JibJab's satire of Obama, the superhero

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Fmr. President George W. Bush takes aim at Obama's policies...finally (he's a Conservative again!)

Former President George W. Bush has apparently had enough at seeing the United States government take control of industries, attack capitalism, promoting socialized health care and he also talked about harsh interrogations at Gitmo.

Bush said he knows it's going to be the private sector that leads the country out of the current economic times that we are in.

Bush said he was not attacking President Obama, but instead his policies. The story is below. Is Bush a Conservative again?

IN THE NEWS:
The Washington Times: Bush takes swipes at Obama policies

Obama dictates future of "New GM" will have sacrifices

The new man in charge of the new General Motors is President Barack Obama. He dictated this today to the General Motors employees. Socialism is officially here in the automotive world. The America we knew is officially over. The "New GM" is "Government Motors."

IN THE NEWS:
The Wall Street Journal: GM Files for Bankruptcy Protection

Yesterday's NEWS:
Associated Press: White House: General Motors to file for bankruptcy
Bloomberg: GM to Name Al Koch to Top Restructuring Position, WSJ Reports

Chrysler, GM announce cut of dealerships

So first Chrysler was told to not have as many television commercials. Now, Chrysler and General Motors (ah hem, Government Motors) are cutting dealerships. Chrysler alone is cutting 25 percent of its U.S. dealers. For a company in bankruptcy, it is going to be even tougher to get out of this bankruptcy and even to make a profit when out of bankruptcy. The first question is, where can you buy a Chrysler car?

The government is just making it tougher.

IN THE NEWS:
Reuters: Chrysler to terminate 25 percent of U.S. dealers
Associated Press: Chrysler moves to eliminate 789 of 3,200 dealers

Obama: Chrysler can't advertise as much

The Obama administration cut Chrysler LLC's advertising in half and just when it needs it during a bankruptcy. The advertising now will let the public know that the company is still operating, but the Obama Auto Task Force doesn't care. Chrysler wanted to spend $134 million in advertising over the nine weeks it's expected to be in bankruptcy, but the government only allowed half of that.

Well, this is what happens when the government is in control of your future. For every company that took money from the government, it's too bad.

IN THE NEWS:
Advertising Age: Obama Halves Chrysler's Planned Marketing Budget

The end of Detroit? GM may move

IN THE NEWS:
CNBC: GM CEO: Bankruptcy Likely; Firm May Leave Detroit

Hypocrisy of Obama's auto team

President Barack Obama says he wants to save the American automobile industry. Or does he?

In an article published today in the Detroit News, the story questions on how much he may be willing to save Detroit.

According to the Detroit News, among the eight members named Friday to the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry and the 10 senior policy aides who will assist them in their work, two own American models. Add the Treasury Department's special adviser to the task force and the total jumps to three.

Let's take a look at the people in the task force:

Co-chairs: Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (who wants to give us all a ultra-high turbo tax, pun intended) and White House National Economic Council Director Lawrence Summers

Task force and their cars (Bold=foreign, italic=American)

Tim Geithner: 2008 Acura TSX, registered in New York (previous cars: 1999 Honda Accord, 2002 Acura MDX)

Lawrence Summers: 1995 Mazda Protege, registered in Massachusetts (previous car: 1996 Ford Taurus GL)

Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag: 2008 Honda Odyssey and 2004 Volvo S60 (previous cars: 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 1982 Datsun

White House climate czar Carol Browner: says she does not own a car (previous car: 1999 Saab 9-5 SE)

Energy Secretary Steven Chu: says he does not own a car (previous car: none listed)

Environmental Protection Agancy Administrator Lisa Jackson: 2008 Toyota Prius and Honda Odyssey minivan (prvious car: none listed)

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood: unavailable

Head of the Council of Economic Advisers Christine Romer: unavailable

Austan Goolsbee: 2004 Toyota Highlander

Joan DeBoer, 2008 Lexus RX 350

Heather Zichal, Volvo C30

Gene Sperling, 2003 Lincoln LS (previous car: 1993 Saturn SL2)

Edward B. Montgomery, 1991 Harley-Davidson (previous car: 1990 Ford Taurus L station wagon)

Lisa Heinzerling, 1998 Subaru Legacy Outback station wagon (prevous car: none listed)

Diana Farrell, says she doesn't own a vehicle, but her husband, Scott Pearson, owns a 1985 Peugeot 505 S

Dan Utech, 2003 Mini Cooper S (previous care: none listed)

Rick Wade, 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier (previous car: 1998 Toyota Corolla)

Jared Bernstein, 2005 Honda Odyssey (previous: none listed)

Ron Bloom: aging Ford Taurus


The President and Vice President...

President Barack Obama: 2009 Ford Escape hybrid (previous car: Chrysler 300C)

Vice President Joe Biden: 1967 Chevrolet Corvette



A part of the problem in why American auto makers are suffering is in Obama's auto team. Go figure.


IN THE NEWS: (where I got the figures)
Detroit News: Auto team drives imports

Auto bailout dies in U.S. Senate

I am not sure what to think. I want to save America's automotive jobs in case the companies fail. Bankruptcy is just a reorganization. But what if they can't figure out how to save themselves?

General Motors is in the worst shape. They could go bankrupt next week. Then comes Chrysler LLC. They could go bankrupt by Jan. 1. Ford says they are ok, but are they?

The Big Three need to do something new. But what? Who is buying cars these days? Only the car buyer can save the automotive industry. I guess for now the answer is to build fewer cars and see what happens.

Below is a C-Span video when the vote was finalized. It is with the courtesy of YouTube.

Big 3 Ask For Money: Part Deux

It looks as though Detroit's "Big Three" have a plan now. At least it includes not flying to Washington on private jets. Instead, the chairmen of General Motors, Ford and Chrysler will be driving themselves from Michigan to D.C. in their latest hybrid automobiles. That's a start. It's better than flying, but still, hybrids aren't exactly cheap vehicles, but they do get better gas mileage, I suppose.

Ford Motor Company says they are in the best shape of the three. At least that's what they say now, yet, they still want a loan. Go figure. Chrysler, LLC also wants a loan, but they wont say what kind of shape they are in. Now, the big behemoth, you know, the company that is too big to fail, General Motors is acting like the end of the world is near.

Ford says they will cut the number of dealerships and even the chairman said he would work on a $1 salary.

And now the UAW is saying that if GM does not get a loan soon, the company will go bankrupt before Christmas.

What can be done? I don't think the fault of all this is solely because the "Big Three" are unionized. That's a part of it, but not all. It all goes up to the higher management. Will they fix the companies? Probably not, but a federal loan will help, but for how long?