Gov(s) Granholm & Rendell vs Sanford & Pawlenty

[javero]

Posted: 2/23/09 at 12:24pm

Forget about the DC policy wonks, White House spokesman and the awfulness known as Pelosi, Reid and Boehner. Just let the governors and mayors make the case before the American public about the merits or ludicrosy of the record amount of federal assistance that the private sector, homeowners, states and municipalities are seeking.

Yesterday, the governors of MI, PA, SC and MN appeared on Fox News Sunday hosted by Chris Wallace. The most engaging and riveting debate ensued. The link below points to a segment in which they debated the need for further federal assistance for the big 3.

I'm somewhat torn because Governor Jennifer Granholm of MI made some really compelling arguments in favor of another big 3 megaloan which appeals to my blue collar upbringing but if we shift any further left as a nation, we might as well amend the Consitution so that Hugo Chavez would be eligible to run for POTUS.

PS: The entire transcript is available at http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,498265,00.html

four sharp governors debating auto industry fed loan

Updated On: 2/23/09 at 12:24 PM

[Yawper]

Posted: 2/23/09 at 1:00pm

The Republicans obviously hadn't read the companies' restructuring plans. Granholm missed an opportunity to score on the retirees' health care issue - retiree health care will be off the automakers' backs and administered by the union starting in 2010. Also, Bush didn't grant GM the full amount they initially requested so the charge of them coming back for 'more' in that regard is bogus.

The UAW has made concessions up the @ss. Bondholders and banks - not so much.

It's laughable that anyone suggests textiles are furniture making have been restored to and even surpassed previous levels in the US.

This country needs to establish Fair Trade policies, not Free Trade policies, because allowing a wide-open US market has been as damaging to our manufacturing sector as deregulation has been to the financial sector.

The foreign manufacturers are really playing politics here. They've been laying off people everywhere else in the world before they touch US workers because they know if they cut too much here there will be a backlash. BMW (as the company mentioned in the Governors' discussion) just jammed workers in the UK, giving 850 employees a mere one hour notice, while asking for assistance there - http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/engineering/article5748793.ece - and they are also in line for assistance in Germany and have laid off 26,000 there.