Obama flips Michigan the bird!

No joke. This from the freep today: The One, in his infinite wisdom, has deemed it necessary to sign another executive order. This time, it targets the automotive industry (you know, the one that is currently thriving?) by allowing each of the 50 states in the union to set emission standards. From the article:

The New York Times reported Sunday evening on its Web site that Obama would clear the way for individual states to exceed national fuel economy and emissions standards. Detroit and foreign automakers have waged a lengthy legal fight against California's rules, which set new limits on vehicle emissions to fight global warming. (emphasis mine)

Global warming? That old chestnut? You mean the same global warming that hasn't causes an iota of temperature rise since 1998? The one that has caused the most arctic ice cover since 1979? The same global warming that has caused the oceans to cool since 2003? The global warming of 'hockey stick' fame? The one forced on us by those horrible CO2 emissions? The one setting low temperature records all over the place this winter? THAT global warming? Well that's just great! What does the auto industry have to say?

Such rules would lead to fuel economy targets that automakers and dealers warn would create a patchwork of state laws, drive up costs and limit sales.

Sounds about right to me. So let me get this straight: states should have the right to regulate the naturally-occurring, and vital compound to all surface vegetation known as CO2, but they should have zero say in the murder of countless unborn? FOCA? Hello? Isn't this the same guy that just signed an executive order forcing my hard-earned tax dollars into the bloody hands of the abortion industry abroad? Why yes. Yes he is.

So it appears that Obama's priorities, tracked by his signing of executive orders, is this:

#1: Help the plight of the terrorists over in Gitmo (the ones who, once released, lead efforts of terror once again). Check!
#2: Abortion for everyone. With taxpayer dollars. Just have to be overseas. (But that's OK, FOCA is coming to a death dealer near you) Check!
#3: Screw the auto industry really bad by letting states make up silly fuel standards based on a non-existent ecological crisis of biblical proportion? Check!

I'm just waiting for #4 to come out soon. Take away kids lollipops? Atomic wedgies for all adults over 21?

So I'm just wondering, how are any of his executive orders supposed to help anyone here in Michigan or nationwide? Do any of these things help the economy? No. Just the opposite. Do they make us safer? No. Just the opposite. This is all red meat for the tinfoil hat-wearing, kool-aid drinking loony fringe left. So much for the era of post-partisanship.

Just remember, the UAW wanted this guy. A guy that despises the auto industry. Sure they'll get more bailout money to keep the racket going a bit longer without any fix to the systemic problems facing the auto industry. But that, along with this exectuive order, may well be the final nail in their own coffin. Can anyone say "thank you sir, may I have another?"

Gettelfinger: Makeover deadline is unrealistic

I'm shocked! Shocked! A story on the freep this morning.

"Gettelfinger says there have not been any formal discussions between the union and car companies and the union has been reviewing documents."

They've got there work cut out for them. Have you see the UAW contract? They killed two large trees just to print one copy! But then again, Mr. G. knows the contract inside and out and he has shaped it into what it is today. Can somebody say "stonewall?"

UAW on Concessions: Let’s Not Get Hasty

"Why the Lack of Urgency to Fix GM?" asks Brian Faughnan over at Redstate.



"Although the UAW has said it is ready to negotiate, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said Monday it is unclear what kind of reductions it will have to agree to. The Treasury Department has said GM must have a plan by March to become “viable” and have “positive net value.”


“We are still trying to figure out what that means,” Mr. Gettelfinger said in an interview. He added the union has heard little from the Treasury on what is expected. “We have no documents, no contact with the federal government,” he said. " (emphasis mine)



It's funny that Mr. Gettelfinger 'doesn't know what that means.' He seems to know the ins and outs of a 2,215 page UAW contract that weighs 22 pounds (see what it looks like here on video).

So without writing 2,215 pages to explain what that means, here it is in a nutshell:


Definition of viable (from the www):

- Able to live on its own; Able to be done, possible
- capable of being done in a practical and useful way
- the property of being viable; the ability to live or to succeed
- capable of growing or developing


I think you can see the commonality in all of these - that the entity (GM) will live and prosper (and not go bankrupt and shutter its operations).


Practically, what that means is employees that are not working do not get 95% of their pay (some for as long as three years!). It means compensation (wages+benefits) get brought in-line with the competition (Toyota). It means legacy costs must be reduced (currently adding about $3,000 to each vehicle off the line). Thus, golden parachute health benefits and pensions will have to be reduced.


None of these are painless, especially for retirees that had nothing to do with this (well, except that they kept voting for bigger and bigger contracts that has brought GM to this point). And this coming from the son of two UAW workers (who has seen both parents get paid vacations for several months at a time), one retired and one a couple of years away.