I should update this soon.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Auto Bailout?
I have been reading a lot about the auto bailout and I have mixed emotions, to say the least. When I think back to the Wall Street bailout, I had NO mixed emotions, I was (and still am) completely opposed to the idea. Now, I understand the financial fallout if some of those companies failed, but Wall Street got themselves into that mess, why should the rest of the country have to get them out.
Now, weeks later, banks still aren't lending money, which was supposed to be the point. Maybe someone can lend me $700 billion and not impose any oversight.
Back to the point of my blog posting tonight, the auto bailout. I think that most of the American Automakers problems are of their own making. Continuing to build huge, gas guzzling SUVs even when people aren't buying them is irresponsible. Of course, the American public is a fault as well. In our quest for bigger and better, we keep buying SUVs that are SO much bigger than we need. It is irresponsible, and wasteful of finite natural resources. I guess I am lucky in that sense, my dad stressed fuel efficiency for as long as I can remember, he even bought cars without air conditioning to improve gas mileage. My first car purchase was Honda Civic, which sipped its gas. Now, of course, my minivan's gas mileage gives me indigestion, but it is much better than any SUV that would seat six.
Okay, I keep straying off topic. The bailout?!?!?! I still have issues with the idea that I have to bailout the auto industry for their bad decisions. If I get into deep debt are they going to bail me out? Now, I have a HUGE understanding of the devastating impact it would have for any of the Big 3 to go under. However, I am not opposed to their declaring bankruptcy, the airlines have done so and still managed to come through.
Now, my biggest concern about any of this is the workers employed by GM, Ford, or Chrysler. I just read about a couple of Senators who want an alternate bill passed which would call for minimal oversight of the bailout, but would also require the blue collar workers (UAW members) to take huge pay and benefits cuts. I don't know about you, but the idea that Congress could require individuals to earn less and have less benefits is frightening. Maybe the Senators in question should be willing to give up as much pay and benefits as they want the workers at the low end of the totem pole to give up. I thought it was wrong when they (meaning the bankruptcy courts) made the airline pilots take pay cuts, and I think so now for the auto workers...that is what their contracts are for, to protect them.
If someone came along and told me I had to do the same job I am doing for less money than I am now would be terrifying. I need every penny I bring into my household, I would imagine the auto workers are in the same situation, especially in this economy. Taking away pay, taking away benefits, and cutting jobs only end up causing more harm to the economy because there is less for people to spend.
The idea that the Michigan auto workers should have to take pay cuts to get them "in line" with the Japanese car plants in the South is hard to swallow. The significant difference in the cost of living in the South and Michigan is huge. There is also the issue that we live on what we make. My rent, my car payments, my bills in general are based on my income at this moment. If you took away part of my income, but didn't do anything to adjust my bills, that would leave me homeless or having my cars repossessed, or having my phone and electricity cut off. Not to mention that I have four children that appreciate food on the table and clothes on their back.
Yes, Detroit needs to become more efficient and more cost-effective, but to do so on the backs of the working class is inappropriate and unfair. Someone needs to let Ford, GM, or Chrysler know that if they can build a car or van equivalent in fuel efficiency and reliability to the Japanese, I will be first in line to buy one. Not to mention that the Japanese cars just look nicer inside and out.
Now that I have done rambling, I guess I would approve of a bailout as long as it didn't hurt the working class. Of course, nobody asks me.
Now, weeks later, banks still aren't lending money, which was supposed to be the point. Maybe someone can lend me $700 billion and not impose any oversight.
Back to the point of my blog posting tonight, the auto bailout. I think that most of the American Automakers problems are of their own making. Continuing to build huge, gas guzzling SUVs even when people aren't buying them is irresponsible. Of course, the American public is a fault as well. In our quest for bigger and better, we keep buying SUVs that are SO much bigger than we need. It is irresponsible, and wasteful of finite natural resources. I guess I am lucky in that sense, my dad stressed fuel efficiency for as long as I can remember, he even bought cars without air conditioning to improve gas mileage. My first car purchase was Honda Civic, which sipped its gas. Now, of course, my minivan's gas mileage gives me indigestion, but it is much better than any SUV that would seat six.
Okay, I keep straying off topic. The bailout?!?!?! I still have issues with the idea that I have to bailout the auto industry for their bad decisions. If I get into deep debt are they going to bail me out? Now, I have a HUGE understanding of the devastating impact it would have for any of the Big 3 to go under. However, I am not opposed to their declaring bankruptcy, the airlines have done so and still managed to come through.
Now, my biggest concern about any of this is the workers employed by GM, Ford, or Chrysler. I just read about a couple of Senators who want an alternate bill passed which would call for minimal oversight of the bailout, but would also require the blue collar workers (UAW members) to take huge pay and benefits cuts. I don't know about you, but the idea that Congress could require individuals to earn less and have less benefits is frightening. Maybe the Senators in question should be willing to give up as much pay and benefits as they want the workers at the low end of the totem pole to give up. I thought it was wrong when they (meaning the bankruptcy courts) made the airline pilots take pay cuts, and I think so now for the auto workers...that is what their contracts are for, to protect them.
If someone came along and told me I had to do the same job I am doing for less money than I am now would be terrifying. I need every penny I bring into my household, I would imagine the auto workers are in the same situation, especially in this economy. Taking away pay, taking away benefits, and cutting jobs only end up causing more harm to the economy because there is less for people to spend.
The idea that the Michigan auto workers should have to take pay cuts to get them "in line" with the Japanese car plants in the South is hard to swallow. The significant difference in the cost of living in the South and Michigan is huge. There is also the issue that we live on what we make. My rent, my car payments, my bills in general are based on my income at this moment. If you took away part of my income, but didn't do anything to adjust my bills, that would leave me homeless or having my cars repossessed, or having my phone and electricity cut off. Not to mention that I have four children that appreciate food on the table and clothes on their back.
Yes, Detroit needs to become more efficient and more cost-effective, but to do so on the backs of the working class is inappropriate and unfair. Someone needs to let Ford, GM, or Chrysler know that if they can build a car or van equivalent in fuel efficiency and reliability to the Japanese, I will be first in line to buy one. Not to mention that the Japanese cars just look nicer inside and out.
Now that I have done rambling, I guess I would approve of a bailout as long as it didn't hurt the working class. Of course, nobody asks me.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
MySpace, Facebook, Blogger
Until recently I had all three of the above. I just recently got rid of MySpace because I wasn't enjoying it anymore. I am now considering the same with Blogger. I am just putting this up as an FYI for anyone who follows my blog.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Election and reasons to vote...
The election has come and gone. We have voted for Barack Obama to become our president, and I for one, am grateful. Following the election run-up very carefully, it became abundantly clear that the only real choice was Mr. Obama. Mr. McCain, while an American hero, and presumably a good man, is very out of touch with the average people in this country. Maybe being wealthy has insulated him from the everyday problems of the majority of people in this country.
When Mr. McCain made the statement that the fundamentals of the economy are strong, he lost my vote, that statement seemed to indicate that he was out of touch with the needs of the average American. Then, he picked Sarah Palin as his Vice-President. She seemed like a nice lady and, according to a co-worker of mine from Alaska, a very capable governor. However, being the capable governor of Alaska and Vice-President of the United States of America are drastically different. There are many prominent, smart Republican women, with the necessary experience, that John McCain didn't really need to look very far. Senator Elizabeth Dole would have been a great choice. Christine Todd Whitman would have been another excellent choice. Not to mention Condoleeza Rice (who would have been an amazing counterbalance to the Obama/Biden ticket.)
We are in an economic crisis. We have a TERRIBLE health care system that we should be ashamed of as one of the richest, most powerful nations on earth. We are in the middle of a war in Iraq. Our nations most powerful industries are falling apart...the auto industry, the financial industry. People are losing their homes, losing their jobs, can't afford health care, can't afford gas, can't afford their prescriptions, can't afford to eat, can't afford to buy new school clothes, can't afford Christmas presents, can't afford to buy new shoes for their children, winter coats, etc. If you make too much money to get on Medicaid, but can't afford health insurance...or have a job that doesn't provide insurance, what are you supposed to do? Affordable health care is a necessity, a right, not a privilege.
So many people I know who voted Republican said they voted for life. This means they voted for the politician who is opposed to abortion. Well, I am adamantly opposed to abortion as well. However, that is one issue. To vote for a politician based on one issue is irresponsible in my mind. If you are supporting the entire Republican ticket, then that is another issue altogether, but most people I know who claim to be Republicans are also those who claim to be Christians. However, the Republican party doesn't support the teachings of any Christian church that bases its teachings on the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels. Jesus taught us to feed the poor and care for the needy. Jesus was a healer; made the lame to walk and the blind to see. His primary focus was to help those who were underprivileged, disenfranchised, and poverty stricken.
Yes, I support life. I support the lives of unborn babies. I also support the lives of the poor and needy. I support the lives of our young people sent to Iraq to fight an unjust war. I support the lives of the women and children killed by bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan. I support the lives of those fighting horrible genocide in Darfur and those who are under the leadership of terrible dictators. I support the lives of those starving all around the world. I support those fighting for the rights of those without a voice. I support what Jesus said in Matthew 25:31-46. Specifically verse 45 says, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me." Unfortunately, those in power in the Republican party only seem to support the rights of the unborn, and I am grateful they do, but there are so many others that need that support as well.
I am sorry if I offended any of my Republican friends, but I really needed to post what I feel.
When Mr. McCain made the statement that the fundamentals of the economy are strong, he lost my vote, that statement seemed to indicate that he was out of touch with the needs of the average American. Then, he picked Sarah Palin as his Vice-President. She seemed like a nice lady and, according to a co-worker of mine from Alaska, a very capable governor. However, being the capable governor of Alaska and Vice-President of the United States of America are drastically different. There are many prominent, smart Republican women, with the necessary experience, that John McCain didn't really need to look very far. Senator Elizabeth Dole would have been a great choice. Christine Todd Whitman would have been another excellent choice. Not to mention Condoleeza Rice (who would have been an amazing counterbalance to the Obama/Biden ticket.)
We are in an economic crisis. We have a TERRIBLE health care system that we should be ashamed of as one of the richest, most powerful nations on earth. We are in the middle of a war in Iraq. Our nations most powerful industries are falling apart...the auto industry, the financial industry. People are losing their homes, losing their jobs, can't afford health care, can't afford gas, can't afford their prescriptions, can't afford to eat, can't afford to buy new school clothes, can't afford Christmas presents, can't afford to buy new shoes for their children, winter coats, etc. If you make too much money to get on Medicaid, but can't afford health insurance...or have a job that doesn't provide insurance, what are you supposed to do? Affordable health care is a necessity, a right, not a privilege.
So many people I know who voted Republican said they voted for life. This means they voted for the politician who is opposed to abortion. Well, I am adamantly opposed to abortion as well. However, that is one issue. To vote for a politician based on one issue is irresponsible in my mind. If you are supporting the entire Republican ticket, then that is another issue altogether, but most people I know who claim to be Republicans are also those who claim to be Christians. However, the Republican party doesn't support the teachings of any Christian church that bases its teachings on the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels. Jesus taught us to feed the poor and care for the needy. Jesus was a healer; made the lame to walk and the blind to see. His primary focus was to help those who were underprivileged, disenfranchised, and poverty stricken.
Yes, I support life. I support the lives of unborn babies. I also support the lives of the poor and needy. I support the lives of our young people sent to Iraq to fight an unjust war. I support the lives of the women and children killed by bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan. I support the lives of those fighting horrible genocide in Darfur and those who are under the leadership of terrible dictators. I support the lives of those starving all around the world. I support those fighting for the rights of those without a voice. I support what Jesus said in Matthew 25:31-46. Specifically verse 45 says, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me." Unfortunately, those in power in the Republican party only seem to support the rights of the unborn, and I am grateful they do, but there are so many others that need that support as well.
I am sorry if I offended any of my Republican friends, but I really needed to post what I feel.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Vote
A week from today we Americans are heading out to the polls to vote for the next President of the United States. No matter what your political persuasion, I hope you go out and cast your vote. I am going bright and early next Tuesday because I have to then get in the car and drive to Boston so I can go to work Tuesday night. I have thought about voting early since Vermont does provide this service, however, there is something special about voting on Election Day.
Please go vote and make your voice heard!
Please go vote and make your voice heard!
Sunday, October 05, 2008
As economy sags, so do faces ... and breasts
Sometimes you read things that make you go "huh?" or "wtf?" The title of this post is certainly that. It is the title of an article on MSNBC.com, here is the link.
I guess that with the economy being so bad, women can't go for face lifts or boob jobs.
I guess that with the economy being so bad, women can't go for face lifts or boob jobs.
Authors
I have read books from a couple of "new" authors recently. One is a new author in the past couple of years. The other is just new to me.
Stephenie Meyer, the author of "Twilight" and its sequels. It is definitely part of the young adult genre, except maybe the last book, and it is definitely easy reading. One of my Facebook friends called it brain candy, and maybe it is, but I REALLY enjoyed reading all four of the books.
Jodi Picoult, is the author of many books, all of which (from what I understand) are set in New England. I am in the process of reading my first Jodi Picoult novel and I am really enjoying it. It is interesting because it is set here in the Upper Valley (the region of Vermont and New Hampshire that I live in.) I was also interested to read that she lives just across the river from me in New Hampshire. I do hope I enjoy the last 1/3 of the book as well as I have the first 2/3 of the book.
Of course, my favorite authors JK Rowling, JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, Stephen King, Mary Higgins Clark, and Anne Perry are still my favorites, but I am always looking for someone new to add to the list.
Stephenie Meyer, the author of "Twilight" and its sequels. It is definitely part of the young adult genre, except maybe the last book, and it is definitely easy reading. One of my Facebook friends called it brain candy, and maybe it is, but I REALLY enjoyed reading all four of the books.
Jodi Picoult, is the author of many books, all of which (from what I understand) are set in New England. I am in the process of reading my first Jodi Picoult novel and I am really enjoying it. It is interesting because it is set here in the Upper Valley (the region of Vermont and New Hampshire that I live in.) I was also interested to read that she lives just across the river from me in New Hampshire. I do hope I enjoy the last 1/3 of the book as well as I have the first 2/3 of the book.
Of course, my favorite authors JK Rowling, JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, Stephen King, Mary Higgins Clark, and Anne Perry are still my favorites, but I am always looking for someone new to add to the list.
Monday, September 01, 2008
Sunday Scribblings ~ Somewhere
This week's prompt is "somewhere."
I automatically think of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz. I love this movie, I have loved it since I was a little girl. My children have seen it once or twice, maybe this weekend I will put it in again for them. Here is Judy Garland singing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow."
I automatically think of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz. I love this movie, I have loved it since I was a little girl. My children have seen it once or twice, maybe this weekend I will put it in again for them. Here is Judy Garland singing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow."