Today, Delphi plans to file a motion with the bankruptcy court to set aside its contract with the UAW that would nullify its pension and health obligations.If the UAW decides to strike in retaliation, it would set in motion a chain of events that would result in bankruptcy filing by GM and quite possibly also Ford.
A century old industry that has been a staple of American life will be thrown into a tailspin from which I doubt it will recover.Far more than that, much of our lifestyle that has evolved over the years around the Big Three will also be in decline.
I also believe that much of our warlike postures and aggressive conduct in world affairs is directly connected with our automotive fantasies.There was a time when being American meant you had the biggest,fastest cars with jet fin styling and chrome bumpers;you could go to drive in movies with the girls and get laid in the backseat.Who else on earth could do that? That’s why America became a special place blessed by God and Pat Robertson.So, yes, we were entitled to kick some ass in the world to show who is boss in the Worldwide Plantation.
All that is going to unravel, a not entirely bad thing,IMO. But given the mindset of the raving lunatics who occupy powerful positions, we may see more wars unleashed as the last gasp of empire.Yes, the winds of change are blowing through Detroit and the cornerstone of the American Empire is crumbling but will not be gone until the present set of lunatics see the writing on the wall.
Are you sure it is not the other way around?
While I agree that America has an inflated sense of its own importance, I feel a great deal of distress at what seems to be your glib dismissalof a situation that is going to have catastrophic impact on the lives of thousands and thousands of middle class Americans and their families. The ramifications of this situation are likely to effect workers far beyond the automobile sector as well.
I am sorry if I gave the impression of being glib about the suffering of many people.I have to say I am originally from Michigan and have many relatives and friends who are going to be directly affected by the disaster unfolding before our eyes.
That said,much of the distress one sees may well be offset by the success of the transplants like Toyota,Nissan, Hyundai and others.Chicago Tribune in its sunday edition compares the decline of Muncie,IN dependent on GM with the rise of Princeton, IN where Toyota is bringing prosperity.There is hope yeat!
I think the extinction of GM and Ford may very well have a salutary effect on our warmongering for over half a century.When you see that your boss at Toyota is amn you would have condemned as a Japanese imperialist is now handing out bonus checks to help your kid get through college, your orientation undergoes a radical change.