Fair enough. At the congressional bailout hearings, Tennessee Senator Robert Corker gave Chrysler and GM CEOs major NSFW for running their business with all the efficiency of a federal agency. (And Corker should know.) We haven’t seen such public humiliation of powerful people since the Kefauver Committee raked the mob over the coals in 1950/51. Yes, well, who’s crying now? GM’s Spring Hill plant is on Corker’s patch; as we reported earlier it’s running at 24 percent of capacity (building the fourth Lambda platform Chevy Traverse). Corker knows the Presidential Task Force on Automobiles has the ex-Saturn plant in its sights; he’s claiming it makes rational business sense to keep Spring Hill open. Yeah, right. And good on the Detroit Free Press for not gloating. “This week, Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee continued his campaign to keep Spring Hill open, saying if politics is left out of the equation by the Obama administration, as he hopes, the plant and its 3,000 workers should survive. The evidence to the contrary is significant . . .”
A newer plant in Lansing is already producing three other vehicles on that same platform. And Lansing is much closer to suppliers than Tennessee.
Add to that the fact that larger trucks, SUVs and CUVs like the Traverse could take a hit if Obama’s auto team demands a more aggressive move to fuel-efficient sedans.
Uh-huh.
In fairness to Corker, Obama already has gone so far as to force GM’s Rick Wagoner out as CEO. But there’s no indication the White House intends to decide specifically which plants stay open or close — or that if it does so, politics, such as whether a state voted for Obama or not or the sway of a given state’s congressional delegation with the administration, would play a role.
An administration official dismissed the notion this week.
Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said it’s more likely members of Congress will try to protect plants in their districts through earmarks or legislation.
“Corker’s just assuming the president is doing what he would do,” she said. “The president has wider concerns.”
Zing!
unintended consequences
A two-faced politician? I’m shocked.
Shoe, meet other foot…other foot, meet shoe….I’m being flippant-I actually believe Corker cares about doing what’s right for the automakers, his state and the country but when faced with the reality of losing 3000 GM jobs and even more indirect jobs within his own state he sure has found religion about keeping plants open. Funny how that happens.
Quote “But there’s no indication the White House intends to decide specifically which plants stay open or close” I mildly disagree. The White House and the Presidential Auto Task Force have clearly recommended/hinted/suggested/nudged what brands to be shuttered, sold, or liquidated. I don’t think that same White House is so naive as to believe the their suggesting of what brands to eliminate, sell or liquidate will not determine what plants will be closing. If they don’t know-they’re not paying attention.
No sympathy for Corker. He’s a sleazy opportunistic politician (newsflash, I know). Ran the filthiest campaign I’ve ever seen.
Here’s an idea: Term Limits.
With term limits on politicians, lobbyists of all types and stripes lose their power. Some of them might even move out of DC, the most unhealthiest place in the entire country.
Oh dear. Politics. Well, in my books,
Begin politics
even more important and effective than term limits would be to have free TV ad time. The American people tend to forget, but the airwaves Belong To Them. The TV station license not only given away for a pittance, but allow the licensee to print money. It would hardly be a hit on them at all for the stations to host campaign ads free…and then we could get the largest single financial drain on campaigning (and one that makes it hardest for challengers to do natural term limits) off the balance sheet. A politician who didn’t have to fundrase the second (s)he hit office and who wasn’t beholden to contributors could be much more honest.
End politics
In a democracy the guy with the most votes gets the job.Voters then figure they have a say in government decisions.
Wouldn’t it be great if it worked that way?
This is why government should be kept small. Then they wouldn’t have the money to first mess up the economy and then the ability to make pretend money to mess it up more while attempting to fix the economy.
Joe Biden tried to keep the Newark assembly Chrysler plant open when he was still a senator. Now that he has the Veep gig it’s probably not that important to him.
I don’t fault a representative for fighting to keep jobs in their state or area. At least it is a local thing. They do more damage when they try to affect things outside, way outside their areas.
But the Spring Hill plant is toast and should be retired. What a shame. The workers might find work at the Honda plant in Ohio or Nissan in Kentucky. Or even totally different jobs in Tennessee. Unlike some areas, car assembly is not the only thing they do in Tennessee.
Corker will make this political, even though it isn’t.
Keeping SH open running at 24% makes no sense. This is as solidly grounded in business principles as you could ask for. Delta Twp assembly is newer, more efficient, closer to suppliers, is also below capacity, and is already making 3 of the Lambda versions.
Corker can still allege that it’s a political decision, and the BO haters will take it as a given.
As a Senator, Corker should realize that deep down and long term, Tennessee is better off without any UAW plants.
As a Senator, Corker should realize that deep down and long term, Tennessee is better off without any UAW plants.
Deep down, every state (MI, AL, TN) needs to realize that providing incentives for any kind of manufacturing facility is somewhat of a waste. Seems to me that TN gives too much $$ to companies suchh as VW to build plants that may only stick around for 20 years.
There’s a saying about politicians: where they stand depends on where they sit.
And in all fairness to Coker, his constituents (a.k.a. voters) almost surely simultaneously hold contradictory ideas as well: cut spending while spending more for any program I like.
Another reason to hand the GM mess over to a bankruptcy judge.
In the end everyone loves it when money comes to town from another part of the country. Human nature is to take the free cheese. Many people profess to being above this petty stuff but if you’re looking at no job, selling your house and everything in it, and moving in with relatives next year, you’ll take whatever you can get.
Even running a plant at 1/4 capacity making widgets.