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  • Stone Fox C...: 
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  • Stone Fox Capital
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  • stonefoxcapital.blog...
  Do we really need a US owned industry? We of couse need domestically made vehicles to retain the knowledge/manufacturing based in case of a war. But why couldn't we utilize Honda/Toyota factories in the US instead of GM? With Detriot now owned by the UAW, do we really want to rely on that?

  May 01 05:15 PM | Link | Reply
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  • coloneldebu...: 
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  More specifically, Detroit is now owned by the UAW retiree's health insurance fund. Those UAW scumbags found a way to ditch that financial burden once Chrysler fails for good.
  
  
  On May 01 05:15 PM Stone Fox Capital wrote:
  
  > Do we really need a US owned industry? We of couse need domestically
  > made vehicles to retain the knowledge/manufacturing based in case
  > of a war. But why couldn't we utilize Honda/Toyota factories in the
  > US instead of GM? With Detriot now owned by the UAW, do we really
  > want to rely on that?

  May 01 05:18 PM | Link | Reply
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  • Neil459: 
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  • perceptivemind.com
  I do not think this floats. The way the Japanese work, all of the technical knowledge will be in Japan. If we enter a war, we cannot depend on having access to the knowledge. All we will have for sure is a bunch of robots and welders whose programs have been erased. Not sure how much good that will do.
  
  On May 01 05:15 PM Stone Fox Capital wrote:
  > Do we really need a US owned industry? We of couse need domestically
  > made vehicles to retain the knowledge/manufacturing based in case
  > of a war. But why couldn't we utilize Honda/Toyota factories in the
  > US instead of GM? With Detriot now owned by the UAW, do we really
  > want to rely on that?

  May 01 05:42 PM | Link | Reply
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  • The Geoffster: 
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  Ben Stein argued at the time of the initial bailout that the auto industry was a critical defense industry in time of war. Certainly, national defense considerations should be paramount assuming they are legitimate. Congress is always trying to save defense platforms the Pentagon no longer wants. Jobs equal reelection. Just imagine an Abrams tank with an electric motor!

  May 01 08:46 PM | Link | Reply
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  • huskerbob: 
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  Isreal seems to do just fine without a massive domestic auto industry, and their neighbors are a more immediate threat than ours.
  "We of couse need domestically made vehicles... in case of war."
  What war are we talking about? Are Chrysler and Chevy a huge help in Afghanistan and Iraq? Can anyone imagine a scenario where we need to mobilize the economy to fight a war?
  We can't fight a country with nukes or biological weapons or any of their allies unless we are not going to worry about having wmd's used against us. The remaining countries are so weak and isolated that it would not require us to mobilize our entire economy when we find an excuse to invade.

  May 01 10:23 PM | Link | Reply
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  • JPPennypacker: 
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  I remember watching the quality film Stripes starring Bill Murray where the EM50 Urban Assault Vehicle played a prominent role in the plot. I am not sure if that was manufactured by Chrysler. Perhaps Chrysler and Mr. Nardelli could find military applications for some of the brands besides Jeep. Maybe a PT cruiser with built in 50 caliber and rocket launcher could help maintain the fragile balance of power in the middle east.

  May 02 02:11 PM | Link | Reply
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  • john s. gordon: 
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  if we are going to continue to fight wars we require a viable industrial base in u.s.a.
  an automobile/truck/combat vehicle capability (including a complete array of components to make these) is an essential part of a viable industrial base.
  remember - in the 1942 war GM made TBM's in tarrytown NY, all parts were interchangeable with the TBF made by grumman.
  chrysler got a govt loan in the 1980's because they built tanks for the u.s army & the defense dept didn't want the warren MI plant to shut down. today the plant is operated by general dynamics.
  i have done industrial-base engineering work for the u.s army materiel command, it is a continuing problem for the army to find domestic sources for certain items. also there is the problem of counterfeit bolts etc. coming in from china, taiwan, wherever - - not desirable to have you tank tread come apart during combat.
  > jack

  May 18 09:09 AM | Link | Reply