The Auto Bailout...

Ok. Here's the "cut to the chase" part. They shouldn't be bailed out.

However, America is dealing with hundreds of "shouldn'ts" already. This doesn't mean I don't think it would be best if congress bails them out.

The Chase...

If you've been in business for, let's say, a hundred years, you should have your act together well enough to stay in business on your own...period. If not, so be it. It's called "Financial Darwinism". I'll bet you didn't see cave men running around talking about "we need to save the dinosaurs from extinction!" (I know that men and dinosaurs were separated by millions of years according to scientists... just making a point;-). However, what happens to all the people that work at the auto plants? And...what happens to all the industries that only exists because there is an "auto plant" in their town. Mercedes built a factory a few miles down the road from where I live. When I toured the facility, the most amazing part wasn't that they roll a new Mercedes off the line every 18 minutes, 24 hours a day. (Keep in mind I toured the plant a few years back and they've expanded since then so now they can produce more than 80 vehicles per day or at least they have the capacity to... that's more than 1,600 per month even with weekends off!!). It wasn't that they think they can sell every last one of them. The most amazing part to me was that every part the the M-Class (except the motor) is made near the area. The seats, dashboards, tires, windshields, radios, antennas, breaks, etc. If they close the M-Class plant in Alabama, many more jobs would be lost than just the ones at the actual plant. Since this is true here, I'm sure this is "the system" by which the auto industry operates in America. Meaning, if a plant closes there will be a "systemic problem". This is why bailing out the "big 3" seems like a necessary evil. But is it?

What if...

What if congress DOESN'T bail them out? What if they all go the way of the dinosaur? I think it could "not be as bad" as we think it'll be...just different. Which would be more "cost effective"? To support, through unemployment benefits and health benefits the workers that have lost their jobs until the industry can "re-tool" or to keep giving the big 3 money so they can keep pretending they're making money from all the cars they obviously ain't selling? The truth is that the CEO's are gonna be financially ok...they already are. So, as long as the "workers" are "ok" do we really care that there is no GM, Ford & Chrystler? In the past 100 years USA can only produce 3 auto makers? Remember "Ma-Bell"? The one phone company model? Long distance, mobile calling, phone features all started to improve when they broke it up and gave some "fresh blood" a chance to enter the market. I think us, the consumers, are over-all better for it.

Resolution...

So, if we do indeed, bailout the Auto Industry, I think it should be done with major quid-pro-quo! And I hope that our government is willing to give the "googles" of the country a shot at making us some "smart cars" so we will "want" to buy and drive American again and I can stop felling guilty about driving my Honda Fit from Japan!

I'm Thed Weller and I approve this message.

"O" the President...

Okay... let me start by saying...wow!

It's November 6, 2008 A.B.

  It's two days after, and it's only now that I'm writing about what we've all witnessed.  I've not blogged in a while.

October 31, 2008

I awoke on this Halloween morning and before I made it to work, I logged onto CheapTickets.com and purchased a round trip ticket to Washington, DC to witness the inauguration that will be held on January 20th.  Once again at work, I used the internet to "confirm" my voting status.

November 3, 2008

After work, I went to Captain D's, got me and my son a meal, helped him with his homework, got him ready for bead, and had him tucked-in just across town at my mom's house.  I returned home, and went to sleep on a mission.

November 4, 2008

I awoke at 3:00 a.m.  I made a liter of coffee, took my fully charged iPod and a chair to my polling site and was surprised that I wasn't the "first" person in line.  Debra was.  She's an attorney/judge that had pulled up 10 prior to me getting there.  

As each hour passed, I called, text'd, twittered, and facebook'd many that I knew.  I was making sure that everyone I knew was alert and aware.

It's 6:30am now and the line that I'm second in, has grown to over 100 people.  The parking lot at the Hueytown Community Center looks like the championship little league game is about to be played.

My friends from the "DC Area" were in line too and called to confirm that they have already voted.  

I spend the rest of the day reassuring people that "we" all can't be denied this time.  I'm pulling up electoral maps, forwarding internet articles, and have forgotten all about my "Obama/Biden" car magnet that was stolen from a Wal-Mart parking lot just 2 days prior.

After work, I stop by the grocery store, pick up some fresh chicken wings, hot dogs & buns and have a fire going by 6pm.   

It's 9:55 p.m. Central Standard Time now.  I'm finished eating my hot dog and wings, I'm done drinking my Red Stripes and American Ales.  My 9 year old son has eaten and has fallen asleep.  At 10:00 p.m. Central Standard Time, I see and hear Wulf Blitzer make the announcement.  "Barack Obama is now the President Elect of The United States of America."  

10:01 A.B. (After Barack)...

It was like watching my son take his first steps.  When he was born, I never doubted he would walk, but the first day he does, it's special.  I thought all that day that Barack Obama would win, but I had no idea of how it would make me "feel".

I first call my mom...few words are spoken.

I then get a call from my sister...few words are spoken.

I then get a call from Sheila...she's in DC and is out in the streets celebrating!  

I receive many calls, texts, emails, and I am unable to answer any of them.  I, too, am taken by the moment.  I'm sitting on my couch, in the living room...in tears.

I watch McCain speak...It's like I hear him but if feel the "response" from his crowd...I am instantly reminded of what hasn't changed.

10:59 p.m. A.B.

President Elect Barack Obama comes onto the stage...

I listen.  I'm speechless.  I'm an American.

November 5, A.B. 6:15 a.m.

I wake up my son and tell him, "good morning."  You'd have to know my son, he opens his eyes and says to me, "what's so good about it?" in a cartoon-ishly sarcastic way.

I tell him that, "Barack Obama is the President! We won, we won!"  He smiles, looks up at me, gets out of his bed and asks, "Pick me up."  He just wanted to be held and picked up by me.  I am once again moved to tears as we embrace.  I make breakfast, pack a lunch and then it's off to the school.

I get to my school, walk into my class and all of my students are sitting quiet with the lights off.  When I walk and turn on the lights, they burst into celebration!  It was a good day.  Once I calmed them down, I start to go around the room and ask them, "what does this mean to them?"  I could only take listen to the 3rd response where Jalaysia says, "this means that I can be what ever I want to be."  I'm moved because, I could have told her this a million times, and now no one has to tell her, and she believes it.

I've been a school teacher for 13 years.  Every morning, we have our morning announcements and then the students say the pledge of allegiance.  This was the 1st time I "wanted" to say it too.