Valentine's Day Massacre for Chrysler

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Delta Flyer @ Feb 14 2007, 09:22 AM) [snapback]390133[/snapback]</div>

I too do not like the pain inflicted on those by job loss. unfortunately it is inevitable. how many times does the average American change jobs in their lifetime - i think about 7 times.

I however like the news on several fronts - being didactic here:
1. more union jobs down the drain - i look forward to the total destruction of the american labor union. so much of this is self inflicted by the unrealistic wages and costs associated with unions - they have reaped what they have sowed.
2. pressure is being applied on MB to sell chyrsler - a potential for new ownership, new ideas, a kind of rebirth. MB has invested a lot of money and technology and I am sure it will be snapped up at the right price.

 

"Someone should turn one of those factories into a factory that retrofits used cars into electric vehicles. The cars would be affordable b/c you can start with used cars and legal b/c there were street legal cars. How cool would that be. Specialize in minivans for around town family stuff and vehicle would be big enough to hold a fat lead acid battery. Who's got the start up capital?

I already found a supplier for the EV parts

http://www.kta-ev.com/

 

"This is dark humor (not funny at all), but this was a "team effort"."

Part of the team is American people/government, i.e. health care. A huge portion of the uncompetitive overhead the the big three have is retiree health care. In Japan health care is gov. provided. This will affect much more than the big three.

Maybe someday when I have my own teraflop desktop computer someone will figure out healthcare, teraflops shoud be cheap in about ten years.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(etyler88 @ Feb 14 2007, 12:22 PM) [snapback]390226[/snapback]</div>

So that's their secret.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dbermanmd @ Feb 14 2007, 11:07 AM) [snapback]390148[/snapback]</div>

Some "right to work" States don't require union membership, but most state's unions DO require union membership. Thus, your average shlomo machinist / laborer / electrician HAS to join, no fault of his/her own. I'm sure glad your so simpathetic to THEIR plight . Perhaps, looking at your statement in a light most favorable, you really meant, union organizations are going into the toilet? Even so, that means you feel no sympathy for 1%-5% while the lion's share of hard working folks are thrown under the train.

As for "health care" being the 'cause' ... you'e getting close. Health care costs are brought about in large part because of the insurance industry. Negligent doctors are seldom kicked out of the system, because it is more profitable to cause ALL Md. premiums to go up ... and keep the more negligent prone Md's on the payroll ... making more $$ for the system. NO one has the nuts/$$$ to fight the insurance industry. They will loby congress big time ... and advertise the truth right out of existence, if any one tries.

 

This massacre is also an opportunity. The laidoff workers will still get close to their working salary or a large lump sum payoff, many over $100K. so in the short term there will be alot people with money and time to spend it. The next UAW contract could effect the this but it should still be significant money. Let's see what happens. If I was seeking venture capital I would sniff around either closed plant areas.