No need to project ...

To add to the above, the bailout was a complete disaster, but you knew that. It's purpose was to take your money and make the unions stronger, while funneling a large parts into personal pockets. It was wrong on every level and in every area and only our national stupidity could have allowed it. The results we predetermined - no one of any intelligence should be surprised.

What I meant was that if Japan, Inc, wants to subsidize its products with billions of Japanese tax payer money in order to sell them below production costs in the US, we should take advantage of it. That is, if we were to invest the savings into industry, instead of squandering it on welfare. It's like playing chess - you can play well and proper, or if you know your opponent's weaknesses, can take a chance that your opponent will not recognize a technical mistake that you are making on purpose and then take advantage of his miss. Same here, they banked that the US will squander the savings, which is exactly what we did. So, do you still blame Japan, Inc, or do you blame our stupid government and our stupid citizens for squandering trillions and losing the technological edge at the same time?

Milton Freedman's "Free to Choose" is an excellent series - highly recommend watching it. He explains this issue much better that I.
http://freetochoose.tv/ I recommend the original 1980's version.

If we project into the future, we will have a nation of morons. It might even make the movie "Idiocracy" come true. Pretty easy to rule such flesh and blood automatons.

The back seat is from a '56 Cad!

Awesome! A back seat you could raise a family in too. :)

I have thought the exact same thing over the past few years. I have a '55 Chevy waiting to be restored. It was my street rod in the 80s.

I highly recommend the book "American Icon". It chronicles Ford's comeback including the bailout fiascos, union negotiations, securing financing that allowed them to survive the recession, and Alan Mulally's (CEO) management that drove a global culture change throughout the company. One of my favorite lines was a letter written to Ford - I just purchased a Chrysler but when I heard about the bailouts I was so disgusted, I turned around and traded it in for a Ford (paraphrased).
The book definitely made me a Ford convert.

Hello hamiltonh,
Thank you for the recommendation. I will investigate. The Blue Oval is looking better all the time.
Respectfully,
O.A.

strugatsky,
I blame our government trade policies and the misguided notion that we can share the wealth with the entire world by turning a blind eye to intellectual property theft, currency manipulation, and protectionism of foreign governments being used against us, while our government does nothing. All the while we lose. Of course when you compound the loss of good paying jobs and an influx of cheap goods the consumer aids also... many have no choice and as you are aware American made products are becoming more difficult to come by...
O.A.

Actually, this is Fair and Free Trade. GM is doing exactly what you and I and everyone else would be doing under the circumstances. The fault is not in the company, but in our stupid and criminal government that has set up rules that lead to failure of the economy.

As an owner of GM, or any other company big enough to deal with China, would you not want to escape the problems created by our government:
UAW, AFL-CIO, EPA, ADA, OSHA, minimum wage, IRS and American workers' laziness and propensity to sue?
Would you not take advantage of China's much more capitalist laws and healthier work attitude than in America?

Do we buy American made products (which are awfully difficult to find nowadays) at any cost vs cheaper and often better imported products? In the 19th Century and for the first half of the 20th, America was the greatest economic and cultural power in the world precisely because it did not have the evils that I listed above; today China is fast becoming the greatest economic and, perhaps cultural giant precisely for the same reasons. The more we kill freedom and opportunity, the lazier and uneducated we become, the more we become a hand to mouth government handout society, the quicker we solidify our future as a Third World welfare nation. So, don't blame GM.

Hello strugatsky,
I understand and blame the bulk of the problem on our government policies. As I replied to TexanSolar; We are dealing with unfair trade practices (product dumping, currency manipulation, etc.) and our government could impose tariffs or adjust our exchange rates in a tit for tat way, but they prefer to see our technology and jobs be exploited... I am all for free trade when it is also fair. Protectionism is what they are practicing against us.
Respectfully,
O.A.

Hello Argo,
A once proud marque... Baseball, Hot dogs and Apple pie... now... chicken fried rice... :(
Respectfully,
O.A.

Hello cp256,
I love old Chevrolets! I think I may start restoring and driving old ones rather than purchase these new ones and aid in our own demise.
Respectfully,
O.A.

Sickening. I own Ford stock. I used to be a Chevy guy.

Hello TexanSolar,
Quite right. We are dealing with unfair trade practices (product dumping, currency manipulation, etc.) and our government could impose tariffs or adjust our exchange rates in a tit for tat way, but they prefer to see our technology and jobs be exploited... I am all for free trade when it is also fair. Protectionism is what they are practicing against us.

I am not on Linkdin. I run a tight high tech CNC tool& die shop that produces mostly injection molds for the investment casting industry as well as some prototype plastic molds. We also produce an occasional master pattern for Sand casting work.
You may contact me with a PM and discuss your interests and if I find I can aid you and have interest, I will provide contact information.
Regards,
O.A.

Capitalism that is manipulated and controlled by evil tyrannical governments, ours included, is not capitalism at all. It is crony capitalism.
There is no such thing as free trade. The playing field is not level.
The noble experiment that was a representative republic has failed. The representatives no longer represent the people.
We have the best government money can buy.
America, that used to be a melting pot, has become a boiling pot and the scum has risen to the top.

Objective Analist I agree with you

Are you on Linkdin? I'd love to connect with you.

my e-mail address is bradford.snipes@yahoo.com

The Toyota Camry is the most American car made. Toyota USA is an American company owned in part by Toyota of Japan and in part by stockholders in the USA. The Camry was created for the American market originally. Japan moved all production of the Camry to the US and now, it is the only car made in America from parts made exclusively in America. It is more American than any Chevrolet or Ford. Of course, Chrysler is no longer an American company, being foreign owned and operated.

Hello Ranter,
Very interesting... Isn't that sad? In some ways it shows what could be done and isn't... One question: Where is the engineering being done? Much money is still made via intellectual input.
Respectfully,
O.A.

Hello dcwilcox,
Good for you. The market will win in the end, but for many it may be too late...
Respectfully,
O.A.

We are not educating the low information voters on basic economics... you are right. What can be done? The Public education system is failing us and I believe the politicians and their cronies want it this way. One world government... all equally poor...

If someone is dumping products below their cost, as a smart capitalist, you should be pocketing the savings and investing them elsewhere. The emphasis here is on investing. You will end up richer, smarter, more technologically advanced and in a better position to compete than the one doing the dumping, who will eventually run himself into the ground. Of course, if instead of investing, the savings are spent on welfare and on indoctrinating people in how not to work, then you get exactly what we now have. So, do you blame Japan or China, or is the blame misplaced?