[PRCo] Re: Gazzz

[Edward H. Lybarger]

The complete quote was "What's good for General Motors is good for the
country, and vice versa."  Charles Wilson (Eisenhower's Defense Secretary)
spoke it, but few people include the last three words because it sounds
greedier without them.

Ed

-----Original Message-----
From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
[mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org]On Behalf Of
hwandrews at wowway.com
Sent: Monday, November 21, 2005 9:43 AM
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Gazzz



I believe the saying goes:



"What's good for GM is good for the Country"



And, if I remember my history correctly it was uttered by a GM P= resident
ina congressional hearing.



On a serious note=85 I 'escaped' the Steel Industry in the 1970'= s to join
the Auto Industry (out of the frying pan and into the fire?).=A0 I currently
work for Ford Motor Co= mpany and the current problems worry me but don't
alarm me.



Remember =96 the US = auto industry has been on the ropes before, 1974 with
the oil embargo (will= the last one out of Detroit= turn = off the lights!)
and 1981 recession which was really a depression for us he= re in Detroit= .




The Steel Industry disappeared for many reasons including: outda= ted
plants,environmental laws, foreign dumping, outdated labor agreements,=
greedy management, etc. (put them in what every order you political leanin=
gs want them in).=A0



My point being =96 the Auto Industry is not the Steel Industry.=A0 We have
the advantage that our = plants are keep current, we are international, we
are working to get the la= bor agreements we need and management, at least
atFord today, isn't totall= y greedy =96 William Clay isn't taking a salary
right now.=A0 So, I believe the Auto industry will survive = =96 maybe much
smaller than it is today.



The real question in my mind is will the US = economy survive?=A0 Unless we
as a= nation start emphasizing economic growth and improved education we
faceth= e real possibility of becoming a 'has been' super power just like
Britain= , France and the USSR.



Howard And= rews



On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 08:19:20 -0500, Dietrich, Rober= t J. wrote=20
>Geez Jim you must be from Texas! =A0Where I come from the old sa= ying=20
>was """As steel goes, so goes the country"&q= uot;". =A0:-)=20
>=20
>-----Original Message-----=20
>From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org=20
>[mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org] On Behalf= Of=20
>James B. Holland=20
>Sent: Sunday, November 20, 2005 11:09 PM=20
>To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org=20
>Subject: [PRCo] Re: Gazzz=20
>=20
>The Old Sayin' used to be:=20
>=20
>"""As GM goes, So Goes The Country""&qu= ot;=20
>=20
>Very Interesting Observations, Bill!!=20
>=20
>While the Investing World is watching High-Tech companies and th= e
future=20
>=20
>seems to be centered around computers, Autos Still Drive The Eco= nomy,=20
>=A0 to=20
>=20
>use a phrase. =A0 =A0 =A0 The Big =A0*-D-* =A0*-may-* =A0 be in = the
process =A0--=20
>=A0I hope I am wrong but History Does Repeat. =A0 =A0 =A0 GM and= USA
auto=20
>industry have slid some already in the past couple decades compa= red=20
>to Japanese autos and appear poised to slide much further =A0 = =A0---- =A0
=A0=20
>some see the possibility of GM filing bankruptcy!!! =A0 =A0 =A0 = Can't=20
>happen today(??) =A0 =A0=20
>---- =A0 =A0over simplistic, but this is definitely one of the r= easons
it=20
>can! =A0 =A0 =A0 Hope I am wrong but I believe we are just seein= g the
tip=20
>of the iceberg on the downside.=20
>=20
>Bill Robb wrote:=20
>.=20
>=20
>>There may be a fundamental change in the economy occurring.= We have=20
>>seen high gas prices for two summers in a row. It's been ca= used by=20
>>somewhat uncontrollable factors. Auto makers are faced with= suppliers=20
>>going bankrupt. Last time something like this happened was = when many=20
>>of the manufacturing jobs disappeared in the late 80s and e= arly 90s.=20
>>It'll be interesting to see what happens to gas prices next= summer=20
>>=20
>>Not too long ago I was in a local cafe and one of most prom= inent
local=20
>=20
>>car dealers was there. He was very publicly telling another= business=20
>>man that business is much harder than it used to be. Cars l= ast longer=20

>>(usually about seven years), people keep their cars longer = and the=20
>>auto companies don't even seem to make money making cars an= y longer.=20
>>GM makes more money on financing than auto sales. As gas pr= ices kill=20
>>SUV and truck sales and the huge SUV profits disappear it c= an only
get=20
>=20
>>worse.=20
>>=20
>>I recently read an article suggesting the reason that troll= eys=20
>>disappeared from the scene was that they did not have the p= rofit=20
>>potential that autos, road building, gas refineries, auto i= nsurance,=20
>>and hospitality facilities brought to the economy. Macro ec= onomics=20
>>killed the trolleys. The car culture provided more employme= nt and=20
>>wealth creation opportunities than the efficient networks o= f
trolleys.=20
>>=20
>>Now the car culture that supports much of the economy could= be on life=20

>=20
>>support.=20
>>=20
>>Bill Robb=20
>>=20
>>=20
>>>Fred Schneider wrote:=20
>>>.=20
>>>=20
>>>>.......Suggested solutions are to tax people by the= miles they drive=20

>=20
>>>>instead of the gasoline consumed, start a campaign = to get people to=20

>>>>drive more and to discourage the use of mass transi= t.=20
>>>=20
>=20
>Jim__Holland=20
>=20
>I__Like__Ike.......And__PCCs!!=20
>=20
>down with pantographs ---- UP___WITH___TROLLEYPOLES!!!!!!!=20


Thanks,=20
Howard Andrews=20