Seems that the TOYOTA brand meme is in the news lately...
Breaking yesterday... even the good folks at Toyota are having a bad year, posting their first loss in 70 years.
In a story-behind-the-story from the Big Three Auto rescue drama, the plot thickens as we learn more about the block of 31 Republican Senators who had a vested interest in expediting the demise of the Big 3. The Senators who were the most vocal about letting GM and Chrysler suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, as they tottered on the brink of financial collapse, were the very same folks who have been helping foreign automakers grow in their own states. These are now the so-called Toyota Republicans,
A week earlier, 31 GOP Senators, mostly from Southern states, voted to avert their eyes and allow American auto companies to die. They opposed $14 billion in federal loans for GM and Chrysler, revealing that their loyalty lies not with America, not even with their own states, but with South Korea and Germany and Japan.
They are Toyota Republicans.
Toyota has non-union manufacturing plants in Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Texas — states whose senators led the GOP quest to slay the Big Three American auto manufacturers — Richard Shelby, R-Ala.; Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, and John Cornyn, R-Tx. Here’s the Republican from Mississippi, Sen. Thad Cochran, explaining why he’d vote against the loans, “Things have changed. It’s not just the Big Three anymore,” he said, pointing out that Nissan and Toyota employ more Mississippians than General Motors, Ford and Chrysler. But, he said, the foreign companies would not share “in the benefits of that automobile bailout program.”
No. But Mississippi did give Nissan and Toyota more than $650 million to entice them to locate in the state. GM, Ford and Chrysler didn’t share in those benefits, Sen. Cochran.
The Toyota Republicans are all for helping the rich with tax breaks and shelters, and they’re all for aiding foreign auto manufacturers with billions worth of tax forgiveness and government-paid infrastructure improvements.
But their disdain for the working class couldn’t be clearer as they organized defeat of loans to the Big Three under this command: “Republicans should stand firm and take their first shot against organized labor.”
h/t Cobalt6
3 comments:
I drive an American-made Toyota. Why? Because the American companies were churning out gas guzzling junk (Michael Moore recently called them crapmobiles).
This week the narrative of this auto bailout story switched from being about bad business models and environmentally un-friendly cars to unions. At some point Dems need to ask themselves which is more important: well-made, small cars that are more environmentally friendly, or UAW, which most Dems don't even belong to.
The point is, there shouldn't be so many Asian-engineered cars on U.S. roads, and there wouldn't be if "the big 3" had been doing it right. But instead, they killed the electric car, and this is where that road led them.
I shed no tears for GM, Ford, or Chrysler. I will continue to buy cars that have the best durability, safety rating, and gas-mileage. Until the "big three" have a paradigm shift, that means continuing to buy Japanese.
Brent, Thanks for your comment.
Actual I think Toyotas are fine cars. Usually a wise buy for most folks. And being an Industrial Engineer , I love the Toyota Production System (Kaizen= Lean & Continuous Improvement , etc.) So this was no knock on Toyota.
My knock is on those sneaky 'ol Goppers, who seem more interested in union busting --- relying on the general public's poor brand perception of the Big Three. As an engineer, I have worked in both union and non-union shops, and think that organized labor happens for a reason. Well-managed companies usually don't attract unions. But even in 21st century, there are some management folks who will cut corners on safety and take unfair/unethical advantage of workers -- in my mind they get the union they deserve. We have to protect the rights to organize, to protect the little guys, because the big guys have the all the power/money on their side.
now back to my love of cars...
I happen to love GM cars -- have had many good cars and trucks over the years. My good 'ol '81 Chevy truck did hard duty on our farm for over 25 years. We use a '05 GMC 2500HD now and it is great for hauling livestock trailers and the usual farm chores.
I have had several Pontiacs... most recent one I ran to 280,000 miles, with a few reasonable planned overhauls, so overall a good experiences. I'm sure others have had their problems. Being a geeky engineer I've had good luck picking models and proven designs.
I have a '00 BMW 3 series that was a hand-me-down from my son. Cool car -- love it, too. Life long dream is to have a new Corvette (did I mention I'm a motor-head - hee?).
Realistically, if I were to get a new car anytime soon, due to the insane fuel costs/green impact, I'd lean to a Honda Hybrid. Better design IMHO. But I like the plug-in hybrid design of the Chevy Volt... so we'll what happens there.
Lastly, I think Michael Moore is a funny guy... but like Keith O @ MSNBC... you have to allow for his over-the-top schtick , in always breaking bad on anything from Detroit.
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