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What a difference a bailout makes. Read TTAC’s past takes on Corker here.
27 Comments on “Corker Visits Saturn Plant, Learns “A Lot”...”
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I hate to argue with a guy on the Energy Committee who obviously would like to make the nation “energy secure”, but I’m just not quite sure that a Chevy crossover with a 3.6 liter six-cylinder engine is quite the way to get there.
WTF?
Maybe Corker should check out Nissan’s Smyrna plant to see what a profitable company looks like… You know, one that makes products customers want to buy.
Corker was one of the few southern Republicans that I think acted in good faith, trying to work out a deal. The plant he visited is GM’s Spring Hill engine plant, a modern plant. Maybe it’s the first time he’s been in a modern auto plant and it’s possible that he was genuinely surprised at the level of technology that’s involved. Some of the congressional critics of Detroit were acting as though it still was 1975.
# jkross22 :
WTF?
Maybe Corker should check out Nissan’s Smyrna plant to see what a profitable company looks like… You know, one that makes products customers want to buy.
The video looks like it was shot in the engine plant, which makes 4 cyl. engines, which probably explains the energy aspect. While the Chevy Traverse built in the Spring Hill assy plant isn’t setting sales records, the fact is that GM sold a lot more cars than Nissan. Heck, Ford outsells Honda and Nissan, and even Chrysler eked out more sales than the # 2 and 3 Japanese brands.
He went to the Opel plant in Germany?
I wonder if Corker inquired as to why they were building Chevy pseudo-trucks in what was supposed to be a plant to make Saturns compact cars? In a way, it kinda explains the problem.
@Ronnie,
Perhaps those Congressional critics were acting as though it were still 1975 because they know DET still operates under the same business model that it had prior to 1975.
Perhaps Mullaly will succeed in bringing Ford’s corporate culture somewhere near the 21st century. But, it’s really going to be a rough ride.
The way I see it, he who asks for a bailout sets the clock back to seventies.
As for Corker, it’s hard to argue with either his pre-bailout logic or the post-bailout fence-mending in the video above. Reasoned and reasonable are good things for politicians to be, but the contrast in his tone speaks volumes to me.
It illustrates the DC reality that standing up for fiscal responsibility is wrenching, and rarely as rewarding as finding your own piece of the pie. Bush didn’t just put taxpayers on the hook for failing businesses with the bailout, he also legitimized handouts just as Republicans were gaining political traction by standing against them.
Folks on both sides of the fence were scandalized when Clinton “stole” fiscal responsibility as an issue from the Republicans. In December, the Republicans had the opportunity to recapture the issue. And what did Corker and company get for standing on principle in a heated controversy? A direct refutation from Bush.
I’d be mending fences and fudging principles now too.
For what car does the Spring Hill plant make 4 cylinder engines for?
Just one more time because I must be stupid, bailing out a manufacture is bad… but bailing out a Bank, Insurance co., insert your special white collar employer here… is GOOD! I’ve got it correct now don’t I?
“In December, the Republicans had the opportunity to recapture the issue.”
Well, to anyone who hasn’t looked at the rate of government spending over the last 8 years, maybe….
LXbuilder> All bailouts are bad. We just talk about the car ones here, more, because it is a car site.
LXBuilder: Nope, you still have more reading to do.
RetardedSparks: Politics (like business) thrive on reinvention. I don’t think the scenario is any less plausible than GM emerging from Chapter 11 with a fresh start to once again become a viable business. Both GM and the Rs had their chance to reboot and refocus this year, and both have kept to business-as-usual thanks to the Bush TARP decision. Besides, after the last eight years and given the current political tides, what else could Republicans rally around besides fiscal responsibility?
I think this clip is a perfect example of a “sound bite”. He really says nothing of substance.
what a corker!
Translation: I have more faith in GM than the car-buying public does.
He’s speaking like an “owner” now.
Good for him. People could learn a lot from his example.
Confront your detractors, ask some very difficult and perceptive questions, sensibility ask about the sustainability of the industry and above all else, ENGAGE with people.
Democracy is broken if you can’t take “the people” with you.
Wait till we get the film on Corker checking out this next bailout. Rumour is Bill Clinton is going to be the government Porn Czar.
“Porn industry seeks federal bailout”
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/01/07/porn-industry-seeks-federal-bailout/
OMG how can somebody blab like that non stop for 1:46.
dwford–
The 2.0 L turbo for Cobalt SS is assembled there, I know for sure.
It’s all given away when he says “I read 3 newspapers a day”.
Well, you may or may not know that all of the mass media is one entity that feeds the public what the global elite wants you to chew on.
A distraction so you don’t see what’s really going on.
As if GM really matters in the grand scheme of things.
As opposed to the banks.
Mr. Corker is merely a tool.
That video is from early 2007 when Spring Hill was still building the VUE and ION. Not sure if they still build Ecotecs there or not.
jkross22- not sure if Nissan is profitable, their sales are in the dumps as much as anybody, it’s worse in Japan.
The Opel plant is in Belgium, at least the one that builds the Astra.
davey49 is right. This is pre-bailout footage.
Mr.Niedermeyer, I enjoyed your article on Tennessee Senator Bob Corker. I would however like to point out a couple of inaccuracies in what was posted by some of your respondents. First of all I work at the GM Spring Hill Plant and I was there and actually participated in the discussions in the Plant with the Senator. This plant by the way is a state of the art plant that is world class in Quality and efficiency and was ranked #1 by Harbour and associates for productivity which put Spring Hill well ahead of the non union Toyota 4 cylinder Plant for 2006. We were not building Saturns at the time of Senator Corker’s April 2007 Visit, we were retooling the Vehicle Assembly Plant with state of the art flexible equipment that would make this facility the most versatile in North America. Now this was a significant investment in Senator Corker’s State of Tennessee that created alot of new jobs and showed GM’s Committment to Tennessee and they did not get coerced with 577 million dollars to make this investment like Volkswagon got in Corker’s backyard! Could this have had an impact on Corker’s Vote? Is this an antempt to break the union and draw first blood in the card check debate coming up for vote soon?
Senator Corker was most impressed with what he saw in his Spring Hill Visit which obviously was not what he expected and he said as much in the video that you featured! He was not expecting a world class production facility with Union members working efficiently with tremendous precision which had been honed through the numerous years of Saturn Training! He saw people that really cared about rebuilding America’s Trust in GM and the UAW! He said that when he was here and said that we had compiled one of the smartest work forces that he had ever seen!
Senator Corker could have used this experience and his other visits to manufacturing plants to positively influence the future of GM, Ford and Chrysler however he instead resorted to personal attacks at the hearings which were unnecessary to get the Senate’s or the American citizens Business completed! He also looked like a fool when he and Senator Shelby formed the Southern Railroad (aka Republican Caucus) to try to railroad us out of our jobs and then along comes President Bush who puts politics aside and passes the Bridge Loans! What a lost opportunity for our Tennessee Senator!
Two other points of clarification, this plant in Spring Hill Tennessee has built GM’s very fuel efficient world 4 cylinder engine since 2001 and currently ships engines to multiple countries including here in the US!
The assembly plant builds the all new segment leading crossover vehicle called the Chevrolet Traverse based off the Lamda platform. This vehicle has outstanding quality,interior capacity, safety features and is a fuel efficient vehicle.
In closing, you stated that the Republicans were somehow standing up for fiscal responsibility ! Thanks for giving me a chucle for today ! Has anyone been paying attention to the spending habits of this party for the last 8 years? Talk about Drunk and disorderly!! On top of that they have proven that they do not have a problem with double standards either! Like Corker in the Video, the double standards started right after Corker and his Southern Railroad Team gave away most of the 800 billion of TARP funds to the Wallsteet Bankers that did not get 1% of the questioning that the Automakers got, who were asking for a 15 Billion Dollar Loan! Then while telling the American Car Company Employees to cut their wages as part of the loan requirements, the Senators including Corker vote for a Raise for themselves of $4800 which became effective on January 1st of 2009. Sounds like an executive perk to me! Must be for the great job in running our country…Into Bankrupcy!
I appreciate the opportunity to share my views and I tremendously enjoy your website! Thank You! Please buy American !
I don’t either party has a monopoly on intelligence or careful spending habits. Its more of the elite vs the working man more than anything.
I think Corker asked some tough questions that the average guy (like me) was glad he asked. Yeah those questions amounted to a bit of a roast but seriously – these companies are having serious troubles and they don’t seem to want to change ANYTHING. They just want our money – it seems.
Appearances count for alot and I would have been alot more impressed if the head-honchos had taken it upon themselves to fly in together, carpooled together (if they REALLY wanted to drive), or simply flown commercial. Instead they seem blinded by the absurdity of their own choices.
You can’t beg Mom&Dad for some cash while you are texting your friends on your new $300 iPhone.
It’s absurd yet the Detroit leadership didn’t seem to recognize how asking for HUGE money while holding onto top level perks like private jets.
Detroit has some wonderful resources in its manpower and facilities but what it chooses to do with those resources are the important part.
GM builds DOZENS of “different” vehicles yet it is time and again unprepared for serious changes in the auto markets.
Recessions, energy spikes, etc.
They can’t seem to go slow and steady and build a repudation for innovation and quality. They miss some important turning point and then are instantly a couple years behind the curve while their competition simply brings products to the market that they were previously selling in other markets.
What I see are fits and starts. They get a good idea and build it and too many times before they get the bugs worked out they put it into production. If it has problems (Saturn CVT trannies in the VUE for example) then they quit and millions of dollars of development money out the window and go back 3-4 steps to something out of date like a four speed tranny. The other version is the plastic intake manifold that plagues various V-6 engines like my grandmother’s Buick. Would I buy a Buick after seeing the cost of impending repair? No. I’m going to likely look at yet another Honda (#7) while will likely be trouble free just like the other six (170K miles and counting on the current one). It’s not that the Buick had one fault but that this was a fault on several model years before it and also since. I had considered buying that car from her in a few years. Probably not anymore.
Detroit’s problems seem self-inflicted. I’ll point fingers at the whole industry there from the unions to the management.
Detroit CAN turn it around and I hope it does but will it make the necessary changes to make it happen? Will they make the products that people want to buy even though Detroit doesn’t seem interested it the products themselves?
I think the two domestics we’ll consider eventually will be the Astra 3-door or the Focus 5-door next time. They’ll get a look along with Mini, VW (after 7-8 VWs I’d buy another), and Honda Fit. Nothing small that Toyota makes is really my style these days.
Oh and howdy from 80 miles east.
Somebody mentioned the southern textile mills – maybe you could clue me in. Most everything I have ever read indicated that the mills aim was simply the highest profit and lowest labor costs so they located mills in the poorest parts of the south where unions were rare and state regulation was low. Folks would be happy to have the work so they wouldn’t complain as much as people elsewhere.
Once companies had other labor options (see NAFTA) they quickly left often devistating small towns which grew up around these textile mills. I could point out 4-5 around here that all closed about the same time NAFTA arrived on the books. And before you start pointing at Clinton for signing it – be sure to read up on it – politicians on BOTH sides of the aisle supported the plan.
The south is generally factory friendly. All goes pretty well until the unions arrive polarizing the work environment and then it is like anywhere else – complicated. Management vs labor. Cooperation and the sense of teamwork diminshes.
There are certainly plenty people here like anywhere else who will ruin a business and the labor in the name of a buck. I think it is most common when the management lives somewhere else and simply sees the locals as a commodity to simply use up. No direct connection to the place or the people.
I see the same forces at work in the case manufacturing sent to Mexico and China. People placing orders at a minimum price, quick turn around and no thought lives of the people tasked to do the work.
How does this relate to the automakers? I think much of America is in a race to the bottom. We are ALL guilty and no I don’t think I am painting with too wide a brush. Like many Americans who are in over their heads with debt b/c they could not differentiate their needs from their wants – America is having a hard time differentiating a cheap price from a good deal.
A good deal is what keeps us hard at work b/c we are buying from companies that make quality goods for fair prices. There seems to be plenty of cheap or quality but not so much quality at fair prices.
I’d certainly like to buy something made right here in America but I’m not going to buy a second rate product b/c somebody near the top is trying very, very hard to extract the absolute maximum profit at the expense of everything else (plastic gears vs aluminum for example in a tool for example).
And yes, I am working hard to reconcile this with my desire to own a quality vehicle that lasts and lasts (see Honda, not a traditional Detroit product).
Maybe we could get GM to build me another 1987 Honda Accord hatchback. Surely Honda would sell the design to GM cheap enough and GM could produce it in America…. Don’t even want them to update anything except the pollution controls.