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Posts Tagged ‘auto bailout’

Mercedes Benz Military Vehicles are apparently headed to Camp Pendleton? 

Mercedes-Gclass-6x6-1

The Mercedes Bens G-Class was born initially as a military vehicle based on an order from the Shah of Persia back in 1970. And it just happened to become a civilian vehicle a decade later. But no matter what clothes it wears, it looks and works just right wherever it goes. Now though it’s going back to its roots by this fabulous 6×6 version made for the Australian army.

Three-axeled 6.5 tons monster, designed to accommodate up to 9 passengers with heavy luggage, the perfect tool for missions including unit transportation. The other half are long wheelbase 461 series with a huge cargo area which is 3.2 meters long and can carry stuffs up to nine tons. Mercedes G-Class 6×6 is painted in sand beige and looks truly striking.http://www.motorward.com/2009/06/mercedes-gclass-6×6-for-australian-army/  They are also referred to as Gelandewagen and similar vehicles can be found at http://www.army-technology.com/contractors/vehicles/mercedes-benz/.

Why are these “striking,” similar looking vehicles travelling down America’s highways.  Martial Law? Pandemic Emergency Preparedness? Government Requisition? Foreign Army Transport? NLE Practice?

“With GM’s restructuring complete,Steven Rattner, whose leadership and vision were invaluable to the Auto Task Force’s efforts, has decided to transition back to private life and his family in New York City….Ron Bloom will assume leadership of the Task Force’s activities as the government transitions its role away from day-to-day restructuring to monitoring this vital industry and protecting the substantial investment the American taxpayers have made in GM, Chrysler, and GMAC.” http://michellemalkin.com/2009/07/13/alert-car-czar-steven-chooch-rattner-is-leaving/

“There is no checking with the government,” he[sic Bloom]  said in relation to company leaders’ approach to running the businesses. Board members will not need to “look back” over their shoulder to make sure the government is approving all decision making, he said….The Treasury Department has committed over $60 billion in direct assistance to GM and Chrysler. Tens of billions more have been committed to Delphi Corp., GMAC LLC and suppliers.The Department of Energy has committed $25 billion in funding for auto makers to retool factories in order to develop and build fuel-efficient cars.”http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124873753926785139.html

In 1974, after a series of scandalous take-downs of pension and retirement funds during the Nixon era, Congress passed the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.  ERISA says you can’t seize workers’ pension funds (whether monthly payments or health insurance) any more than you can seize their private bank accounts.  And that’s because they are the same thing:  workers give up wages in return for retirement benefits. http://www.alternet.org/workplace/140441/how_obama’s_’car_czar’_steve_rattner_is_bankrupting_gm/  Well, looks like you can under President Obama.

Somebody, some frigging place ought to look over our tax dollars and tell me why there is a Mercedes Benz Military Vehicle on a car hauler heading from South Carolina to California.  WTF?  Billions in auto bailouts and someone has the fucking audacity to order a fucking Mercedes Military Vehicle? Are they even U.S. Military?  From Delphi to GM people are loosing pensions- blatantly breaking laws, while our Constitutional lawyer President Obama makes statements about racial profiling.  X-CUSE Me but I think people looked blindly past your skin color when they voted expecting better than this. 

Maybe these vehicles have something to do with the upcoming NLE 09 exercises.  Yeah, that makes me feel all warm inside. 

I thought “This land is your land, this land is my land…”.words and music by Woody Guthrie

“In the squares of the city – In the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office – I see my people
And some are grumblin’ and some are wonderin’
If this land’s still made for you and me.”  http://www.arlo.net/resources/lyrics/this-land.shtml

This week in History on Sat., July 28, 1945In a ringing declaration indicating that America’s pre-World War II isolation was truly at an end, the U.S. Senate approves the charter establishing the United Nations.

If you are sitting down, “”Millions of men, women and children have died because nations took to the naked sword instead of the conference table to settle their differences.” The U.N. charter would provide the “foundation and cornerstone on which the international organization to keep the peace will be built.”  from This Day in Military History http://tdiumh.blogspot.com/2005/07/july-28.html

Keep the peace indeed–now get those Mercedes Military Vehicles off of my U.S. Taxpayer paid roads, built upon U.S. Soil with American blood, sweat and tears. 

Buy American, it is the very least you can do.

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You have to hand it to Obama to never miss an opportunity to get in front of a teleprompter.  General Motors in filing bankruptcy today will officially become Government Motors.  President Obama will hold an 11:30 a.m. event to discuss it even though last night the White House released this fact sheet fact sheet (.doc file) also available at http://www.autonews.com/assets/DOC/CA61689531.DOC.  Thank God it is not during Prime Time TV.

His blathering and this document lay out the Obama Administrations details of its plan for General Motors to help it emerge from restructuring quickly.  The automaker will get $30.1 billion of additional taxpayer money to restructure a smaller-company- a New GM and in return the Treasury Department has the right to appoint the initial directors.  Another $9.5 billion will come from Canada.

“In addition, the U.S. Treasury’s ability to prevent any change in control of us could also have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock. The U.S. Treasury may also, subject to applicable securities laws, transfer all or any of its portion of our common stock to another person or entity and, in the event of such a transfer, that person or entity could become the controlling stockholder.” http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/editorial-between-the-lines-gm-does-not-welcome-its-new-governmental-overlords/ The Treasury could conceivably transfer the stock to China to pay off debts!   

Dealscape lists the GM Bankruptcy petition filing June 1, 2009 at 7:57 am in its entirety here http://www.thedeal.com/dealscape/2009/06/gm_files_chapter_11.php

The nature of the claims and claim debts amounts are staggering.

1.  Wilmington Trust $22.7 Billion

2.  UAW $20.5 Billion

3.  Deutche Bank  $4.4  Billion 

4.  IUE $2.6 Billion

GM’s Total Assets on a consolidated basis $82.2 Billion

GM’s Total Debt on a consolidated basis $172.8 Billion

GM was world’s largest automaker for years.  It has been a technological marvel pushing the limits of technology, and marketing the fact that it’s brands were a mark of status.  Quality suffered over the years giving the Japanese auto giant, Toyota Motor Corp., the perfect opportunity to win the trophy as the world’s largest automaker, but it too has been beaten down by a sagging economy and credit crisis.  On May 8, 2009, Toyota reported a record annual net loss of $4.4 billion. An ad for the newest Prius feature the American Icon Superman standing next to the car in front of a photo of the globe.  http://toyota.jp/  Even superman could not have saved GM. 

In total disgust, Michael Moore had this to say; ” So here we are at the deathbed of General Motors. The company’s body not yet cold, and I find myself filled with — dare I say it — joy. It is not the joy of revenge against a corporation that ruined my hometown and brought misery, divorce, alcoholism, homelessness, physical and mental debilitation, and drug addiction to the people I grew up with.”  http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/6/1/737485/-Goodbye,-GM  Dare I say, my joy would having never have to hear or read anything you have to say again you ignoramus.  Thousands are loosing their jobs, the government is buying a car company, and Moore has the balls to have joy?  Normally I would hope he gets a lump of coal in his Christmas stocking. Even that would be too good for him, as some coal miner had to dig it up to provide fuel for his country and to help run the factory that Moore is so joyfully ecstatic over. 

GM president and CEO Fritz Henderson said, “From day one, the New GM will be well-positioned to capitalize on the award-winning vehicles we have developed and launched during the past few years, and on our investments in exciting new technologies like the Chevy Volt.”  Henderson will host a press conference right after Obama’s spiel.  Toyota is already laughing! http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-141-toyota-laughs-at-the-volt-indirectly/ ” There’s no way the expensive, non-“rent-paying” Volt helps GM make money – at least in the short term. So, it’s a good idea to ditch it.” wrote http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/29/wsj-keeping-the-chevy-volt-alive-doesnt-make-sense-for-governm/.

If  GM was a 500 lb gorilla with “misguided marketing, poor product direction, spotty quality control, random product cycles–simply not working.”, after Ch. 11 they will be a 200 lb gorilla with “misguided marketing, poor product direction, spotty quality control, random product cycles–simply not working.”  now led by the Automotive Task force and President Obama!  

Wall Street almost killed Detroit the first time with the credit crunch writes http://www.thebigmoney.com/blogs/shifting-gears/2009/05/31/how-wall-street-almost-killed-detroit.  Can GM, the government and the tax payer kiss and make up?  Hardly, kissing is only foreplay to getting fu#$%d yet again. After 83 years on the New York Stock Exchange, GM has been de-listed. “The parlous state of GM has left us with no choice but to remove it from the Dow,” said Robert Thomson, managing editor of The Wall Street Journal and editor-in-chief for all of Dow Jones. ”A bankruptcy filing immediately disqualifies a stock regardless of a company’s history or its role as a cultural icon.”  Tough shit for stockholders, eh? 

Oh, just kiss me you fool, and hurry before the gas tax and the VAT tax take effect.

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 buick

dodgenitro

The Obama administration is steering the wheels of not only General Motors and Chrysler into bankruptcy, but the FDIC- Federal Insurance Corporation in the new world order.

General Motors Corp. president and Chief Executive Officer Fritz Henderson has scheduled a news conference in New York on Monday, when the Detroit automaker is expected to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy.  Having propped up the failing automaker with billions of our tax dollars already, the government will take somewhere around a 70% ownership role. 

Perhaps the automakers should have been allowed to sink or swim in a free market economy months ago, none-the-less they are sinking now and fast.  So much innovation has come from the auto industry from safety, better fuel management, satellite tracking, etc. GM filed more than 300 patents last year alone and there in lies the money honey. 

Patents are the single most important asset class upon which economic recovery and sustainable prosperity now depend, especially in light of  the collapse of traditional asset-based markets says The Automaker Patent Assets Intelligence Report APA-Intel Report 2009, Comparative Quantitative Analysis Automaker Innovation and US Patent Portfolio Quality is here: http://www.ipfrontline.com/downloads/apa-intel-09.pdf

“Beyond the auto industry, the veracity of statistical patent asset measurement applies equally to every other industry core to our economy: computers, semiconductors, biotech, pharmaceuticals, software, medical devices, and oil and gas, to name a few. ”  writes http://www.cafezine.com/depts/article.asp?id=22652&deptid=8 

Andy Gibbs, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PatentCafe, said: “The APA-Intel Report on patents is the first of its kind that provides an in-depth comparison of the quality of patent portfolios owned by Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors, against their largest Japanese and European counterparts. High quality patents provide huge revenue opportunities, and low quality patents increase operational risk.”  The report notes that Green Tech” replacing “EnviroTech” as a more contemporary term has the most to gain, backing Obama’s policy that a greener world will cure all that ails us.  Except maybe Swine Flu.

Reinforcing Obama’s environmental policy and getting her to shut up about CIA memos, Nancy Pelosi was in China spewing that we must all take inventory and that a clean environment should be a basic right.  This, as markets are in the shitter, North Korea is launching missiles and testing nukes, and we are at war in Iran and Afghanistan. “The impact of climate change is a tremendous risk to the security and well-being of our countries.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/28/pelosis-new-tactic-tellin_n_208488.html.  If I vomit on the grass instead of the toilet- does that count as recycling?

The Republican National Committee slammed  Barack and Michelle Obama’s date night  an “RNC Research Piece”: “As President Obama prepares to wing into Manhattan’s theater district on Air Force One to take in a Broadway show, GM is preparing to file bankruptcy and families across America continue to struggle to pay their bills. … Have a great Saturday evening – even if you’re not jetting off somewhere at taxpayer expense. … PUTTING ON A SHOW: Obama’s Wing Into The City For An Evening Out While Another Iconic American Company Prepares For Bankruptcy. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/23122.html

Making a habit of dining out, Obama ate at Five Guys on Friday and while waiting for his order, President Obama appears to have learned of the existence of a Defense Department intelligence arm, the National Geo spacial Intelligence Agency- NGA-an agency employee also at the burger restaurant.  Too bad it wasn’t some one from the FDIC who could have told him that that the fund is is at an all time low of just $13 billion as of march 31st  or 0.27% of $4.8 trillion in insured deposits! </span

While depositors have been seeking a safe haven from the stock market, and banks continue to falter, insured deposits have hit all time highs.  The FDIC is all but insolvent. " http://zerohedge.blogspot.com/2009/03/bailoutspotting-or-search-for-great.html writes “At its heart, the FDIC is an insurer of deposits. It does this not so much with actual cash which would pay off depositors if there were a global run on the bank (which is negligible when compared to the total size of roughly $5 trillion in deposits), but by being a symbol of the U.S. guarantee to protect its depositors.” </span

The inclusion of "In God We Trust" on all currency was required by law in 1955.  The Federal Reserve guarantees those dollars for now, but for how long?  Even the big 3 have warranty programs, but again for how long?  The car I drive has a rosary on it to protect our family while we drive and that invisible trust in my gas guzzling SUV and God remains, but faith in Obama to restore the automotive and the banking industry?  

Novus Ordo Seclorum is shown on a ribbon below the pyramid and translated as "a new order of the ages."  President Obama has been very open about his global agenda and as the world debates rescinding the dollar as the global currency, he is steering us away from national sovereignty and capitalism.

Photo taken on May 29, 2009 shows a 1908 Buick Model 10 in the GM Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, Michigan, the United States Xinhua/Gu Xinrong

A Dodge Nitro vehicle is seen in front of the General Motors Corp world headquarters in downtown in Detroit, May 28, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)  {A Dodge in front of GM – there’s your new world order alright!}

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Obama’s administration drives foreign cars, ain’t that a kick in the ass?   In this day of a New World Order are you really surprised?   

Car & Driver did a report on what kind of vehicles politicians drive.  Prior to having a driver for his Cadillac limo, nick named, “The Beast”, Obama drove a Chrysler C300.  340 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque at around 20 MPG.  In great hypocrisy,  it is far from a hybrid, fuel efficient means of transportation.  http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/high_performance/features_classic_cars/what_would_barack_obama_drive_feature__1

No matter what kind of car you own, we are the deer in the headlights and Obama the hunter.

We live in a country where if your car breaks the governement fixes it;  if you get sick,  the government decides if you get fixed. Lordy, lordy. 

This is not some dark espionage thriller where the citizen gets away in the end.  The realities of Obama’s change, hope and promise continue to erode  American democracy and capitalism.

Non-partisanship finally has meaning.  We should fire and vote out almost every Congressman and Senator and elected official. The governments corporatocracy is running our biggest corporations and our banks instead of shareholders. 

If the government wants the responsibility surely it’s citizens should be calling the shots.  Not that the tea-parties going on around the country will amount to much.

“The Heartbeat of America,”  Chevrolet’s long running trademark tag line is long dead- replaced by the line, “An American Revolution,” in its advertising.  We are seeing the start of a revolution indeed, and if we don’t wake up, democracy will be dead too.  Praise be, GM no longer makes the Vega. 

It’s hard being the backseat driver waiting for the next economic collision to occur.  Looking in the in the rear view mirror to see America run over by socialism shouldn’t be an option either. 

Obama playing Mr. Goodwrench isn’t helping matters. 

“If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and the corporations which grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.”
— Thomas Jefferson

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200159459-001

I got my hands on the wheel….

Obama is keeping his Cadillac, but not Rick Wagner the head of General Motors.

Rick Wagoner has agreed to step down as General Motors chairman and chief executive at the behest of the White House as part of a plan to provide more aid to U.S. automakers, administration officials said today at http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-auto-bailout30-2009mar30,0,2247834.story?track=rss.

Cadillac has built limousines and special vehicles for U.S. presidents, diplomats, ambassadors and foreign dignitaries since the early 20th century. 

President Obama is expected to unveil plans for the American auto industry this week, including the fact that GM and Chrysler will be seeking more bailout money.  In yet another Barackstar appearance, on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Obama said Sunday that the nation could have a “successful U.S. auto industry.”

The Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry, headed by the Treasury Department is studying ways and means to make things more effective and avoid Chapter 11.  Members of the Force are of course,[ source http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Geithner-Summers-Convene-Official-Designees-to-Presidential-Task-Force-on-the-Auto-Industry/]

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and—

  • National Economic Council Director Larry Summers
  • Secretary of Transportation
  • Secretary of Commerce
  • Secretary of Labor
  • Secretary of Energy
  • Chair of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers
  • Director of the Office of Management and Budget
  • Environmental Protection Agency Administrator
  • Director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change 

Senior Adviser on Auto Issues at the Treasury Department

  • Ron Bloom, Senior Advisor on the Auto Industry, Department of Treasury

Official Designees of the Members of the Presidential Task Force:

  • Diana Farrell, Deputy Director, National Economic Council
  • Gene Sperling, Counselor to the Secretary of Treasury
  • Jared Bernstein, Chief Economist to Vice President Biden
  • Edward Montgomery, Senior Advisor, Department of Labor
  • Lisa Heinzerling, Senior Climate Policy Counsel to the EPA Administrator
  • Austan Goolsbee, Staff Director and Chief Economist of the Economic Recovery Advisory Board
  • Dan Utech, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Energy
  • Heather Zichal, Deputy Director, White House Office of Energy and Climate Change
  • Joan DeBoer, Chief of Staff, Department of Transportation
  • Rick Wade, Senior Advisor, Department of Commerce

The American taxpayer has already stepped up to provide GMAC with $5 billion of TARP so it can continue to allow GM to sell more cars at a $2,000 loss per car says http://seekingalpha.com/article/122787-as-gm-goes-so-goes-the-nation-part-2 and going on to note that GM has lost up wards of $72 Billion, with a B, dollars in the last three years.

B also stands for bribery.  Maybe Wagoner should go, but to leave at the governments request instead of a shareholder mandate is just another nail in coffin of capitalism.  We’ll give you the money honey,  but you have to do what we say.  Bribery is a kind word, I’d call it pimping, slaving or whoring under Obama’s socialism.

Generous Motors, er- General Motors… where as GM goes, so goes the nation.  The best outlook on it all so far comes in the form of a comment from http://seekingalpha.com/article/122787-as-gm-goes-so-goes-the-nation-part-2 — and I hope he/she is right in taking a different view of GM, …” expect them to return to profitability sometime in 2010, unless SAAR remains under 11M. GM spent a ton on worldwide platforms that are now the envy of the world. Their product launches over the last few years have been awesome, and into the future are just fantastic. If the economy wouldn’t have tanked, GM would already be reporting a profit. We’re earning 5% interest on our bridge loan to GM, which will, at worst, begin to be paid back in 2012, and if SAAR returns to 15B or up, much faster. The business moves that GM has made over the last five years or so have put GM in a much better competitive position. Of course, you’ll have to ask our government why they even allowed Japanese manufacturers in this country decades ago, when Japan doesn’t reciprocate, basically closing their 3 million car market to U.S. Manufacturers. Ask our government how they expected the domestic manufactures to compete with health benefits placed squarely on the companies back, while the Japanese have their benefits completely subsided by their government. It may not look like it for awhile longer, but the future is bright for GM. When America begins to buy cars again, and they will, then the GM recovery and return to profitability will shortly follow. Look for GM’s market share, relative to the market, to actually increase this year.”

Hey, my GMC truck still burns less carbons than Pelosi’s jet or Obama’s new helicopter any day.

For the record, Roger Moore can kiss the pin stripes on my American manufactured truck.

Go ahead and comment, you know you want to.

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