albusteve  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:02:40pm

re: #613 Shug

the greatest player in any sport at any time in the history of sports.
except for maybe that roman greco roman wrestler guy from 10 years ago

hmmmm…I’ll work on that one…he is certainly dominant and he has many years to go yet…

621 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:03:03pm

re: #580 Iron Fist

One reason this is over the top is that in general on any major issue Obama is wrong.

Absolutely, and I won’t back away from chewing on Obambi’s butt.

Perhaps it was put too briefly, but my point was rhetorical.
The guy is SUCH an idiot, we should be careful to remain balanced.

622 WindHorse  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:03:11pm

re: #615 summergurl

thankfully he has a sense of humor though!

623 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:03:33pm

re: #615 summergurl

Ready to puke? He is a celeb and the leader of the free world.

624 albusteve  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:03:55pm

re: #619 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Can someone please tell me why every effing time I boot up my computer it wants to do a “java” update? I keep saying yes…it does it. Next time I boot up…same thing…ad infinitum…

it’s mocking you because you don’t know the answer….mine gets pissy like that too

625 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:04:19pm

re: #610 albusteve

he’s not black

He was black enough for Harvey….

626 Irene NYC  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:04:29pm

re: #621 pre-Boomer Marine brat

Absolutely, and I won’t back away from chewing on Obambi’s butt.

Perhaps it was put too briefly, but my point was rhetorical.
The guy is SUCH an idiot, we should be careful to remain balanced.

Actually, he’s not an idiot. And we’d do well to remember that.

Never underestimate your opponent. Especially an opponent that has bested you.

627 Gearhead  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:04:30pm

re: #615 summergurl

For a sitting President, or any President, to go on the Tonight Show doesn’t uphold the dignity of the office. Shows he likens himself more to a celeb than the Leader of the Free World.

Amen. He and his staff are all guilty of this.

628 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:04:49pm
629 Shug  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:05:01pm

re: #619 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Can someone please tell me why every effing time I boot up my computer it wants to do a “java” update? I keep saying yes…it does it. Next time I boot up…same thing…ad infinitum…

Mine does that, only it’s not a java update.

It says my computer must be restarted for the updates.
Don’t know which updates it’s talking about

630 Lincolntf  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:05:19pm

re: #620 albusteve

No fair using Jim Thorpe or anyone else none of us have ever seen, but it’s a great debate. I can think of a half-dozen top contenders, but an absolute Numero Uno would be tough.

631 rain of lead  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:05:27pm

re: #363 Dianna

OT: Survey question, relates to my novel, doesn’t require thoughtful responses.

A man gets a girl to agree to marry him.

Should he already have a ring, or is it appropriate to take the girl shopping for it?

for what it is worth, I took my wife ring shopping after she said yes,
easier to make sure she got something she liked.

632 DocDale  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:06:03pm

OT and a request, hoping there’s a lizard out there with this quotation in his or her head.

There’s a famous quotation about the importance of the military, the gist of which is that ‘our peace and freedom is kept secure by fierce men who protect us while we’re asleep in our beds at night’.

I suspect there’s more to it than that, but I simply can’t remember it, or who said it. Does anyone know the original, and who said it?

633 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:06:15pm

re: #582 Irene NYC

Come on, nobody is saying become a rabid dog. All I’m saying is there is more to life than rationality - and rationality can also be abused. Rationality is not life. It is one method of apprehending life. We need to use it sure, but also keep it from limiting us.

I just realized that you’d gone onto a different tack in your first reply.
Sorry. I didn’t pick up on it until now.

Yes, I agree … there is more to life than rationality. This 66-year-old fud, decades spent in engineering, has learned to cultivate things like intuition.

634 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:06:26pm

Imagine if Tiger was POTUS and the world economy was a skins game…hello!

Kim Jong-il and Chavez would be pounding sand.

635 Irene NYC  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:07:12pm

re: #633 pre-Boomer Marine brat

Engineer? Intuition?

Good for you!
;)

636 summergurl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:07:19pm

re: #623 Fat Bastard Vegetarian


I’ve puked many a time over that fact.

The difference is that he sees himself as a celeb first - some Presidents become celebs like Clinton, but even Clinton knew he was the President first.

637 Macker  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:07:48pm

re: #634 jorline

Imagine if Tiger was POTUS and the world economy was a skins game…hello!

Kim Jong-il and Chavez would be pounding sand each other off.

There, fixed that for ya!

638 Shug  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:07:51pm

re: #634 jorline

Imagine if Tiger was POTUS and the world economy was a skins game…hello!

Kim Jong-il and Chavez would be pounding sand.

I’m thinking of his first lady

639 pingjockey  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:07:59pm

re: #628 Iron Fist
If we lose a city, or any terrorist attack….it will be BUSHS’ Fault. You wait and see.

640 goddessoftheclassroom  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:08:08pm

re: #632 DocDale

OT and a request, hoping there’s a lizard out there with this quotation in his or her head.

There’s a famous quotation about the importance of the military, the gist of which is that ‘our peace and freedom is kept secure by fierce men who protect us while we’re asleep in our beds at night’.

I suspect there’s more to it than that, but I simply can’t remember it, or who said it. Does anyone know the original, and who said it?

“People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.”
— George Orwell

641 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:08:11pm

re: #637 Macker

There, fixed that for ya!

lmao

642 opinionated  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:08:22pm

I love the precedent.

Spend a lot on money and fail and you are askedforced to leave.

Obama next.

643 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:08:30pm

re: #595 goddessoftheclassroom

It’s part of my grander plan…

Oh, you wanna head off on THAT subject?!

644 J.S.  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:08:57pm

re: #632 DocDale

“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.” - George Orwell

645 FemNaziBitch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:09:13pm

good evening Lizards! It rained again in the Very Far Western Suburbs.

American Carol is playing in my home.

How are you-all and what are we talking about?

646 PineCone  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:09:17pm

The union heads should have been also been forced to resign as a precondition to any bail out funds being produced. Those union contracts are a huge part of the problem. The contracts must be re-negotiated sooner rather than later.

In the long run it will not matter. I think this gambit will only delay the inevitable which is Chapter 11 for GM.

647 esch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:09:29pm

re: #626 Irene NYC

Actually, he’s not an idiot. And we’d do well to remember that.

Never underestimate your opponent. Especially an opponent that has bested you.

He’s not an idiot. He’s modestly intellectually gifted and exhaustively coached in public speaking. But he’s also inexperienced, arrogant and gullible enough to believe his own vaporous bullcrap.

He’s a fool. But he’s my fool.

648 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:09:35pm

re: #628 Iron Fist

I wouldn’t hold my breath, but dayum ….they sure are dancing perilously close!

649 goddessoftheclassroom  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:09:50pm

re: #643 pre-Boomer Marine brat

Oh, you wanna head off on THAT subject?!

Kittehs start with the basics…

650 Irish Rose  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:10:12pm

re: #363 Dianna

My fiance and I are shopping for a ring together.

651 ArmyWife  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:10:26pm

Hi guys. Life is crazy for me - but wow, it’s crazier out there. The President is dictating who runs companies and who doesn’t? And this is OK? Egads.

652 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:11:08pm

re: #632 DocDale

OT and a request, hoping there’s a lizard out there with this quotation in his or her head.

There’s a famous quotation about the importance of the military, the gist of which is that ‘our peace and freedom is kept secure by fierce men who protect us while we’re asleep in our beds at night’.

I suspect there’s more to it than that, but I simply can’t remember it, or who said it. Does anyone know the original, and who said it?

George Orwell

“Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.”

[Link: www.americanthinker.com…]

653 pingjockey  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:11:20pm

re: #650 Irish Rose
I was a chauvanist. I bought it, she got it!

654 Macker  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:11:28pm

re: #650 Irish Rose

My fiance and I are shopping for a ring together.

That’s what I need to with mine. Trouble is, she’s 1910 miles away…

/barf

655 DocDale  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:11:30pm

re: #640 goddessoftheclassroom

Thankyou! The net (and LGF) is a wonderful thing! I’d given up googling :)

656 albusteve  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:11:49pm

re: #630 Lincolntf

No fair using Jim Thorpe or anyone else none of us have ever seen, but it’s a great debate. I can think of a half-dozen top contenders, but an absolute Numero Uno would be tough.

yes…generally I love that stuff buy Shug makes a sweeping argument and he may be right…but to not factor in era can dilute it…clubs are better than ever…greens are scientific machine now…that sort of thing….so I might consider Ali in that regard…most experts think he would have eaily deafeted any body in any era on speed and power and movement

657 BLBfootballs  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:11:50pm

Eager to buy a new GM vehicle designed by the Department of Transportation?…

Thanks to companies that aren’t controlled by the government, I won’t have to and neither will anybody else.

658 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:12:02pm

re: #626 Irene NYC

Actually, he’s not an idiot. And we’d do well to remember that.

Never underestimate your opponent. Especially an opponent that has bested you.

Very true. I used “idiot” as a pejorative, and should have used something else in that context.

He’s very smart, very savvy, though he has emotion-driven limitations.

He’s damned dangerous.

659 DocDale  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:12:09pm

re: #644 J.S.

And thanks to you too! Fabbo. Collective confirmation…

660 Shug  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:12:42pm

My headline:

Soros Fires Wagoner

661 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:12:59pm

re: #645 ggt

good evening Lizards! It rained again in the Very Far Western Suburbs.

American Carol is playing in my home.

How are you-all and what are we talking about?

Friggin Obama
G20
Friggin Obama
Economy
Friggin Obama
GM
Friggin Obama
Tiger
Friggin Obama….Friggin Obama

Evening ggt

662 FrogMarch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:13:04pm

re: #614 Macker

And who’s pegging who?

The democrats get paid for their power and adept ability to deceive the masses through manipulation, guilt and emotion. The services include using deceptive language to fool the voters into thinking they are voting for something worthy called “Employee Free Choice Act”. The democrats make all sorts of campaign ads showcasing teachers and fire fighters. Even though government unions aren’t part of the program. The reality of “Employee Free Choice Act” is a
stealth push to unionize PRIVATE business. The Unions get fatter, & so do the democrat coffers. Swept under the rug is the fact that in general, unions kill profitable business. With our strict modern work rules (including things like the ADA) Unions are no longer necessary. So - to answer your question - they are both pegging each other.

663 J.S.  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:13:06pm

re: #632 DocDale

According to Wiki quotes, Orwell never said it, btw…linkhere.

664 Lincolntf  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:13:44pm

re: #656 albusteve

Ali is on my list of contenders, too.

665 goddessoftheclassroom  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:13:49pm

re: #651 ArmyWife

{Army Wife}

How is your friend’s daughter doing?

666 pingjockey  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:13:51pm

re: #658 pre-Boomer Marine brat
I don’t know if obambi is smart or he has very slick people working for him.
That damn Ayers is slick as a snake on a wet red clay side hill.

667 Irene NYC  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:14:15pm

re: #647 esch

He’s not an idiot. He’s modestly intellectually gifted and exhaustively coached in public speaking. But he’s also inexperienced, arrogant and gullible enough to believe his own vaporous bullcrap.

He’s a fool. But he’s my fool.

The guy is brilliant. Politically, psychologically and in other ways. He’s neither an idiot nor a fool. He’s experienced in what is important for his agenda. Look at what he’s managed to do in 60+ days! Come on!

668 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:14:15pm

DocDale,
“We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence upon those who would do us harm’.

669 MarineMomSue  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:15:04pm

re: #341 SixDegrees

Chairman & CEO of GM is asked by POTUS to step down and he resigns. Were the others on GM’s board of directors ‘asked’ to step down too?

670 Irene NYC  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:15:20pm

re: #658 pre-Boomer Marine brat

He’s damned dangerous.


Truer words were never spoken.

671 swamprat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:15:38pm

New from Chevro-Gov; The 2010 Solar-plexus. 14 roaring bio-alcohol horsepower, with solar redundant push or charge technology! Pedal assist at start, for those slight inclines. Seats 2 and 1/2,and folds into an easy-to carry wheeled cart. It’s great to be an America, and this is a great American car!*


*assembled in singapore and the koreas. safety standards for some vehicles do not apply to partial solar vehicles. insurance may be slightly higher. unexplained combustions and wind caused accidents are not a liability for “GOV” corporations; for further information, go to:govchev@iwonandiamthepresidenthahaha.net
672 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:15:45pm

re: #649 goddessoftheclassroom

Kittehs start with the basics…

That leads to a helluva lotta trouble!

673 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:15:45pm

re: #655 DocDale

Liberals HATE that quote, btw.

674 stevieray  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:15:56pm

re: #646 PineCone

I think this gambit will only delay the inevitable which is Chapter 11 for GM.

I would like to see it broken up into smaller companies. Maybe then some of the divisions would become healthy. As it is now, its too big to run efficiently, and too big to fail… not a good combination.

675 albusteve  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:17:38pm

re: #674 stevieray

I would like to see it broken up into smaller companies. Maybe then some of the divisions would become healthy. As it is now, its too big to run efficiently, and too big to fail… not a good combination.

disenfranchise the UAW….prices drop to 45$/hr/car….problem solved…it is not complicated at all…like most things in life

676 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:17:39pm

re: #673 pink freud

Yeah… because it was actually Winston Churchhill who said it…

677 DocDale  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:17:50pm

Thanks everyone for the background detail… I actually only need a paraphrased version for a paper I’m writing, not an exact quotation… so in some respects it’s better that it’s not a famous Orwell line. He had a few going around :)

678 BLBfootballs  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:18:11pm

re: #29 Killgore Trout

Well I’m being sarcastic, you guys can do what you wish. Over the past few weeks I’ve watched conservatives outraged over the denial of million dollar AIG bonuses and seethe over Michelle’s vegetable garden. Last night conservatives banded together to intentionally waste energy just because liberals wanted to conserve it.

I know exactly what your opinions will be next week too. They’ll be exactly the opposite of Obama’s. He will decide what you favor and what you oppose, He’s in your head and you have no control.

We are outraged at the notion that compassionate Mommy Government can walk in and smash anybody’s legally binding contracts to bits because She decides they’re politically inconvenient.

I couldn’t care less about the First Lady’s Garden of Virtuous Vegetables.

Conservatives—and anybody else who thinks—should be proud about standing up against the idolatry that GlobalWarmingism has become. If turning on your lights is a noticeable way to say “bugger off!” to the purveyors of the hysteria, then those who do it should be supported and thanked.

679 FemNaziBitch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:18:38pm

re: #661 jorline

Hey jorline! How’s life?

680 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:18:49pm

re: #666 pingjockey

I don’t know if obambi is smart or he has very slick people working for him.
That damn Ayers is slick as a snake on a wet red clay side hill.

He’s intelligent.

He also has a very limited, tunnel-vision, world-view. That’s his upbringing and self-conditioning.

681 albusteve  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:18:51pm

the taxpayers are not bailing out the automakers…we are subsidizing the UAWs failures

682 goddessoftheclassroom  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:19:25pm

re: #672 pre-Boomer Marine brat

That leads to a helluva lotta trouble!

*CHORTLE*
*GASP*
OMG, that’s funny!

What we must bear…

683 ArmyWife  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:19:38pm

re: #665 goddessoftheclassroom

She is doing much better, thank you for asking!

684 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:20:19pm

Sources: GM chief to resign

Which WH source took a leak leaked.

Rohm Emanuel…Pecker…in the Rose Garden.

685 BLBfootballs  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:20:26pm

re: #29 Killgore Trout

These issues are a lot bigger than supporting or opposing Obama or any individual. There’s no need to make this a focus on personalities.

686 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:21:37pm

re: #679 ggt

Hey jorline! How’s life?

I’m well, thank you ggt.

Hope all is well on your end.

687 anotherindyfilmguy  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:21:55pm

re: #35 buzzsawmonkey

Now GM can re-tool to build maglev Toonerville Trolleys.

I thought GM was just going to be tooled by the O’pression…

688 albusteve  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:22:10pm

re: #685 BLBfootballs

These issues are a lot bigger than supporting or opposing Obama or any individual. There’s no need to make this a focus on personalities.

it’s a small thing…don’t take it so personal

689 nyc redneck  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:23:12pm

re: #666 pingjockey

I don’t know if obambi is smart or he has very slick people working for him.
That damn Ayers is slick as a snake on a wet red clay side hill.

i don’t think he’s naturally intelligent.
but he is shrewd and has learned a set of survival skills that is working well for him. i’m betting he gleaned these talents from being bounced around as a child.
rejected by both parents. and w/ little stability until he landed at his grandparents. he is a survivor. but he lacks true grounding confidence.

690 ArmyWife  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:23:12pm

re: #680 pre-Boomer Marine brat

I’m not convinced this guy is as smart as he’d like us to believe. I think he is dangerous as heck, and I think he’s been propped up a long time.

691 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:23:18pm

re: #682 goddessoftheclassroom

*CHORTLE*
*GASP*
OMG, that’s funny!

What we must bear…

What you must bear?!
You don’t know th’ half of it!

692 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:23:56pm
693 Mithrax  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:24:06pm

re: #682 goddessoftheclassroom

*CHORTLE*
*GASP*
OMG, that’s funny!

What we must bear…

Lol. Must be what my cat thinks all the time :P

694 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:24:13pm

re: #684 jorline

Ya’ll do remember that George Stephanopoulos, a good friend of Rahmbo’s, is not only a news anchor but is still doing some ’ consulting ’ for the president’s Chief of Staff. Leak, anyone?

695 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:24:33pm
696 fpxr  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:24:39pm

re: #653 pingjockey

I was a chauvanist. I bought it, she got it!

You’re not a chauvinist… you’re both romantics.

You spent the time and effort to figure out what you thought she would like and then spent what you could afford to get her the ring. You got to know her likes and dislikes and selected accordingly. You took the commitment seriously and took the risk (by investing time and $$ into the ring before getting an answer).

She appreciated the thought and effort that went into getting the ring and loved you enough to accept it for what it was (your commitment to her) and cherished the ring even if it was not quite what she would have selected.

IMHO it is WAY better for the ring to be selected before the question is asked. (It is also good to give some thought and originality into HOW the question is asked).

BTW, FWIW I am also strongly opposed to “upgrade rings” later on in the marriage when you have more money to afford a bigger/better stone. What ever is slipped on the finger during the proposal IS the engagement ring and should be worn with pride (even more so if you have come from a humble start and can now afford a huge rock). If you’ve now got the money, go out and buy some other piece of beautiful jewelry and wear it, but don’t replace the real engagement ring!

I’m sure I’ll get sh*t for this but I guess I am just old fashioned.

697 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:25:16pm

re: #692 buzzsawmonkey

That’s why everyone is demanding we give him props.

Give him CA’s prop 8.

698 pink freud  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:25:35pm

re: #695 ploome hineni

The only thing that will open eyes is loss of freedom. True loss.

699 phoenixgirl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:26:01pm

he should have asked the president to step down

700 UncleRancher  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:26:18pm

re: #685 BLBfootballs

These issues are a lot bigger than supporting or opposing Obama or any individual. There’s no need to make this a focus on personalities.

I disliked Clinton with great intensity. He was an embarrassment to the country. However, I did good business under Clinton. From the time the democrats took over Congress we could see trouble coming from unwise “investment”. Since Obama came into power my business has been destroyed. Now it’s personal.

701 Macker  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:26:27pm

re: #662 FrogMarch

Ah, an excellent Long Answer. The Short Answer (even more excellent) is: Yes.

702 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:26:33pm
703 phoenixgirl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:26:37pm

wtf, he should have flipped the president the bird

704 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:26:41pm

re: #678 BLBfootballs

Did you see Michelle gingerly handling that shovel in the garden photo op? No way was she about to hoe one row….. she looked like she was holding a snake. Reminded me of John ‘fing Kerry and his hunting rifle.
Not that there’s anything wrong with her being a city girl… it’s the fakery.

705 Occasional Reader  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:26:50pm

I can’t wait to buy my new government-designed automobile.

It’ll be like… like… my very own, private Amtrak!

706 phoenixgirl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:28:00pm

omg, is this what we are becoming?

707 jorline  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:28:08pm

re: #694 tradewind

Ya’ll do remember that George Stephanopoulos, a good friend of Rahmbo’s, is not only a news anchor but is still doing some ’ consulting ’ for the president’s Chief of Staff. Leak, anyone?

I think Snufalufigus one of the roses in the WH garden.

708 albusteve  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:28:46pm

re: #703 phoenixgirl

wtf, he should have flipped the president the bird

yes…and GM should be denied one even one penny…maybe bankrupcy will break the UAW since management can’t, or won’t

709 shiek al beif salami  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:29:07pm

re: #687 anotherindyfilmguy

The 2010 Fascist GM product lineup

710 nyc redneck  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:29:57pm

re: #702 ploome hineni

very well said

he is a con-man

thanks ploome.
btw, how’s the poodle doing?

711 right_in_canada  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:30:06pm

re: #22 kansas

Now if Pelosi and Reid would resign.

Winged monkeys will fly out your ass before Pruneface Pelousy and Harry (The Cockroach) Greed call it quits.

712 HoosierHoops  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:30:31pm

re: #706 phoenixgirl

omg, is this what we are becoming?

It’s like Obama is Ed Harris in a bad version of the Truman Show..

713 ArmyWife  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:30:58pm

re: #692 buzzsawmonkey

I’ve got props for him, all right. I think my 10 year old would be doing a better job right about now.

714 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:30:58pm

re: #690 ArmyWife

I’m not convinced this guy is as smart as he’d like us to believe. I think he is dangerous as heck, and I think he’s been propped up a long time.

Oh yeah! He’s been coddled. He’s had an easy time of it. That’s part of why he’s so blankety-blank inexperienced.

McCain never engaged him in a hard-knuckled, keep-him-on-the-issues, debate. I suspect Obambi’s never had to be in one. He’s been able to fly on flim-flam, and now he’s out on the world stage.

That, IMHO, is why I think some sort of nervous breakdown is a distinct possibility.

715 albusteve  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:31:13pm

UAW…legalized extortion…that is the problem with the carmakers

716 FrogMarch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:31:39pm

Some GM/Obama possibilities:
Obama knows that more bailouts are unpopular. However, this move will give Obama an opening to try again. GM will soon receive billions more “loans” (you know - with that money that doesn’t really exist — unless you count your grandchildren’s future earnings). The government will next attempt to force GM to give up manufacturing trucks and SUVs and become more like Toyota - except for that union thing. The unions will stay, and the unions will make zero concessions. viola - GM will be profitable again! weee. Problem is, it won’t. All of this will take too long, the money wont last because GM’s legacy costs are just too high, and, like a fat lady screaming for more donuts, the UAW is still there. We will be back to GM needing to go through a real bankruptcy.
GM is not too big to fail, but the government just won’t let go. Because as Mark Stein says…
-or- complete government take over, and everything is perfect. sweep sweep sweep. -or- /////Acorn will have another bus tour showcasing fat union bosses at the local bowling alley.

717 FemNaziBitch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:31:49pm

re: #686 jorline

I’m well, thank you ggt.

Hope all is well on your end.

Life is good, Thanks for asking.

718 tradewind  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:31:58pm

re: #706 phoenixgirl
News flash> yes. We’re becoming the French…

PARIS
— The French automaker PSA Peugeot Citroën fired its chief executive Sunday and replaced him with a veteran of the steel industry.
(NYTimes)

719 goddessoftheclassroom  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:31:58pm

re: #691 pre-Boomer Marine brat

I hate it when people take idioms literally…

720 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:32:31pm
721 esch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:32:41pm

re: #667 Irene NYC

No. He’s not brilliant. He’s modestly gifted, and reasonably articulate when well coached and rehearsed. Off the cuff he’s rapidly turning into a joke.

If is IQ is actually around 120-130 that is certainly nothing to worship. Mine is significantly higher.

He’s no messiah of politics. He was insanely lucky and had the MSM and minorities in his pocket. Even with that it was a narrow thing.

722 ArmyWife  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:32:48pm

Since we are declaring who can and can’t run companies, wouldn’t it be hysterical if Cheney became the next CEO? Seriously, the guy is all about business sense and well….sense in general. Oh the exploding heads!

Ok, back to reality.

723 phoenixgirl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:33:02pm

geithner on meet the press came across like smigel. he was all hunched and creepy

724 albusteve  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:33:12pm

re: #716 FrogMarch

yep…the UAW is part of the govt…I hate the feds

725 phoenixgirl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:33:32pm

God save us from ourselves!

726 Opinionated  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:33:32pm

I wonder if Rahm Emanuel left a leaky transmission at the foot of his bed- made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

727 Macker  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:33:36pm

re: #709 shiek al beif salami

Linky no worky!

728 Spare O'Lake  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:33:37pm

I wonder how much Wagoner has already socked away in bonuses, and how much more he will walk away with?

729 The Shadow Do  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:34:25pm

re: #656 albusteve

yes…generally I love that stuff buy Shug makes a sweeping argument and he may be right…but to not factor in era can dilute it…clubs are better than ever…greens are scientific machine now…that sort of thing….so I might consider Ali in that regard…most experts think he would have eaily deafeted any body in any era on speed and power and movement

Ali certainly has a case for “the greatest” though there were others. Boxing is the ultimate sport. One on one, no equipment disparities, and the better man will leave the other guy in no state to argue with the exception of split decisions or draws - which will almost always lead to a rematch and a clear eventual victor.

Yes, I said “better man”. Women boxing is a sideshow attraction. If they want to box let them step into the ring with a top opponent of their weight class, certainly a male, and let them give it a go.

/sexist pig mode off

730 ArmyWife  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:34:29pm

re: #728 Spare O’Lake

He won’t be clipping coupons. Don’t worry about that!

731 esch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:34:56pm

Gotta feed the kindred. bbl

732 Lincolntf  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:35:19pm

re: #723 phoenixgirl

He’s the “Oily Sidekick #2”, right out of Central Casting.

733 shiek al beif salami  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:35:49pm

er . . GM 2010 product lineup - redux

734 albusteve  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:35:52pm

re: #729 The Shadow Do

ALI would get my vote hands down….with respect to Tiger

735 fpxr  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:36:16pm

re: #728 Spare O’Lake

I wonder how much Wagoner has already socked away in bonuses, and how much more he will walk away with?

The plan is to release that information for Act II of the Kabuki Theater of Bailout Outrage.

736 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:36:17pm

re: #719 goddessoftheclassroom

I hate it when people take idioms literally…

DAMMIT! … I used this one the other day!

Oh, well.
As Yoda said … “There is another”

/or not

737 nyc redneck  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:36:39pm

re: #698 pink freud

The only thing that will open eyes is loss of freedom. True loss.

i fear you are right abt. that.
what a painful lesson that will be.
it will affect us too, needlessly.

738 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:36:49pm
739 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:37:19pm
740 FrogMarch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:37:32pm

from CNBC

For all of Wagoner’s international success, his inability to cut losses and make GM profitable in North America is ultimately the cause of his downfall. Vice Chairman and President Fritz Henderson is expected to step in upon Wagoner’s departure.

Fritz to the rescue. Hang on Fritz. /I hope he likes government choke chain.

741 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:37:59pm

re: #728 Spare O’Lake

I wonder how much Wagoner has already socked away in bonuses, and how much more he will walk away with?

If you ever get a feeling that you’re about to find out …
… … grab a barf bag.

742 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:38:50pm
743 Irene NYC  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:39:04pm

re: #721 esch

This is what I meant when I said that we had to go beyond the rational when dealing with Obama. Using rational measures of intelligence, etc., he’s mediocre at best. You say his getting elected was luck? I’ve got a bridge to sell you.

744 jcbunga  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:39:26pm

So the guy who’s never had a steady job, now in charge of a government that produces nothing, is about to choose the leadership of a company that can’t sell anything, so we can pump billions into it.

The Sci-Fi Channel wouldn’t take this script.

745 nyc redneck  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:40:14pm

re: #739 ploome hineni

i’m so glad to hear that.
sweetest words i’ve heard all day.
i love poodles.
they are one of the smartest breeds.

746 Irene NYC  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:40:41pm

re: #738 buzzsawmonkey

That’s for “Best of LGF.”

747 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:40:51pm
748 Wm T Sherman  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:41:21pm

Also posted as link, above.

Lest we forget —-

Jobs bank programs — 12,000 paid not to work
Big 3 and suppliers pay billions to keep downsized UAW members on payroll in decades-long deal.

By Bryce G. Hoffman / The Detroit News
Monday, October 17, 2005

WAYNE — Ken Pool is making good money. On weekdays, he shows up at 7 a.m. at Ford Motor Co.’s Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne, signs in, and then starts working — on a crossword puzzle. Pool hates the monotony, but the pay is good: more than $31 an hour, plus benefits.
“We just go in and play crossword puzzles, watch videos that someone brings in or read the newspaper,” he says. “Otherwise, I’ve just sat.”

Pool is one of more than 12,000 American autoworkers who, instead of installing windshields or bending sheet metal, spend their days counting the hours in a jobs bank set up by Detroit automakers and Delphi Corp. as part of an extraordinary job security agreement with the United Auto Workers union.

The jobs bank programs were the price the industry paid in the 1980s to win UAW support for controversial efforts to boost productivity through increased automation and more flexible manufacturing.

As part of its restructuring under bankruptcy, Delphi is actively pressing the union to give up the program.

With Wall Street wondering how automakers can afford to pay thousands of workers to do nothing as their market share withers, the union is likely to hear a similar message from the Big Three when their contracts with the UAW expire in 2007 — if not sooner.

“It’s an albatross around their necks,” said Steven Szakaly, an economist with the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor. “It’s a huge number of workers doing nothing. That has a very large effect on their future earnings outlook.”

More:
[Link: www.steveharryforstaterep.org…]

749 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:42:05pm
750 goddessoftheclassroom  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:42:21pm

re: #736 pre-Boomer Marine brat

DAMMIT! … I used this one the other day!

Oh, well.
As Yoda said … “There is another”

/or not

Did you say, “Yoda”?

And on that note, I bid y’all good night!

751 summergurl  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:43:32pm

re: #702 ploome hineni

very well said

he is a con-man

Like a 3 Card Monty hustler

752 FrogMarch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:44:16pm

re: #724 albusteve

yep…the UAW is part of the govt…I hate the feds

Almost. The UAW & other unions give money to political power brokers (mainly, democrats). Now that the dems are in power - the unions have this huge opportunity for a major power grab. Like a cancer.
With card check, the bully boys can intimidate workers and get in the door.

The unions are eying businesses like FedEx. Businesses should be scared.

753 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:44:46pm
754 kansas  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:46:08pm

re: #711 right_in_canada

Winged monkeys will fly out your ass before Pruneface Pelousy and Harry (The Cockroach) Greed call it quits.

Well, I would take one for the team if they would.

755 BLBfootballs  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:46:32pm

re: #688 albusteve

I’m not quite sure what you mean. That was exactly my point!

re: #700 UncleRancher

My point is that painting opposition to Obama as based on some personal pique or quirky dislike is inaccurate and unfair. The issue is not “Obama” the man, but Obama the president, leader and policymaker in chief. It’s his beliefs and policies and their effects that are the issue here, not some inexplicable right-wing “anti-Obama” obsession.

756 Honorary Yooper  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:47:39pm

re: #355 Racer X

And previous GM management agreed to those labor contracts.

If they didn’t, they got strikes up the wazoo, and basically forced in the old days to take any union contract up the ass. If the state and the feds had stepped in in 1937 in Flint, the UAW would’ve been relegated to the dustbin of history. But, no, the state and the feds supported the illegal UAW sit-in of the factories, and GM was forced to accept the union.

This problem is of the government’s making.

757 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 5:50:24pm
758 Capitalistincharge  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:00:10pm

The Obama Administration uses PM(perception management) instead of PR (Public Relations). It is an evil form of manipulation, in my opinion. It’s been used before. I swear it is the only explanation I can come up with for why over half of Americans follow this guy. Smart? Maybe. Brilliant? No. Master manipulator? Definately.

759 Spare O'Lake  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:00:29pm

re: #738 buzzsawmonkey

See, now that’s a problem.

One of the things that undergirded freedom in the US for many years was the separation between the private and the public sphere. We may scoff at the language of the Supreme Court decisions which find a “right to privacy” in the “penumbras” of the Constitution, but in point of fact the basic assumption that people have a private life which is nobody’s business but their own has been a fundamental cornerstone of the limitation of government; the idea that the government may regulate certain public matters, but that it is supposed to butt out of people’s private affairs.

Well, that whole notion of “private affairs” has been happily beaten to death by the very public that was protected by it. When people put their most intimate moments on Facebook and YouTube without a second thought, when they walk down the street or hang out in a lobby or an elevator bellowing private business matters are private personal affairs into a cell phone audible to anyone within a radius of 20 feet, the notion of the existence of any “personal zone of privacy” is already reeling on the ropes.

Is it, then, any surprise that people who have no idea of privacy in their own lives—people who might be titillated, rather than outraged, by the prospect of viewing public copulation whether on YouTube or at the Folsom Street Fair—have no fundamental concern that the government should be intruding into every aspect of their lives? If one has thrown away privacy of one’s own accord, why should one be worried that the government is intruding upon what does not, any longer, exist? And if you are someone who looks habitually to the government to redress any sort of private grievance—based, say, on such personal grounds as race, or gender, or sexual orientation, or any other generalized resentment—why then should you be worried about “loss of freedom” when you do not care about “freedom” (yourself taking care of your own affairs without interference) but are rather interested in “entitlements” (you being taken care of, even in personal matters, by a larger entity)?

Excellent post, Buzz.
But tittilation by viewing fornicatory materials on the net is not necessarily an abandonment of privacy on the viewer’s part, is it?

760 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:06:30pm

re: #747 ploome hineni

I am the nom de ploome

LOL!
Problem is … (*getting ready to duck and run*) … you’re stuck off in the hineni of the universe.

*FLYYYYING out the door!*

761 FrogMarch  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:08:14pm

re: #758 Capitalistincharge

The Obama Administration uses PM (perception management) instead of PR (Public Relations). It is an evil form of manipulation, in my opinion. It’s been used before. I swear it is the only explanation I can come up with for why over half of Americans follow this guy. Smart? Maybe. Brilliant? No. Master manipulator? Definately.

So true.

762 UncleRancher  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:11:00pm

IF I could rewrite the script:

0bama to Rick Wagoner: Get out.
Rick Wagoner: Likewise, I’m sure.

763 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:11:07pm
764 Cheechako  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:13:03pm

re: #752 FrogMarch

I heard on the radio that FedEx made an announcement to the effect if Card Check passes they would cancel their order for 30 Boeing large freight liners and purchase Air-Bus’s instead.

765 Dr. Shalit  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:16:45pm

OK Everyone -

Some thoughts, Basically it is a Shame that the President of GM HAD TO BE FIRED by the President of the US - a Job the Board of GM Should Have Attended to. My fear is that the New GM President will NOT be given the space to turn the company around.

-S-

766 UncleRancher  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:16:54pm

re: #755 BLBfootballs

No need to apologize.

767 Spare O'Lake  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:17:10pm

re: #763 buzzsawmonkey

I’m not a big fan of porn generally, so you can take that prejudice into account, if you wish.

However, I was not speaking of people accessing commercial products; I was speaking of people gladly, willfully placing their own most personal moments, emotional as well as physical, out there before the world with no sense of safeguarding their own privacy, and the willingness of the tens if not hundreds of thousands of people to consume these things—who not only view them, but have come to expect them as a matter of course and feel entitled to claim a right to the intimacies of others.

People who have willfully discarded the distinction between their private lives and public life have already discarded the essence of freedom of their own volition. The government intrusion of which we have merely seen the beginning is just catching up—and is eagerly filling the vacuum that has been created by the people’s jettisoning of their birthright.

I agree. Even though most of the facebook idiocy is posted by stupid youngsters, it still is nothing if not an abandonment of privacy by the posters (not the viewers).

768 Sounder  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:18:35pm

So nice to see GM’s board of directors running things. Oops, I mean director Obama.

769 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:19:50pm
770 J.S.  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:24:34pm

I wonder what would have happened if Rick Wagoner had refused to step down (and if the Board of Directors agreed with Wagoner and supported him) — then what? What would The Zero have done then?

771 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:24:43pm
772 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:25:52pm
773 Pigtown Water Dog  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:26:02pm

re: #472 reine.de.tout

Iam so sorry for your friendship.
Happened to me—only my “friend” started yelling at me about how great the Cuban health care system was. It took me about half a minute to finally understand she wasn’t kidding. OMG. I thought I was going to throw up. Haven’t really spoken since.

774 Spare O'Lake  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:27:38pm

re: #769 buzzsawmonkey

As Nietszche observed, “When you look into the abyss, the abyss also looks into you.”

Nietszche sure could look into the abyss.

775 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:29:00pm
776 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:31:09pm

re: #771 ploome hineni

lol

/hineni means ‘here I am’

*a lonnng way off, peeking over the top of the left field fence*
“WHEW!”

:D

777 MarineMomSue  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:33:52pm

re: #575 JustMyView

KT pointed out above that this is pretty much standard procedure for traveling American presidents. I agree, though, that it is ridiculous, and, based on what he’s said about being followed around by a guy w/ a defibrillator, I think BHO agrees.

I didn’t make my question clear, I think. I agree this is SOP for traveling American presidents. I marvel at our ability and willingness to provide absolute top-notch security for POTUS (no matter who s/he may be.)

I was just wondering if any other country (or entity) in the world even comes close to the level of security the POTUS enjoys.

778 wiffersnapper  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:34:04pm

And Yea on the 68th day the Obama waved his hand and made Caesar Wagonerus leave his cushy job of ill-gotten gains, and lo the people did rejoice.

Here endeth the Gospel according to (Chris) Matthews.

779 [deleted]  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:35:50pm
780 mich-again  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:38:12pm

I think this needed to happen. And I think an outsider would not be a bad pick to replace him. Maybe a person with military background would have the right skill set to manage the chaos.

781 RoughRider  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:40:06pm

I think Obama needs to resign as a precondition of me sending in any amount of tax increase to bail out the federal government’s upcoming trillion dollar budget deficit.

782 Dr. Shalit  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:52:32pm

re: #780 mich-again

I think this needed to happen. And I think an outsider would not be a bad pick to replace him. Maybe a person with military background would have the right skill set to manage the chaos.

mich-again -

Like, maybe Gen. Honore? GM has been “Stuck on Stupid” for many years.

-S-

783 avspatti  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:56:07pm

re: #742 ploome hineni

exactly, you forgot to mention he outspent the overthehill, McCain
three to one

Let us remember it was because the O man broke his word about accepting public financing whereas McCain kept his word. How DOES Obama get by with all this?

784 Dr. Shalit  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 6:58:08pm

re: #783 avspatti

Let us remember it was because the O man broke his word about accepting public financing whereas McCain kept his word. How DOES Obama get by with all this?

avspatti -

1. HE WON.

2. Elections Have Consequences

3. Win the NEXT ONE and throw he and his OUT

-S-

785 JimV  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 7:06:15pm

re: #64 Kosh’s Shadow

But if it heads for Alaska, they’ll send Palin to stop it.

I have a feeling she would/could do it.

786 FlakMusic  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 7:16:16pm

Obama will also demand Barney Frank resign any day now, right?

787 6pat6  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 7:17:09pm

re: #323 swamprat

bad scenarios;
Government appointed board takes over.

Obama friend gets the seat.

Did a major car company just get nationalized?

They were nationalized the very second they took the first “bailout” dollar.

788 Kennyboy  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 7:21:01pm

I know our contitution has taken a beating these 100 days, but can someone please tell me how Executive power is now expanded to allow this megalomaniac to fire a private individual? I guess Mr. smooth-talker-man will try to convince the sheep that this part of the Exeuctive “removal” power. Sadly, many will believe it. God help us all…

789 FlakMusic  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 7:23:20pm

re: #12 gregg

What about UAW leader Gettelfinger? What hasn’t he been asked to resign his position?

I think that Obama is happy with Gettelfinger’s position…on his knees under the big desk in the oval office.

790 a5minmajor  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 7:25:07pm

Ummm….
So correct me if I’m wrong, is there not an -elected board- that decides who the officers of a publicly held company are?

Someone please explain to me the difference between this little Government stunt, and a leveraged buy-out?

I can’t WAIT to see the stock dump on the street tomorrow.
I predict at least -400 points by the close.

791 snowcrash  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 7:26:48pm

Lots of protests/marches for G20 summit. Secret Service had better be on high alert.

792 Mich-again  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 7:34:43pm

re: #782 Dr. Shalit

mich-again -

Like, maybe Gen. Honore? GM has been “Stuck on Stupid” for many years.

-S-

The most common trait of successful managers is that they can smell BS a mile away. RW didn’t seem to have that skill. Or maybe he was too loyal to people below him that should have been replaced.

He was consumed with how to rebuild the Company’s image instead of how to make money. People like a winner. If a company makes a good profit the good image follows. So how do you make money? You sell vehicles for more than it costs to build them. Simple right?

Not to some people. RW had a plan for how the Company would be the world leader in 2020, but he forgot that you have to turn a profit now to make it there.

793 Mich-again  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 7:44:10pm

If the City of New York helps fund the new Yankee Stadium, can Mayor Bloomberg make a call to the Yankees and tell them to replace their 3rd baseman?

And just when will the Obama administration step in and reign in the ridiculous salaries in MLB. Private enterprise my arse. Baseball teams enjoy anti-trust protection from Congress, municipalities around the USA help fund their stadiums and provide crowd and traffic control, and the teams get to circumvent normal immigration proceedings for prospective employees from around the globe. Not to mention the income teams get from Cable TV providers who are chosen by local governments.

Baseball has been a quasi-government run side business for decades.

794 avspatti  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 8:20:47pm

re: #437 gregg

Re: 260

It snowed anywhere from 8 inches to 2 feet here on Thursday. Today was 70. That’s Colorado for you.

795 mattm  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 8:37:42pm

re: #73 Nevergiveup

I am waiting till he asks all the Union Leaders to resign. Still waiting?

Never will. He has to repay the Unions big time for the election.

796 eric  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 8:42:58pm

re: #1 Killgore Trout

The very first thing that crossed my mind. This is textbook fascism. Mussolini would be proud.

797 Syrah  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 8:59:25pm

re: #2 brookly red

so who chooses the new ceo?

Barney Frank.

798 Syrah  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 9:11:15pm

re: #42 callahan23

How long before The 0 nationalizes ‘key industries’ as is stated in his comm-unity manifesto?

What need have he to nationalize ‘key industries’ so long as he makes it clear that those key industries serve him and his party?

Materialist Socialism, the nationalizing of the tools of the means of production, is nothing compared to what you get when you nationalize the souls of the people who use those tools.

799 Syrah  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 9:47:56pm

re: #137 joncelli

This is what GM signed up for. You take the government’s gold, you take the government’s orders. There is a perfectly legal, reasonably common course of action they could have taken instead of allowing the government to dictate their business: bankruptcy and reorganization. They chose not to, and this is the outcome. I have 0, that is, zero, zilch, nada, kein, nichevo sympathy for GM and Chrysler.

I have no sympathy for GM or Chrysler either. When you take the Devil’s coin, you dance to the Devil’s tune.

The problem is that it won’t be just GM and Chrysler that will suffer for this.

It will be all of us.

800 gmsc  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 10:00:40pm

The best headline I’ve seen about this story?

Rick rolled!

801 SixDegrees  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 11:25:25pm

re: #799 Syrah

I have no sympathy for GM or Chrysler either. When you take the Devil’s coin, you dance to the Devil’s tune.

The problem is that it won’t be just GM and Chrysler that will suffer for this.

It will be all of us.

You can thank Rick Wagoner. If he gave a rat’s ass about his company, he would have taken it into bankruptcy, renegotiated his union contracts, and positioned the company for strength and profitability in the future.

Instead, he elected to protect his stock options, and crawled on his belly to the government.

802 SixDegrees  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 11:28:28pm

re: #793 Mich-again

If the City of New York helps fund the new Yankee Stadium, can Mayor Bloomberg make a call to the Yankees and tell them to replace their 3rd baseman?

If that’s part of the terms of their agreement, then yes.

Giving the government the power to call shots came with the bailout money. In fact, GM can still turn down the government’s present offer, which calls for Wagoner’s ouster. But no one in their right mind wants this leech around anymore. And see above about stock options versus bankruptcy

803 SixDegrees  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 11:31:55pm

re: #790 a5minmajor

Ummm….
So correct me if I’m wrong, is there not an -elected board- that decides who the officers of a publicly held company are?

Someone please explain to me the difference between this little Government stunt, and a leveraged buy-out?

I can’t WAIT to see the stock dump on the street tomorrow.
I predict at least -400 points by the close.

See above: the difference is that the government is making an offer for more bailout funding, and one of the terms of the offer is that Wagoner leaves. GM is perfectly free to reject the money and pursue free market solutions to it’s problems, like bankruptcy, plant closing, mass layoffs and so forth. They’ve apparently chosen not to bother. And Wagoner will most likely walk out of the deal with his severance package intact, making him a very, very wealthy man.

804 SixDegrees  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 11:37:57pm

re: #768 Sounder

So nice to see GM’s board of directors running things. Oops, I mean director Obama.

The board is still firmly in control. They’re the ones who decide whether or not to accept the government’s offer, along with it’s demand that Wagoner leave.

Entering bankruptcy immediately makes the board’s pile of stock and stock options in GM utterly worthless. Taking the bailout props up the stock value, giving them at least a few more months to diversify, or, in layman’s terms, to shovel as much of their cash into other investments as possible.

Real captains of industry would have taken their company into bankruptcy in order to renegotiate it’s nagging, systemic problems, notably it’s labor contracts. The board of GM, including Wagoner, don’t fall into this category. They have spent their careers bleeding their company for their own personal profit, and continue to do so now.

805 SixDegrees  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 11:44:20pm

re: #740 FrogMarch

from CNBC

Fritz to the rescue. Hang on Fritz. /I hope he likes government choke chain.

If he doesn’t like it, he’s free to persuade the Board to bail on the bailout. Give the money back, say “Thanks for all your previous help, but we’re taking it from here,” and that stone comes off the company’s neck.

See above for why the Board will never agree to such a thing, at least in the near term.

806 Wendya  Sun, Mar 29, 2009 11:46:35pm

re: #788 Kennyboy

I know our contitution has taken a beating these 100 days, but can someone please tell me how Executive power is now expanded to allow this megalomaniac to fire a private individual? I guess Mr. smooth-talker-man will try to convince the sheep that this part of the Exeuctive “removal” power. Sadly, many will believe it. God help us all…

The CEO shouldn’t have resigned over pressure from the administration… especially since they apparently made it a condition of further loans that they have now said they won’t grant.

Every other CEO is going to be telling them to pound sand, hopefully.

807 Green Helmet Guy  Mon, Mar 30, 2009 12:47:10am

CarWars

Emperor Obama: “Now, young Wagoner, step down and join the dark side”

Wagoner: “Noooooo”

Emperor Obama: “I find your lack of faith disturbing! Darth Pelosi!”

Darth Pelosi:”Yes my master! If GM can not be bailed out Wagoner will be destroyed”

808 hiddenlizard  Mon, Mar 30, 2009 1:00:51am

If this isn’t fascism I don’t know what is.

809 SixDegrees  Mon, Mar 30, 2009 1:01:36am

re: #790 a5minmajor

I can’t WAIT to see the stock dump on the street tomorrow.
I predict at least -400 points by the close.

The problem with that prediction is that there are too many factors in play. I’ve been anticipating a sharp decline for about two weeks now, to occur early this very week, for the simple reason that A) there’s been a sharp rally in stocks, setting the stage for profit taking, and B) it’s the end of the quarter, and the large institutional investors will be moving to lock in their gains to improve their balance sheets. Selling pressure is already high, and trying to disentangle these factors from whatever effect GM’s news will have is not an easy task. Add to that the uncertainty introduced by GM’s failure to announce a replacement for Wagoner (Congress really shot themselves in the foot when they passed that law forbidding private ownership of chimpanzees) and you have a muddle the defies analysis. The market may very well go down; trying to find a single explanation for that movement is a fool’s errand.

810 mgscheue  Mon, Mar 30, 2009 5:31:21am

Just an astonishingly bad move, and I’m used to bad moves by this administration. Whatever GM’s problems were in the past, Wagoner and his team (most especially Bob Lutz) have done an outstanding job with new products and more good stuff to come.

811 A.W.  Mon, Mar 30, 2009 6:15:23am

I can’t say on the merits of this. Some say Wagoner is bad, some would also say that he was handcuffed by the old union contracts. But regardless, I find it creepy for the president to be making this decision, and let’s also note that whatever happens to GM now is utterly his fault.

Is GM destined to fail? Hard to say. but if Obama applies that $500K restriction on executive salaries, he will be going into this fight with his hands tied behind his back. Jackie Chan, of course, could beat the hell out of 20 guys with his hands tied behind his back, literally, and do it in a semi-comic, buster keaton sort of way. Anyone think Obama’s got economic kung fu skills that good?

Yeah, me neither.

812 DingleB  Mon, Mar 30, 2009 7:12:38am

Move over Benito

“From 1922 to 1925, Mussolini’s regime pursued a laissez-faire economic policy under the liberal finance minister Alberto De Stefani. De Stefani reduced taxes, regulations, and trade restrictions and allowed businesses to compete with one another. But his opposition to protectionism and business subsidies alienated some industrial leaders, and De Stefani was eventually forced to resign. After Mussolini consolidated his dictatorship in 1925, Italy entered a new phase. Mussolini, like many leaders at this time, believed that economies did not operate constructively without supervision by the government. Foreshadowing events in Nazi Germany, and to some extent in New Deal America, Mussolini began a program of massive deficit spending, public works, and eventually, militarism.

…although syndicalism and corporativism had a place in fascist ideology and were critical to building a consensus in support of the regime, the council did little to steer the economy. The real decisions were made by state agencies such as the Institute for Industrial Reconstruction (Istituto per la Ricosstruzione Industriale, or IRI), mediating among interest groups.

Mussolini also eliminated the ability of business to make independent decisions: the government controlled all prices and wages, and firms in any industry could be forced into a cartel when the majority voted for it. The well-connected heads of big business had a hand in making policy, but most smaller businessmen were effectively turned into state employees contending with corrupt bureaucracies. They acquiesced, hoping that the restrictions would be temporary. Land being fundamental to the nation, the fascist state regimented agriculture even more fully, dictating crops, breaking up farms, and threatening expropriation to enforce its commands.

Banking also came under extraordinary control. As Italy’s industrial and banking system sank under the weight of depression and regulation, and as unemployment rose, the government set up public works programs and took control over decisions about building and expanding factories. The government created the Istituto Mobiliare in 1931 to control credit, and the IRI later acquired all shares held by banks in industrial, agricultural, and real estate enterprises.”

Fascism
by Sheldon Richman

Ah…the curse of living in interesting times.

813 notutopia  Mon, Mar 30, 2009 7:42:56am

Another One Bites the Dust

Youtube Video
814 RoughRider  Mon, Mar 30, 2009 7:51:02am

re: #803 SixDegrees

Wagoner will most likely walk out of the deal with his severance package intact, making him a very, very wealthy man.

Until Democrats get around to sticking him in their 90% tax bracket too.

815 sdhawgman  Mon, Mar 30, 2009 10:20:01am

Those who wonder at the speed with which Obama, aided and abetted by the congressional Democrats, is moving away from traditional American ways need only read The Prince, in which Machiavelli advises, “For injuries ought to be done all at one time, so that, being tasted less, they offend less; benefits ought to be given little by little, so that the flavor of them may last longer.”

816 SJmiller  Mon, Mar 30, 2009 11:14:43am

#7 of the 10 pillars of Communism

Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State; the bringing into cultivation of waste-lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.

817 musicmaven  Mon, Mar 30, 2009 1:09:22pm

The slippery slope towards communism has been greased again……..

818 cedric55  Mon, Mar 30, 2009 2:18:03pm

OBAMA- STOCK MARKET KILLER… with malicious intent

Obama has suddenly snatched the reins from GM’s president, in something like the hijacking of an airliner, in which the hijacker orders the captain out of the left seat and hops in, smiling and brimming with confidence. Barack O. has out-socialized the socialists. Not even the spendy Europeans are swallowing Obama’s “Soviet States of America” style massive “social” spending.

If investors try to send Obama a shot across his bow by dumping the stock market back into a death dive, they still don’t get it with Obama. Our new President WANTS the markets to collapse, he WANTS the western world on its knees, begging him to rescue them— the socialist, or, more precisely, the soviet way.

Although few voters knew, Obama’s father’s “dreams” were of the Soviet Union, not the United States, leading and shaping the world. Had voters read Obama’s “Dreams from My Father” they would have known that Obama was a man with a score to settle with America— an odd “qualification” for the job.

Yep, making the market go down to punish Obama is like throwing Brer Rabbit in the brier patch. Hang on, Americans, we are in for a very wild ride, as wild as your worst dreams, not his. Like the suicidal/homicidal Egyptian co-pilot who dove the airliner and its helpless passengers straight down into the Atlantic a few years ago shouting “Allah wills it,” Obama has the wheel now, and will take us where he will.

To be fair, Michelle Obama did warn us that, once elected President, Obama would “not LET you be the way you were.” The media simply ignored the clear, profuse and imminent danger inherent in Michelle’s assessment of what Obama had in store for us. There were no followup questions by reporters of Michelle or Obama along the lines of “Say what? Not LET us be the way we were? What does he think he’s running for— Drill Sargent in Chief?”

819 Pupdawg  Tue, Mar 31, 2009 6:24:38am

re: #1 Killgore Trout

Fascism!
/

Obviously, that is precisely what TOTUS and his enabling pathogens want!

820 Pupdawg  Tue, Mar 31, 2009 6:33:09am

All of this has become surreal way too fast. The arrogance of this president, this TOTUS is unparrelled in our history. The more abuses he is allowed to afflict on working citizens whether in the private or public sectors the easier it becomes. This is light years beyond the ultimate black hole of disgusting.
When can the people demand that TOTUS step down?


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