Rand Paul says GM not profitable because of union

[nvsked1]

Oct 15, 2010 8:34:54 GMT -5 kessinger said:

NVs. Good article. Nothing lieka little odse of reality.

thanks

[ktpelec]

This link shows which Party controlled the Presidency, Senate, and House for the last 50+ years.
uspolitics.about.com/od/usgovernment/l/bl_party_division_2.htm

Kentucky has a long history of electing Republican Senators for the past century or so. Durung this time Kentucky has been among the lowest in education level, and always near the top in poverty level among U.S. states. Isn't it time to try something else?

[elmer]

Wow looking at that chart shows the Republicans have had majority control since 1995.

[axleman]

Oct 15, 2010 13:52:45 GMT -5 elmer said:

Wow looking at that chart shows the Republicans have had majority control since 1995.

To really have power in Washington you must control both the House and Senate. The (D's) controlled both houses 23 yrs the (R's) 6 yrs since 1945. If you look at the numbers when the parties hold the presidency also the (D's) have total control for 11yrs and the (R's) 2yrs. I'm not sure what elmers point is but look who is in control the most and make your own conclusions.

[ScottR@KTP]

I can't vote for either one...I will more than likely skip over that part of my electronic ballot.

[ktpelec]

On the campaign trail, Rand Paul portrays himself as a man of the people. But when you look past his rhetoric, it's clear that he only means the very rich people. Paul's ideal world is the same as George W. Bush's, one where unbridled corporate power drives the economy and working families are treated as mere chattel for the big machine of capitalism.
We all know where this philosophy gets us: incredible wealth and power concentrated among the richest 1 percent, total economic collapse, unrelenting unemployment, millions of home foreclosures and even more good-paying jobs shipped overseas. One thing is certain: American working families have taken it on the chin in this economy while the wealthy and their political enablers continue to profit off their toil.
For over a century, organized labor has fought to protect working families from these forces. The labor movement has elevated all workers, and without unions the great American middle class would never been created. The American labor movement has championed labor and civil rights in the quest for fairness and progress for those who labor for a living. But in Paul's world, there's no place for a movement whose very existence calls into question his fundamental belief in the priority of capital over labor.
Just recently, Paul called for the deunionization of the automobile industry by claiming that the only way American car manufacturers could make a profit would be if they were non-union. In an Oct. 5 interview, Paul said: “I think GM and most of the automakers in Detroit will never make money as long as they are unionized. If they went to a nonunion model, they would have a chance of making money. I think their labor costs are twice what Toyota's are.”
This inflammatory attack on an anchor of Kentucky's economy is an out-and-out lie. Ford made $2.1 billion in the first quarter of 2010; in the second quarter of this year, General Motors made a $1.54 billion profit; in the first quarter, $1.07 billion. Indeed, GM is one of the most profitable corporations in American history — all with a unionized workforce.
Paul's claim that GM's unionized labor costs are twice that of Toyota is also a fabrication. According to the Center for Automotive Research, GM pays workers $57 per hour, a figure that includes wages and all benefits. Workers at Toyota earn about $50 per hour in wages and benefits. Recently, the unionized workers at General Motors bit the bullet, accepted wage cuts, health care cuts and benefit cuts to ensure that the company remained profitable in these difficult times.

[axleman]

It's the "Big Machine Capitalism" you and the UAW rail against all the time that made this the greatest country in the world. If "social and economic justice and all the other liberal BS is what you want move to Russia or China! OH, forgot they are moving towards Big Machine Capitalism! LOL! Get the government off the backs of our companies and let them make money and they will put people to work. Stop illegals from working in our country thats what the government should concentrate on. Unions don't put people to work Companies do. Unions can be a good thing and should clean up their act.

[ktpelec]

No liberal here, I'm an moderate.
Get the Government off the backs of BIG companies? So those BIG companies can trash workers rights, pollute our enviroment, make products that endanger peoples lives? Thats exactly what the Government of China allows thier BIG companys to do. Tainted baby food, petfood, drywall, Cadnium in toys ect... Is that the government control you want to get rid of?
Small businesses employ many more Americans than Big companies.
The so called "Tea Party" are just wolves in a sheeps clothing.
Please don't attack me personally, it's just a point of discussion.

[axleman]

Sorry if you took my last post as a personal attack, it was directed at the anti- big business ideology in your post. Not to you personally. Big business as a whole has come along way from the big polluters and worker bashing it did in the late 19th and early 20th century. China and emerging markets will, in time move to improve their standards as well. The people will demand it, thats where unions in this country made such a wonderful contribution. It forced companies to make improvements. Unions have gotten away from that and entered into politics where it doesn't belong.

[kessinger]

Big Business has come along way. But it is due to the governemtn not due to their own wants. Priot to the new deal our country was becoming a toilet, you couldn't swin int he rivers or drinkt he water. That is what china faces now. What made our country great is that companies were allowed to grow but not allowed to shit all over whomever they wished. When we had unrestarined capitalism, pre 1930, we had an economy that ran a mini recession every few years and most people lived in absolute poverty.

All of the times we think of as "the good old days" came after the new deal and after a middle class was created. In 1910 all members of most families, including children had to work just to live. We have come along way from those times, and despite what anyoen says it was due to our governement of the people by the people. FDR's new deal and Teddy's square deal changed America, and created what we have loved all these years. We are slipping backwards and that is what worries me.

We ned strong business. We need amnufacturing. But, we need controls in place, to keep our country in control.

[keithf]

Oct 25, 2010 9:01:54 GMT -5 kessinger said:

Big Business has come along way. But it is due to the governemtn not due to their own wants. Priot to the new deal our country was becoming a toilet, you couldn't swin int he rivers or drinkt he water. That is what china faces now. What made our country great is that companies were allowed to grow but not allowed to shit all over whomever they wished. When we had unrestarined capitalism, pre 1930, we had an economy that ran a mini recession every few years and most people lived in absolute poverty.

All of the times we think of as "the good old days" came after the new deal and after a middle class was created. In 1910 all members of most families, including children had to work just to live. We have come along way from those times, and despite what anyoen says it was due to our governement of the people by the people. FDR's new deal and Teddy's square deal changed America, and created what we have loved all these years. We are slipping backwards and that is what worries me.

We ned strong business. We need amnufacturing. But, we need controls in place, to keep our country in control.

totally disagree kessinger. BUT, you do point out liberal logic for all to see. America is not great because of the government, and America has not come a long way because of the government. America is what it is because of the people. its our will, our work ethic, and the ground rules set by our forefathers that has made this country great.

[axleman]

Someone break the news to Kess. that Ol' Teddy was a Republican! I'd hate to see him loose his "union member in good standing" credentials. LOL!

[kessinger]

Keith, lets straighten this out. If you notice I say of the the government is "of the people by the people" so we agree it sis the people.

And that shows your conservative way of arguing a point. Instead of reading my whole post you take a few words and run with that.

I am quite aware Teddy was a Republican, I like many of them. It may amaze you to know I would have voted for Pat Buchannon over and over. To me he had a crystal ball everything he said would happen during his pres. run has happened.

Anal maybe if the Republicans get child labor and 10 cent an hour pay the companies will return. You can only hope.

And for the record business send their jobs overseas, the owners stay right here because there is no better place on earth to be a rich guy.

[kessinger]

And your Buddy Rand thinks you are the reason Ford was unprofitable. Seems you must agree with him on everything, so i guess you feel he is right?

[ScottR@KTP]

We are the reason Ford is profitable...we agreed to cuts which enabled them to become profitable. I am sure Rand, along with the other 100 million people in America, agrees that we are overpaid.
People in America (majority) are anti-union...they will never understand that the unions helped establish many of today's good paying jobs without having to organize.
When unions constantly support democrats, Americans will think about voting the other way. They ought to use reverse psychology and start supporting the repubs very loudly...Americans may start to only support the dems.