Day: May 6, 2008

New GM Strike UpDate

This walkout, coupled with a continuing strike at its Lansing Delta Township crossover assembly plant, could drain the automaker’s inventory of its fastest-selling car and crossovers in as little as a month.

Industry experts say the work stoppages put the union in a position of power.

The UAW, negotiating local contracts at both plants, is hitting GM at two of its most important North America plants in a move that some say is meant to press GM to facilitate resolution of the American Axle & Manufacturing Inc. strike.

UAW President Ron Gettelfinger has said the strikes are about local issues not American Axle. And union leaders in Kansas City, Kan., said they walked out because the union and GM remain “far apart” on a variety of local contract issues, including seniority, job selection and the use of outside contractors.

My question is:  Has the Unions finally grown cajones?  Time will tell!

American Axel UpDate #3

With the UAW strike at American Axle starting its 11th week today, the two sides continued talks on Monday to hammer out specifics on the economic issues at the heart of the dispute.

Kevin Donovan, a UAW assistant regional director, would only say Monday that negotiations are continuing.

Last week, details emerged of the framework of a potential deal, including a wage structure ranging from $14 to $25.50 per hour, in exchange for buy-downs of $90,000 as well as buyout offers of $140,000.

American Axle spokeswoman Renee Rogers said that while progress is being made, there is still a economic gap that the two sides are addressing.

“Currently the UAW proposals are significantly higher than the market competitive labor agreement they’ve given to our U.S. competition,” Rogers said.

Bill Alford, incoming president and current vice president at UAW Local 235, said Monday: “We are just trying to get a fair contract and we want to get back to work as soon as possible, and we hope the company can see that.”

Also word has come out that the foraging plant near Buffalo, NY will most likely be closing.

Bill Clinton Finds His Groove

I have read where the MSM says he has returned to his past glory as a master campaigner.  His new roll in the campaign is to send him into the “sticks” where there is little major coverage so that he can place his foot in Hillary’s mouth and not much will be made out of it.

Bill is campaigning hard in the smaller towns and cities in Indiana and North Carolina, mostly white low income working people.  To me, it appears that the Clintons have written off black America for the white voter that blames Washington for all their ills.  Bubba can work his charm.

Bill toots his own horn about his presidency and then throws an oh yeah, vote for Hillary, in there.  He threatens the voters, he massages the voter, he makes light of Obama’s appeal, basically he is panering and pandering hard.

But it is a good plan for if there is anyone out there that will by his BS it will be rural whites.

What Is McCain’s Appeal?

I have heard alot of answers to that question, but the most common answers are: 1–Bravery on a personal level, 2–Independent, 3–Opposes Washington on some issues.

The only one that can be vaguely claimed is #1–he may have been independent or a maverick and he has opposed some of the Repub issues in the past–but his recent flipping on positions has shown that he is a team player.  What issues?  Bush tax cuts he opposed them before he supported them, just to mention one such flip.

Then there is #1..yes he was a POW and yes he showed bravery under those conditions.  He originally opposed the use of torture but once he was the presumed Repub nominee he supports torture.  I find that a bit much, as a POW he was subjected to torture and was opposed to it, before he supported it for political gain.

Nomne of this makes him brave or an independent or a fighter, it does however make him an opportunist.

This Stuff Gives Me Gas!

I only wish that a good dose of Gas-ex could solve the problem….but that would be way too simple.  Anyway today we will see if the voter buys the Gas Tax Holiday ploy…if they do then Kentucky will be bombarded with the idea, if not maybe it will die an unnatural death.  We can only hope.

The Repub offer is just dumb!  The Clinton offer will give you thought…well it did me, don’t know about you guys.  To help you out, her proposal would be to suspend the Federal gas tax for 3 months of the summer and would be paid by a windfall profit tax on the oil companies.  Sounds good right?  To suspend the tax Congress would have to vote for it and to impose a tax on the companies to cover the loss of revenues would have to be passed by Congress.  THINK that over!  By the time the do-nothing Congress got all their ducks in a row, it would be long past the summer’s 3 months.  Now where would that have benefitted the blue collar worker for the summer?

Would there be a guarantee that during this grace period, if it were ever to make it, that the oil companies would not raise their prices at the pump?  If gas went up the way it has in the last year, then there would be no savings for the people and oil companies would keep more of the money.  Once again where would this help?

To all those supporting this delusional nightmare–explain this in plain simple terms to the people.  Please stop making it sound like they will save enough money over the summer to buy a new SUV.  Political pandering has always amazed me…..those listening seldom ask for clarification, like these politicians would not ever lie to them.  ROFLMAO!

Professor’s Congressional Scorecard

My monthly feature of scoring how our dynamite US Congress is doing continues. They spent more time in hearings than on anything of substance, but I found a few issues that they weighed in on.

So far in 2008, here is how I see the Congress.

Jan–1 step backwards
Feb–No step–a stand still
Mar–2 steps backwards

And for the rating for the month of April 2008.

Colombia Free Trade Agreement–a no step–a horrible agreement and they tried to stop it.

Vote to commend wrestler Rick Flair–backwards

Offer new media bill–forward

21st century GI Bill–forward

Student loan bill–no step–did not go far enough, but is a start.

Finally they are moving forward, but fast enough, the rating for the month is 1 step forward. A side note, I am being extremely lenient on them.

We will see how they do in the coming months. So far for the year they are still moving backwards as they did last. They are not delivering on the promises of 2007.

Democratic and Republican healthcare plans offer clear choices – Los Angeles Times

Democratic and Republican healthcare plans offer clear choices – Los Angeles Times

For those voters that want to know the difference in the 3 candidates health care plans, this article will help. And please read the article closely and see that nowhere in these plans is there any form of “creeping socialism” and that none of the plans is in reality universal.

Onlookers Swoon For Bill

Did anyone see the stump speech where Bill is being Bill and taunting the crowd to vote for wifey. As usual he was basically talking about himself and once and awhile he would mention Hillary. But during a speech in rural North Carolina speech a viewer faints–he says, “need EMT and water over there”–and went back to speech without missing a beat. Then he tells the people to be quiet and give them room and returns to his speech without much concern.

The media reports on his comment, “I did not know I had that power at my age”…a little laughter and speech goes on.

There was no report of his attitude toward the person or his seemingly lack of concern for the situation. IMO, he was acting like….um…thinking….um….an ELITIST! Does that sound familiar to anyone?

Oh yeah, but Obama is the one with the free ride.

A New GM Strike!

You just thought that all was settled in the auto world, American Axel, Canadian auto workers and now the GM plant that makes Malibus in Kansas.

A representative for striking United Auto Workers Local 31 was not immediately available, but the person who answers the phone at the Fairfax, Kan., union hall confirmed the news.

GM’s labor spokesman Dan Flores confirmed the walk-out.

“We are disappointed that UAW Local 31 ended the bargaining and took strike action at Fairfax,” Flores said. “We remain focused on reaching an agreement as soon as possible.”

GM employs 2,200 hourly workers at Fairfax, which also makes the Saturn Aura.

The Fairfax local is the second to strike GM.

And this is not over–
Workers at three other GM plants – in Warren; Wyoming; and Mansfield, Ohio — have also threatened to strike if they can’t quickly resolve their local contracts.

Updates to follow–I will be watching the strike for more news.

Stay tuned–same bat time–same bat channel……