posted on September 15, 2006 02:52:24 PM new
GEORGE SAYS THE ECONOMY IS GOOD,WE ARE WINNING HIS IRAQ INVASION,AFGHANISTAN IS A DEMOCRACY,THE SOUTHERN BORDERS ARE SECURE PLUS OUR PORTS ARE SECURE.
AFTER ALL JUST LOOK AT THE MILLIONS OF SIX AND SEVEN DOLLAR AN HOUR JOBS HE CREATED BY LEAVING OUR SOUTHERN BORDER OPEN!!!!
THE GOOD NEWS AND TRUTH IS ITS ONLY ABOUT 7 WEEKS UNTIL AMERICANS CAN START TAKING THEIR COUNTRY BACK. BACK FROM LOCK STEPPING CON-SERVATIVE LAWMAKERS THAT ARE WAGING WAR AGAINST THE MIDDLE AND WORKING CLASS AMERICAN.
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Ford to Cut More Jobs, Offer Worker Buyouts
By TOM KRISHER, AP
DETROIT (Sept. 15) - Ford is cutting more than 10,000 additional salaried jobs, offering buyouts to all of its 75,000 U.S. hourly workers and shutting down two more plants in a plan to end financial losses and remake itself into a smaller, more competitive car company.
"Turnarounds of this magnitude succeed when capacity and costs are aligned with a realistic expectation of demand," Chief Executive Alan Mulally said in a statement.
The announcement from Ford came as Chrysler's parent said it would cut U.S. production through end of 2006 and follows big cutbacks at General Motors earlier this year. The cuts are all due to consumers shifting from trucks and sport utility vehicles to smaller, more fuel efficient cars and crossovers, many made by Asian automakers.
The blue-collar cuts at Ford are another blow to organized labor which has been losing members as the auto industry reshapes itself amid fierce competition from lower-cost, non-union rivals.
But Wall Street didn't seem to be impressed with the long-awaited acceleration of the Ford restructuring plan. Ford shares tumbled nearly 10 percent by midmorning.
Ford Motor Co. said Friday it would shutter a stamping plant in Maumee, Ohio, in 2008 and its Essex engine plant in Windsor, Ontario, in 2007. That is in addition to previous plans for 14 plant closures.
It will also close an assembly plant in Norfolk, Va., in 2007, a year earlier than previously announced and will cut a shift in January. An assembly plant in St. Paul, Minn., which is scheduled to close in 2008, also will have a shift reduction in 2007.
Ford said it would complete its cuts of about 30,000 hourly jobs by the end of the 2008, four years ahead of its previous target. Ford also said it already had cut 4,000 salaried positions in the first quarter of this year.
The new cuts would reduce Ford's total North American work force by 29 percent, from the current level of about 130,000 to about 92,000 by the end of 2008. The salaried job cuts represent about a third of that work force.
Ford's method of slashing its work force is similar to cuts made earlier this year by larger rival General Motors Corp. At GM, 34,410 hourly workers have accepted buyouts or early retirement offers this year. Figures on white-collar cuts were not available.
Ford, GM and DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler unit are struggling with the need to reduce their so-called "legacy costs" of big pay and benefits packages for workers and retirees to compete more effectively with foreign automakers.
DaimlerChrysler said Friday its Chrysler division will make additional production cuts in the third and fourth quarters to reduce dealer inventories.
By 2008, Ford's North American factory capacity will be reduced by 26 percent compared to 2005 levels, the company said in the release.
It said the plan would cut about $5 billion in operating costs, mainly by offering early retirement and buyout packages to all hourly workers and to white-collar employees. Ford plans to expand buyout and early retirement offers worth up to $140,000 to the company's U.S. hourly work force of more than 75,000 as part of the plan.
"The simple fact is that the business model that served us in North America for decades no longer works," Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas, said during a morning teleconference.
Todd Wiech, a 46-year-old Ford worker in St. Paul, Minn., said he's wrestling with his options, which include the buyout, going back to school or trying to transfer to another Ford plant.
He said it wouldn't be easy to walk away from 18 years with the company.
"Myself - people that were hired in 1988 - it hits us pretty hard because we've got a lot of time invested with Ford and we're getting a little older to go out looking," said Wiech, whose daughter will graduate from high school in two years.
Ford said that by the end of 2008 it would close or sell all facilities that it took back as part of a bailout of Visteon Corp., a supplier that was spun off from the automaker.
Ford said it expects to achieve full-year profitability in its North American automotive operations no earlier than 2009. The company had previously pledged to make money in North America in 2008.
It also plans to suspend the quarterly dividend on its common and Class B stock in the fourth quarter of this year.
One Wall Street analyst said the revised turnaround plan did not go far enough.
Ron Tadross, analyst for Bank of America, said the plan "omits any bold steps to fix the business."
"We had hoped Ford would close additional assembly plants and make remaining ones highly more flexible, announce the exit-sale of several brands," and take other measures, he said.
Ford shares fell 90 cents, or 9.9 percent to $8.19 in midmorning trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Its shares have traded in a 52-week range of $6.06 to $10.09.
Ford lost $1.4 billion during the first half of this year and is under pressure from Wall Street to make further cuts and roll out new cars and trucks more quickly.
In July, the company pledged to accelerate its "Way Forward" restructuring plan, which when introduced in January called for the up to 30,000 job cuts as well as closing 14 facilities by 2012. The new cuts bring the total number of plant closures to 16.
"These actions have painful consequences for communities and many of our loyal employees," Executive Chairman Bill Ford said in the restructuring release. "But rapid shifts in consumer demand that affect our product mix and continued high prices for commodities mean we must continue working quickly and decisively to fix our business."
The company indicated that it is ready to accept a smaller slice of the market, focusing on profitable sales instead of sheer volume. It said that, with investments in new products and quality improvements, it expects market share of about 14 to 15 percent going forward.
This year, the company is forecasting Ford, Lincoln and Mercury market share in the low-16 percent range. The country's second-largest automaker has seen its market share decline steadily in recent years from about 26 percent in the early 1990s.
Ford also announced that a new full-size crossover based on the Fairlane wagon concept shown at the Detroit auto show in January 2005 would go on sale in 2008. A crossover is a vehicle with the roominess of an SUV, but built on a car platform. Ford said the Fairlane will be "a seven-passenger vehicle for modern families" and will be produced in Oakville, Ontario.
"The most important thing we do is to size our company and our capacity to the current demand and, on top of that, to continue to invest in the products and services - the cars and trucks - that the customers really, really want," Chief Executive Alan Mulally said. Mulally, who was named to the post last week, led a turnaround at the commercial jetmaking division of Boeing Co.
In another executive move, Ford said Thursday that Anne Stevens, an architect of the restructuring effort and one of the auto industry's highest ranking women, was retiring. Stevens, 57, had been at the center of Ford's turnaround efforts since October 2005, when she was named executive vice president.
The company also said it would roll out new or significantly upgraded cars and trucks in 70 percent of its Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands, expanding in growing areas such as car-based crossovers. At the same time, Ford said it will try to maintain its lead in the truck segment by introducing a new F-150 that will go on sale in 2008.
Ford has acknowledged a need for drastic changes in its product lineup. Like other U.S. automakers, its bottom line is heavily dependent on high-margin trucks and large SUVs, but recently consumer preferences have shifted toward more fuel-efficient vehicles. Ford says the speed of that shift caught it by surprise.
Associated Press Writers Sarah Karush in Detroit and Martiga Lohn in St. Paul, Minn., contributed to this report.
posted on September 16, 2006 11:48:35 AM new
If Ford is what you are basing your line of BS on, you have completely lost your arguement before you even state a thing.
Fords #1 problem is they simply didn't keep up with the times. The never improved their product and most people said, enough is enough and started buying from Toyota, Nissan, Honda and others simply because of quality. The same thing is happening to General Motors. This has absolutely nothing to do with our Government, but everything to do with the liberal unions that are so full of themselves. It's the liberal unions that have killed the likes of Ford and GM. Convincing the demomorons that nothing of quality can be built unless it is done by the unions, when the opposite holds true more often than not.
Bigdopa,
When you get a clue, please post it. Otherwise expect a lot more of the same.
Another garbage posting from the liberal propaganda terrorist bigdopa.
dishonorable dohhhh paaaaa, dishonorable dohhhh paaaaa, dishonorable dohhhh paaaaa, dishonorable dohhhh paaaaa, dishonorable dohhhh paaaaa, dishonorable dohhhh paaaaa, dishonorable dohhhh paaaaa, dishonorable dohhhh paaaaa.
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"Unfortunately there are levels of Stupid that just can't be cured!!" The new Demomoron motto.
posted on September 16, 2006 12:10:39 PM new
STONE,
I GUESS YOU DENY FORD,G.M. AND CHRYSLER ARE ALL HAVING A BAD TIME? ALL YOU CON-SERVATIVE REPUBLICANS DO IS DENY,DENY,DENY. I FEEL BAD FOR YOU CON-SERVATIVES, YOUR SIDE HAD IT ALL AND PROVED TO BE A FAILURE AND A DISASTER FOR AMERICA.
YOU NEO-CONS AREN'T ABLE TO CON ALL OF AMERICA ANY LONGER.
THE GOOD NEWS IS IN JUST 50 DAYS AMERICANS CAN START TAKING THEIR COUNTRY BACK. SEE YOU AT THE 11/07/2006 ELECTIONS.
posted on September 16, 2006 01:23:20 PM new
"I GUESS YOU DENY FORD,G.M. AND CHRYSLER ARE ALL HAVING A BAD TIME?"
He isnt denying the fact they are having a bad time you sh*t for brains, f*cking idiot-CAN YOU F*UCKING READ YOU HALF BRAIN ASSH*LE??
He just stated the reason they are having a bad time is they cant keep up with the times,they make sh*t which is why I'll never buy a Ford,Chrysler,or GM product-THEY ARE SH*T He also stated they're unions are killing them--CAN YOU READ YOU STUPID SIMPLETON???
Are you going to blame the government because Amercian manufacters cant produce a decent car???
BIG-
YOU
ARE
WITHOUT
A
DOUBT
THE
DUMBEST
BASTARD
THAT
EVER
POSTED
ON
THIS
BOARD.
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If you dont want to hear the truth....dont ask the question.
[ edited by classicrock000 on Sep 16, 2006 01:25 PM ]
posted on September 16, 2006 02:51:19 PM new
CLASSIC,
MY HEART GOES OUT TO THOSE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HARD WORKING AMERICANS THAT ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS BECAUSE OF BUSHY'S FAILED ECONOMY POLICIES. BUSHY COULD HAVE DONE A LOT OF THE AUTO INDUSTRY AND SAT BACK AND DID NOTHING. HE LET OTHER COUNTRIES IMPOSE UNFAIR TRADE POLICIES AND IMPORT TAXES ON AMERICAN PRODUCTS. BUSHY SAT BACK AND DID NOTHING BUT GIVE LIP SERVICE TO THE PROBLEM. BUSHY TALKS THE TALK BUT SURE AS HELL DOESN'T WALK THE WALK.
ALL THE NEO-CONS CAN DO AT THIS POINT IN TIME IS DENY,DENY,DENY THEIR FAILURES AND THEN DENY SOME MORE.
YOUR PROBLEM IS YOU NEO-CONS AREN'T ABLE TO CON AND LIE TO THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS ANY LONGER.
YOU LOSERS HAD YOU CHANCE. YOUR SIDE HAD IT ALL AND BLEW IT.
THE GOOD NEWS IS IN JUST ABOUT 50 DAYS AMERICANS CAN START TAKING THEIR COUNTRY BACK. SEE YOU AT THE 11/07/2006 ELECTIONS.
HEY CLASSIC, MORE "GOOD ECONOMY" LIES FROM BUSHY AND HIS GANG OF CROOKS. CHECK OUT THE FORECLOSURE RATES ON HOMES IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
CHECK OUT BUSHY'S PROMISE TO REDUCE OUR NATIONAL DEBT.
CHECKOUT NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND LOL. THAT IS A REAL JOKE AROUND HERE.
CHECK OUT BUSHY'S FAILED MISSION IN IRAQ. CHECK OUT THE DEAD AND WOUNDED AMERICANS BUSHY'S FAILED INVASION GAVE US. CHECK OUT THE MONEY AMERICAN TAX PAYERS ARE SPENDING BECAUSE OF BUSHY'S FAILED INVASION.
CHECK OUT BUSHY'S WAR AGAINST THE WORKING AND MIDDLE CLASS AMERICANS. BUSHY DOES NOTHING TO SEAL OUR SOUTHERN BORDER FOR YEARS. HE LETS MILLIONS OF ILLEGALS IN AMERICA FOR ONE REASON CHEAP LABOR.
CHECK OUT HOW MANY HOMES HAVE BEEN BUILT OR RE-BUILT USING ALREADY ALLOTTED FEDERAL MONEY ALL ALONG THE GULF COAST. CHECK OUT BUSHY PROGRESS DOWN SOUTH.
"YOUR DOIN A HECK OF A JOB BROWNIE"
CHECK OUT HOW YOUR REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS ARE FLIP FLOPPING OVER THIS FAILED CON-SEVATIVE EXPERIMENT IN GOVERNMENT.
CHECK OUT HOW MANY OF YOUR CON-SERVATIVE CROOKED LAWMAKERS HAVE GONE TO JAIL FOR MONEY CRIMES WITH A LOT MORE PIGGIES TO GO.
posted on September 16, 2006 02:59:56 PM new
All I can say is what I see where I live. The town I live in is bringing in more jobs than there has been for many years.They are building new factories,motels and other business. Other cities around me are hiring like crazy and also bringing in new jobs. One place I work hired 200 more last week. I got a $1.00 an hour raise last week so things are looking up for my household anyway.
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Two men sit behind bars,one sees mud the other sees stars.
posted on September 16, 2006 03:56:08 PM new
MAH645,
Please tell us where you live. We want to check out all the jobs and growth there. Plus if they pay a living wage.
I am glad you got a raise I hope it helps you live better.
One point you seem to be focused on is you are not looking very far from your backyard.
I am glad all is well in your back yard but what about the country as a whole? Our country as a whole is where a lot of work needs to be done.
If Americans only think of themselves this country was never built that way. If we all have the (me and mine) look out I fear our country will fail as we know it now.
What is good now might not be so good IN A COUPLE YEARS if America can't get control of issues like our National Debt and foreign trade policies.
I am not kidding when I say, sometimes I wounder why I give a s*hit. I am old being retired with enough to get by on. I have it made. I also see young people full of pride and a willingness to work being screwed.
I see college graduate's owning 70 or 80 thousand in loans that can't find a good job that pay enough to live and pay off the loans.
I have told the story before about the young Marine I know who couldn't find a good paying job. Sure he could find jobs that paid $7.00 an hour but was not good paying jobs for him. This Marine the last time I knew was in a drug rehab center.
As far as I am concerned if America wants to live under a government that does not follow the same laws you and I have to follow so be it.
If the truth be known I do have a lot better things to do than put up with sickos like stonecold and "ME" person like classic. Classic is setting on his fat azz retired, he has it made. Now besides trying to save baby seals have you ever heard Classic say he would like to help another human?
posted on September 17, 2006 08:24:34 PM newHE LET OTHER COUNTRIES IMPOSE UNFAIR TRADE POLICIES AND IMPORT TAXES ON AMERICAN PRODUCTS. BUSHY SAT BACK AND DID NOTHING BUT GIVE LIP SERVICE TO THE PROBLEM. BUSHY TALKS THE TALK BUT SURE AS HELL DOESN'T WALK THE WALK.
Are you really this f*cking stupid? You really think there is a trade problem with the good cars. Hey sh*t for brains. All those cars are being built right here in the good ole US of A. Nissan, Toyota, Honda and most others are building either most or all of their US sold vehicle in the USA. And those companies are booming right here in the good ole USA. Now that you have been proven wrong AGAIN, put a sock in it.
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"Unfortunately there are levels of Stupid that just can't be cured!!" The new Demomoron motto.
posted on September 18, 2006 07:29:14 AM new
Hello Stone & Classic,
Again you both prove your uninformed or in a constant state of denial about your failed government's trade policies.
Below is just one article on the subject look into it more and bring yourselves up to date. You will find there are several ways if we have strong leadership our trade polices would be much better.
I could post several articles but feel its up to the uninformed like you guys to educate themselves.
Isn't that what the con-servative NEO-CONS say. Don't they say something like "your life choices and education" determine your standing and income. Of course life choices and education determines things like if you live in a high crime neighborhood or not.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bayh calls for tariffs on Chinese imports
TIM HIGGINS
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
September 15, 2006
U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh told a room full of Iowa United Autoworkers Union members today he thinks the United States should impose tariffs on China if the country continues to keep its currency artificially low.
Bayh, of Indiana, who is considering a run for Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, was in Des Moines to speak at the group’s annual Community Outreach Program meeting.
His speech hit on themes Bayh has often brought to Iowa in recent months, the importance of protecting the middle-class in this country.
He said the U.S. government needs to stand up to foreign countries who practice unfair trade policies, such as China. He said China keeps its currency undervalued, in effect making its products cheaper in the U.S. economy and leaving U.S. companies at a disadvantage.
“Ordinarily I am not for tariffs but the time has come to slap a counter-ban tariff on goods made in China,” Bayh said to applause. “That’s not protectionism. … That’s common sense.”
He also pushed for greater attention to protecting intellectual property rights, noting that he’d recently read a report of a Chevrolet car design being copied in China and illegal reproduced.
This summer, the U.S. trade deficit with China was running 13 percent above where it was last year and Democrats have been quick to blame the Bush administration’s trade policy.
The president has been pressuring China to ease the currency restrictions and open its markets to more U.S. products.
Iowa is expected to kick off the Democratic nominating calendar with its presidential caucuses in early 2008. Bayh has said he will make a decision about whether to run after the Nov. 7 general elections.
UAW Region 4 director Dennis Williams of Chicago said he believed Bayh’s message plays well with his members.
“Senator Bayh is right on. We need real people in the White House,” he said.
Willie Acord of State Center agreed that Bayh’s message played well with the group. He said there’s real concern about the trade deficit.
“When I was growing up as a kid if you even tried to trade with a communist country, you were labeled a communist,” Acord said. “Now here we are indebted to China … and unfair trade practices. Why do we do this?”
posted on September 18, 2006 08:14:30 AM newToyota to rev up output, aims to pass GM
Toyota expanding as U.S.'s Big Three are reeling
TOKYO - Toyota Motor Corp. is quickening its quest to unseat ailing rival General Motors Corp. as the world's biggest automaker and widen its lead over Ford Motor Co. with reported plans to boost overseas production by 40 percent to 5 million vehicles by 2008 and blueprints for higher output in North America.
The news comes just days after Ford announced drastic steps to remold into a smaller, more competitive company, slashing thousands of jobs and shuttering two plants to cut costs. Ford's overhaul was aired just as DaimlerChrysler said it would cut U.S. production through the rest of 2006 and follows big cutbacks at GM earlier this year.
Toyota, by contrast, is planning to increase overseas production by 40 percent of its 2005 level to 5 million vehicles by 2008, Japan's Nihon Keizai newspaper reported Sunday, without saying how it got the information.
In North America alone, the world's largest auto market, the Japanese company intends to raise production by 20 percent to 1.84 million vehicles in that period, the business newspaper reported. The Toyota City-based company aims to meet the target with the help of new plants previously planned for Texas and Canada, it said.
The vastly different outlooks underline the diverging fates of Japanese and American automakers. While U.S. competitors are closing plants, letting workers go, and trimming production amid weak sales, Japanese manufacturers, including Toyota and Honda Motor Co., are posting record earnings and cranking output to keep up with demand.
In May, profit-rich Honda announced sweeping plans to spend $1.18 billion on new plants in the United States, Canada and Japan, and boost production to meet soaring sales of fuel-efficient models.
Nissan Motor Co. is meanwhile in talks with Renault SA over a possible alliance with GM to help bail out their Detroit rival.
Domestic production is seen rising to 4.15 million vehicles by 2008, bringing Toyota's global output to 9.1 million.
Toyota officials were not available for comment Sunday. But Toyota's robust earnings and sales have put it on track to surpass General Motors as the world's No. 1, analysts say. The only question is when.
GM, which lost $10.6 billion last year, launched a major restructuring in November 2005 that called for closing 12 plants by 2008, slashing its work force, reducing capacity and cutting costs. About 34,000 hourly workers have accepted buyouts or early retirement offers that were extended earlier this year, and the company cut 2,000 salaried workers.
According to figures released by GM earlier this month, the American automaker produced 9.05 million autos worldwide in 2005. Toyota produced 8.23 million worldwide that year.
Since being overtaken by Toyota in 2003, Ford is meanwhile falling farther behind.
Friday's cuts by Ford bring its total plant closures to 16, adding to 14 plants announced in a previous restructuring. Ford also said it would complete cuts of about 30,000 hourly jobs by the end of the 2008, four years ahead of its previous target.
That announcement coincided with more bad news from DaimlerChrysler, which said Friday its Chrysler division will make additional production cuts in the third and fourth quarters to reduce dealer inventories.
The Big Three, which rely more on light trucks for profits than their foreign competitors, have been hurt by declining sales of pickups as customers switch to more fuel-efficient vehicles. They are also struggling with the need to reduce so-called "legacy costs" of big pay and benefits packages for workers and retirees.
Despite its ambitious outlook, however, even Toyota recognizes no automaker is invincible.
Last month, Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe warned that his company could delay some new models as it tries to improve its quality control amid a spate of recalls. The glitches were partly due to efforts to cut costs by using the same parts across different models, but could do lasting damage to Toyota's reputation for reliability.
YOU SEE BIGDOPA, WHILE YOUR LIBERAL UNION BONE HEADS PUT THEIR COLLECTIVE HEADS IN THE SAND, THE NON-UNION FOLKS TAKE THE TIME TO FIND AND CORRECT PROBLEMS SO THEY WON'T BE PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE. THIS IS WHY GM, FORD AND CHRYSLER ARE IN TROUBLE. NOT BECAUSE OF SOME GOVERNMENT COVER UP.
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"Unfortunately there are levels of Stupid that just can't be cured!!" The new Demomoron motto.
posted on September 18, 2006 12:53:03 PM new
"Toyota, is planning to increase overseas production by 40 percent of its 2005 level to 5 million vehicles by 2008."
G.M.,Ford are now laying off about 70,000 workers that received a living wage. Does the 40% raise in overseas production give these people jobs? NO. Does the "proposed only new plants" help these 70,000 people NO!!!
LOOKS TO ME LIKE YOUR FAILED PRESIDENT GEO DUMBO BUSHY AND MOSTLY CURRENT REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS ALONG WITH A VERY FEW DEMOCRATS HELPED PUT OUR AUTO COMPANIES OUT OF BUSINESS. THEY WERE REALLY PROTECTING THEIR BUDDIES IN THE OIL BUSINESS. READ BELOW WHAT BUSHY DID IN 2001. ITS ALL ABOUT OIL BOYS AND GIRLS AND NOW THE REPUBLICAN S*IT HAS HIT THE FAN.
BUSHY HAS FAILED AMERICA AS A PRESIDENT NO OTHER WAY OF LOOKING AT IT. STONE MY DAD ONCE TOLD ME IF YOU GIVE INCOMPETENT CROOKED PEOPLE ENOUGH ROPE THEY HANG THEMSELVES. YOUR SIDE IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HIS SAYING AND ADVICE. THE DEMOCRATS HAVE STOOD BACK AND WATCHED YOUR SIDE HANG ITSELF. NOW ITS TIME FOR THEM TO GAIN POWER AND START FIXING YOUR SIDES BLUNDERS.
Resistant Lawmakers Now Back Higher Gas Mileage Standards
By Juliet Eilperin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, May 4, 2006; Page A05
Amid a growing public outcry over rising gasoline prices, several long-resistant lawmakers indicated yesterday that they may consider raising fuel economy standards for passenger cars for the first time in more than 30 years.
Though it remains unclear whether Congress will actually force automakers to produce more fuel-efficient fleets -- a company's car lineup must now average 27.5 miles per gallon, while many advocates support making it 33 mpg for both cars and light trucks by 2015 -- several House members who had opposed higher fuel economy requirements now say they back tougher standards.
The outcry over high gas prices is leading Congress to consider raising the fuel economy for the first time in years. (By Justin Sullivan --
The House may vote on the issue later this month when it considers legislation to grant the president greater authority to set CAFE (corporate average fuel economy) standards for passenger cars. In the Senate, Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) wrote the president on Tuesday that they "plan to consider all legislative options to strengthen fuel efficiency for cars and trucks."
Rep. Michael Bilirakis (Fla.), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, is one of several Republicans who now support tougher CAFE rules. In a hearing yesterday on the subject, Bilirakis pressed Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta on whether automakers have the technology to produce more efficient cars.
Mineta responded that manufacturers are already producing car fleets averaging about 30 mpg, 2.5 mpg above current requirements.
Bilirakis said carmakers have not taken advantage of existing technology, adding: "You realize of course, the pressure that we're under."
Bilirakis is not alone. GOP Reps. Michael N. Castle (Del.), John R. "Randy" Kuhl Jr. (N.Y.) and John E. Sweeney (N.Y.) have all switched their stance and now back stricter federal requirements. Kuhl changed his mind after he surveyed his constituents late last year: Of 4,000 respondents, 70 percent supported more stringent CAFE standards.
House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood L. Boehlert (R-N.Y.), who along with Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) has tried to raise CAFE standards to 33 mpg since 2001, said the political climate has shifted.
"The momentum is clearly on the side of the angels," said Boehlert, who ended his testimony before the Energy and Commerce Committee yesterday by delivering a slightly off-key rendition of the Ruby and the Romantics hit "Our Day Will Come."
But Boehlert and his allies still face a tough fight: Last year their proposal failed 254 to 177 in the House, while a similar Senate amendment lost by 67 to 28. A number of Democrats from auto-producing states, along with many Republicans, argue that stricter fuel efficiency standards could cost U.S. manufacturing jobs.
"We want to improve CAFE standards if at all possible and improve efficiency in a way that saves gasoline, but we don't want to, in doing that, drive the U.S. manufacturing automobile industry out of business," House Energy and Commerce Chairman Joe Barton (R-Tex.) said yesterday.
Congress initially set the passenger-car fuel economy standard in 1975 under President Gerald R. Ford, with the expectation that automakers would meet it in 10 years. President Bill Clinton added 0.2 miles per gallon to the requirement, but Congress then passed legislation starting in 1995 that blocked any further increase.
Bush persuaded Congress to lift the prohibition in 2001, and a National Academy of Sciences study that year concluded that a standard of 33 mpg was feasible and would not compromise passenger safety. But Bush has not pushed for such a change, instead opting last month to increase fuel economy standards for light trucks by an average of just under 2 mpg over four years. That move will save about 10.7 billion gallons of gas over two decades -- less than one month of current U.S. gasoline use.
The administration is now seeking authority from Congress to set stricter passenger-car efficiency standards: Barton's panel will take up that legislation next week. But Mineta cautioned the process could take a few years, and he could not say what target the administration would seek.
"If you're looking for a number, I wouldn't be able to pick a number out of the air," Mineta said at yesterday's hearing.
Markey, who said the administration already has the authority to increase the mileage requirement, said the standards he and Boehlert support -- which would save about 2.6 million barrels of oil a day by 2025 -- will only "come out of Congress." He added: "Members of this committee are feeling enormous pressure on this from constituents."
Republicans were still seeking a way yesterday to show the public they care about rising energy prices. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) said he was abandoning the idea of offering consumers a $100 gasoline rebate; Castle said he and other lawmakers "are looking for better measures."
"Reasonable CAFE standards are both achievable and valuable to a good energy policy," Castle said. "And I don't think there's any doubt CAFE would have an impact on the consumption of oil and gas in this country."
BUSHY IS BIG TIME ON LIP SERVICE AND LITTLE ELSE. SEE YOU GUYS AT THE ELECTIONS ON 11/07/06 YES!!!
LOOKS LIKE STONE YOU AND CLASSIC ARE CHEER LEADERS FOR JAPANESE AUTO COMPANIES AND WORKERS. I WILL CONTINUAL TO FIGHT FOR AMERICANS.
YOU REPUBLICANS TRYING TO BLAME ALL YOUR GOVERNMENTS FAILURES ON SOMETHING ELSE BESIDES YOUR FAILED GOVERNMENT. ISN'T WORKING ANY LONGER.
THIS FAITH BASED CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT HAD ALL THE ROPE THEY WANTED AND ALL YOU GUYS DID WITH IT IS HANG YOURSELVES.
[ edited by bigpeepa on Sep 18, 2006 01:21 PM ]
posted on September 18, 2006 08:59:26 PM new
That's right BIGDOPA, when you have been proven 100% wrong, change the subject. I guess that is what the demomoron party is all about. Change the subject when their failed leadership screws up time and time again.
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"Unfortunately there are levels of Stupid that just can't be cured!!" The new Demomoron motto.
posted on September 19, 2006 02:07:23 PM new
Hey stone, I didn't change any subject. I just showed one of many WAYS this LIP SERVICE DO NOTHING PRESIDENT COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING BUT DIDN'T.
DON'T FORGET HOW HIS BUDDIES IN THE OIL BUSINESS MADE RECORD PROFITS WHILE DUMBO SAT ON HIS THUMBS.
Like I said before you and classic can keep being Cheerleaders for the Japanese or other foreign companies and workers BUT DON'T COUNT ME IN. I WILL KEEP BEING A CHEERLEADER FOR AMERICANS.
BTW, you 2 put down American Cars. I am here to tell you through the years I have owned several Ford Pickups for business. All of the Fords when I was done with them had well over 200,000 miles on them. I never had an Engine or transmission go bad.
posted on September 19, 2006 03:10:05 PM new
Ok I can't resist here. Peepa, listen. The situation with US automakers isn't Bush's fault, and I dislike him as much as you do. I drive American pickups too. GMC's. My ranch trucks are ridden hard and put away wet. Foreign trucks don't really hold a candle to them for what I need, which is bed size and towing capacity. I pull a six horse trailer loaded with 10-12K pounds of horses and tack at least twice a month over long bad dirt roads. The new Nissan full sized truck ALMOST fits the bill for me, but it's not quite there yet. CARS on the other hand, are another matter. You give away your lack of knowlege on this subject when you ignore the fact that virtually all the major "import" cars in this country today are made right here in the U.S. by American citizens. What? Their jobs don't count? Do you suppose these evil Japanese corporations are underpaying their workers here? Do you suppose they're unhappy? If you suppose either, you're wrong. Toyota, Honda etc. employees in the US are some of the best paid and happiest corporate workers in the country. Study after study done by impartial groups bears this out.
These companies are not suffering the downturns Ford and GM are suffering because Americans like their products and want to buy them. If you think it's because they're keeping their prices lower due to underpaying their employees you're wrong again. Go price comparably equipped Chevy and Toyota models. You'll find the Toyotas are quite a bit more expensive and don't offer nearly the dealer incentives the Chevys do and yet Americans are buying the Toyotas and the Chevys are languishing on the dealer lots. The U.S. car manufacturers just plain don't get it and until they do, as far as I'm concerned, don't deserve any bailouts or government help. It's a sad fact of life that their employees are going to suffer, but I don't have a whole lot of sympathy for somebody who has made the kind of salary a Ford or GM line worker makes for any length of time who hasn't put away quite a bit for the inevitable downturn in U.S. car sales. It's happened a bunch of times before. Imports have been hammering the American car business for 40 years and Ford, GM, Chrysler et al have been hopelessly behind the curve for the bulk of those years in technological improvements, safety, fuel economy and cost reducing business models. Anybody with half a brain who went to work for the big three in the last 25 years should have known that their job was anything but secure.
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Grow your own Dope. Plant a Republican.
[ edited by profe51 on Sep 19, 2006 03:12 PM ]
posted on September 19, 2006 09:39:14 PM new
profe51,
O.K. we agree your G.M.C. fits your needs so doesn't my Ford fit my needs. That is not what I am talking about.
Now what really pisses me off about NEO-CON f*cks like stonecold and classic is there constant denial of any wrongs done by BUSHY AND HIS LOCK STEPPING CON-SERVATIVE LAWMAKERS.
In their minds BUSHY is a superman or like a second coming of Christ.
Yes, I do know "import" cars are made here in the U.S. and yes they employ American labor and yes those jobs help. Yes,I know they make good cars. But the profits those cars generate goes into building a bigger foreign companies and smaller American car company. Is that good for America I say no.
My point is below please listen to me now load and clear. What I am big time sick of hearing from mostly NEO-CON pricks like stone cold and classic is how anything that happens to American jobs is always poor management or the Unions are to blame.
You always put words in my mouth like a "bailout" I never said one word about bailouts period. I looking for a government that works for a balanced playing field for ALL AMERICANS.
The facts are Bushy and his republicans have flooded this country with cheap labor. Plus Bushy has sat back and done next to nothing but replace good paying jobs with lower paying jobs. He has set back and kissed China's Azz on their under valued money. He has set back and let American factories go off shore to avoid paying American taxes. I know you also realize this is true and I can go on but think you get my point.
My bottom line is this old boy is sick and tired of American NEO-CON'S condescending remarks about fellow Americans. Remarks like, well if the Union,if the company,if the worker were better education,if the worker made better choices in life,I could go on but I think you get my drift.
All this has been going on all the while BUSHY AND HIS LOCK STEPPING CON-SERVATIVE LAWMAKERS PRICKS sat on their thumbs and did nothing to help the American worker period. These same Prick lawmakers feed the rich all the while stripping the middle class of what little wealth they had. I am not looking for bailouts I am looking for a government that makes a fair and balanced playing field for the American worker.
The American working person has been being screwed for the entire time Bush has been in office you can not deny that!
If you don't understand that I am not nearly as uninformed as you think I am, or are you as informed as you think you are.
The good news for the MAJORITY in America is that the 11/07/06 elections are getting closer everyday.
posted on September 19, 2006 09:42:14 PM newAll of the Fords when I was done with them had well over 200,000 miles on them. I never had an Engine or transmission go bad.
Yawn....
For one, when you get to 500,000 talk to me. I see Nissans come through my door everyday with well over 300,000 just to have their normal oil change and that's it.
A Ford with 200,000 and no Trans work. Count your blessings as you are the exception to the rule. How many window switches have you put in? How about blower motors? Done a heater core lately? How about ignition locks? All of these, Ford has an over 25% failure rate. That's the problem. Nissan and Toyota sit well under 2% for the same items.
Until you have worked for both, which I have, you will never understand.
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"Unfortunately there are levels of Stupid that just can't be cured!!" The new Demomoron motto.
posted on September 20, 2006 04:57:17 AM new
F.O.R.D.=FIX OR REPAIR DAILY
F.O.R.D.=FOUND ON ROAD DEAD
I have a 1997 Chevy Cavalier.At 55,000 Im overheating.I took it to the dealer and he told me there was anti-freeze leaking into the engine.WTF?? I have never heard of this.I'll be the first one to admit I know NOTHING about fixing cars.This cost me $1100 to fix this peice of junk.Low and behold exactly 55,000 miles later at 110,000 the same thing happens again.Cant tell ya how pissed I was.Its around 1,000 to fix it AGAIN. I havent reached the 3rd 55,000 marker yet and I doubt if I'll have the car that long.I can tell you one thing-the next vehicle I get wont be a GM product.It will probably be a Honda.
Stone-since I know you work with vehicles,did you ever hear of this happening?.When this happened, I asked a lot people and they never heard of it happening either.
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If you dont want to hear the truth....dont ask the question.
posted on September 20, 2006 05:41:53 AM new
antifreeze in the engine is often a blown head gasket or worse...your engine oil will look like Hershey's syrup, but I'm no mechanic to be sure....we used to have an 84 Toyota 4x4 pickup around here that we traded a generator for, used it pulling stumps and hauling stuff around the place, it had a homemade flatbed..it finally blew a head gasket at 400K miles and wasn't worth fixing. The guy I sold it to fixed it and it's still on the road. God knows how many miles are on that truck now.
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Grow your own Dope. Plant a Republican.
posted on September 20, 2006 06:20:20 AM new
stone and classic, I CAN SHOW YOU BOTH WHERE TIME AFTER TIME BUSHY AND HIS LOCK STEPPING REPUBLICAN CONGRESS HURT THE AMERICAN MIDDLE AND WORKING CLASS.
Now what really pisses me off about NEO-CON f*cks like stonecold and classic is there constant denial of any wrongs done by BUSHY AND HIS LOCK STEPPING CON-SERVATIVE LAWMAKERS.
I WANT A GOVERNMENT THAT MAKES A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL AMERICANS NOT JUST A SELECT FEW. NEO-CONS LIKE STONE AND CLASSIC JUST DON'T GET IT. IT GOES OVER THEIR ABILITY TO THINK AND UNDERSTAND THIS POST ISN'T JUST ABOUT CARS.
I WILL SEE YOU AT THE 11/07/06 ELECTIONS
Bush persuaded Congress to lift the prohibition in 2001, and a National Academy of Sciences study that year concluded that a standard of 33 mpg was feasible and would not compromise passenger safety. But Bush has not pushed for such a change, instead opting last month to increase fuel economy standards for light trucks by an average of just under 2 mpg over four years. That move will save about 10.7 billion gallons of gas over two decades -- less than one month of current U.S. gasoline use.
BETTER GAS MILEAGE WOULD HAVE MADE U.S. CARS MORE COMPETITIVE AND THE U.S. LESS DEPENDANT IN FOREIGN OIL. BUSHY AND THE REPUBLICANS DIDN'T CARE THEY ONLY MADE SURE THEIR OIL BUDDIES MADE RECORDS PROFITS. REMEMBER THAT WHEN VOTING ON 11/07/2006
posted on September 20, 2006 10:25:41 AM new
That's right bigdopa. Change the subject again when you are losing the argument. Too bad you are such a waste of good skin.
Classic, Stone-since I know you work with vehicles,did you ever hear of this happening?.
This is very common on GM vehicles, and it's not just that engine. And you got by cheap. Most of the time, not only do they go through head gaskets, but the crack the heads too. The will about double your costs.
What all of the big three need to do is put their collective ego's on the shelf and take a good look at what companies are doing. It is an additude. If you remember the movie "Gung Ho" where Michael Keaton is leading the Japanese Auto Manufactures Union, there was an argument between one of the workers and one of the plants managers. The manager had noticed that the car wasn't being put together quite correctly and told the worker to fix it. The UNION worker said, "Let the dealer fix it." And their lies the problem. The big three's additude is let the dealer fix it (meaning after the customer buys it and has to bring it back to have it fixed). Whereas the manager wanted it fixed before it would be delivered to the dealer so the customer doesn't have to take it in to have it fixed (like with Toyota and Nissan). Even though that was a movie, it is still typical of what happens at the big three that you don't see at the others.
It does go higher than that too. The engineers also need to put their collective ego's on the shelf. Quit using course metric fasteners and start using standard metric fasteners. Tighten the tolerances of the engines and transmissions. Just fpr starters.
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"Unfortunately there are levels of Stupid that just can't be cured!!" The new Demomoron motto.
posted on September 20, 2006 01:24:36 PM new
STONE,
No subject change from me I just pointed out one of many ways BUSHY could have helped the American Auto and didn't.
As far as an argument with you NEO-CONS go. There is nothing to win or lose because who can believe a word you LIARS say.
WHEN VOTING STAND UP LIKE THE PEOPLE OF HUNGARY ARE DOING AND KICK THE LIARS OUT OF POWER ON 11/07/2006.
posted on September 20, 2006 01:48:56 PM new
"No subject change from me I just pointed out one of many ways BUSHY could have helped the American Auto and didn't."
Why should he? Is he supposed to bail out every company that goes under because their inept?
Besides that, what would you have him do??
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If you dont want to hear the truth....dont ask the question.
posted on September 21, 2006 08:49:45 AM newFord to Cut More Jobs, Offer Worker Buyouts
IT GOES OVER THEIR ABILITY TO THINK AND UNDERSTAND THIS POST ISN'T JUST ABOUT CARS.
Hey bigdopa,
You say you didn't change the subject. But yet, you are the one who started this thread with your total lies and now that you have been proven WRONG, your back pedaling. YOU HAVE NO CREDIBILITY WHAT-SO-EVER. THAT'S WHY YOU ARE THE DIS-HONORABLE DOPA.
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"Unfortunately there are levels of Stupid that just can't be cured!!" The new Demomoron motto.
posted on September 21, 2006 11:44:11 AM new
stone,
My heading is "GEORGE SAYS THE ECONOMY IS GOOD" its not all about cars.
Have you checked the latest economic indicators today? Like I said stone-head its not all about cars.
GEORGE BUSHY'S GOVERNMENT USES AN ACCOUNTING SYSTEM LIKE ENRON'S. REMEMBER BUSHY'S BUDDY "KENNY BOY LAY"?
LETS ALL SUPPORT THE PEOPLE OF HUNGARY WITH THEIR EFFORTS TO THROW LIARS OUT OF ELECTED POLITICAL OFFICE AT THE 11/07/2006 U.S. ELECTIONS. LETS SAY BYE BYE TO NEO-CONS.
posted on September 22, 2006 08:36:38 PM new
I live in the Liberty Kentucky area. There is a man named Tater (no joke) who has the biggest gate factory around and also has money. He is putting in a new mobile home park and is going to put in all the other business I mentioned above. The town that has the money people in this area is Danville. I don't think you would find any news about towns in Kentucky other than the very large ones.
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Two men sit behind bars,one sees mud the other sees stars.
posted on September 30, 2006 07:52:56 PM new
And on the posted liberal MSM news article about gasoline prices....I don't see them being an issue next month in the elections either.
Ah....poor liberals LOSING another area they wanted to use against this administration. Poor babies.
Within a 75-100 miles range of where I live...gasoline prices have dropped considerably. From a high of $3.15 to todays price of $2.12.
While the democratic party complains about everything THIS President does to protect our Nation:
What would a Democrat president have done at that point? Apparently, the answer is: Sit back and wait for the next terrorist attack.
Ann Coulter
posted on October 1, 2006 08:42:02 AM new
"I live in the Liberty Kentucky area. There is a man named Tater (no joke) who has the biggest gate factory around and also has money. He is putting in a new mobile home park"
Being the fact this is from Kentucky,why am I not surprised at that sentence??
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If you dont want to hear the truth....dont ask the question.
