[PRCo] Re: Gazzz

[hwandrews at wowway.com]

Thanks Ed...  even as part of the Auto Industry I forgot the last 3 word!

Howard

On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 09:42:12 -0500, Edward H. Lybarger wrote
> 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 plants,environmental laws, foreign dumping, outdated labor 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


Thanks,
Howard Andrews