Thrift Maven

Ford a Likely Survivor of the Auto Industry Crisis

Ford has those wonderful trucks - from 150's to the huge tow trucks - plus police cars and terrific small trucks for businesses and cars for the rental industry. Their styles are picking up. I am seeing more and more of their small trucks in our neighborhood. They are on the right page with alternative energy vehicles.

Years ago, Grandfather ran into Henry Ford while walking in Manhattan. Ford asked him if he would like to put $1,000 into a car manufacturing company he was starting. Coulda, shoulda. Ford is cheap today.

Should We Really Bail Out the Big Three Automakers with $73.20 Per Hour Labor?

Just how long do these people have to work under questionable conditions to get to $73.20 per hour? Probably twelve years.

Who do you think is going to buy the crap at Wal-Mart, Circuit City, Mervyns, Best Buy, etc., if they are not paid? If the GOP masters of the universe had not begun the downward spiral in wages in the Reagan years, (and continued them for the past 28 years), our nation would not be in the abyss it is now.

Auto Industry Business Model Needs a Major Overhaul

The three trillion spent on the Iraq War could have purchased
139,000,000 hybrid automobiles and cut automobile gasoline use in half. Not to mention air pollution.

One of the FDR braintrust people suggested that in order to bring about a major good change in America, one had to bribe 51% of the people. This could easily be done in the name of economic sanity. It might even appeal to Americans. Subsidies and tax breaks for people buying hybrids, etc. Plus - money saved on gasoline would flow into all local economies and lift all boats: local businesses and local employment, municipalities and states.