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Michael Moore on Detroit's Automotive Crisis: Throw the Bums Out!
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by Emilio Lizardo | November 20, 2008 at 06:24 am
917 views | 26 Recommendations | 9 comments
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Michigan native Mike Moore goes off with both barrels when interviewed by Larry King last evening on his view of the current state of America's automotive crisis.
Moore: Automakers never listened to workers, consumers
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reversed plans Wednesday to hold a test vote on an automakers' bailout bill on Thursday. Reid had planned to move on legislation that would have taken $25 billion from the $700 billion already approved for Wall Street and diverted it to the big three automakers.
CNN's Larry King talked Wednesday with Michael Moore, a filmmaker with deep ties to the auto industry. Moore's father worked for General Motors for 35 years.
In 1989, Moore became an international figure for his film, "Roger and Me," which centered on the declining auto industry in his hometown of Flint, Michigan and the ripple effect on the town's residents.
The following is an edited version of the interview.
Larry King: Michael, was (the movie) prophetic?
Michael Moore: When I made that film, there were still 50,000 people working at General Motors in Flint. I mean they had eliminated 30,000 jobs, but there were still some jobs there.
Today, I think there's less than 12,000 working in the area, so it has devastated Flint. Flint was one of the first towns to go. When I made that movie almost 20 years ago, I hoped that the film would be a warning to other cities that this corporation was intent upon removing jobs from this country and taking them to Mexico and Brazil and other places.
When I made that movie that year, General Motors made a profit of over $4 billion, and they were still laying off people simply to make a bit more money, the people who helped to build the company, the workers in their hometown of Flint, Michigan, they just forgot about them and took the money and ran.
There is a link to the complete interview here, complete with live call-in questions. The original source article contains the video link as well.
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Emilio Lizardo
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
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Rhonda J Mangus
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (9)
at 06:33 on November 20th, 2008
And there he is again. Mike More. And some how I am glad he is around still.
at 06:39 on November 20th, 2008
I absolutely agree.
In my mind, Moore is a rare individual in that he actually cares about people and backs this up by speaking out in ways that certainly put him at great personal risk. He also puts his money where his mouth his.
I hope you have time to watch the actual video of King's interview. Moore is deadly funny and makes a great deal of sense.
at 09:36 on November 20th, 2008
I just found it so disgraceful that when the CEOs of the big auto companies flew to petition the government for help with their industry, they all took their own private jets. I mean, that's where the problem lies; they are still living their same lifestyle while the thousands of workers are struggling like crazy to hold on.
at 10:57 on November 20th, 2008
at 10:51 on November 20th, 2008
Yes, it's like a slap in the face to the American people that they could not even JET POOL to Washington! I read earlier at www.autoloandaily.com where they break down what it's going to cost each of us if this goes through.
The problem is American Auto Makers have mostly focused on are folks that want the biggest SUV, but haven't passengers. If people really wanted to go green they would. It's just plain laziness and being cheap. At least Ford is on the right track introducing 10 new eco friendly vehicles for 2010. The problem is, if it costs more than the old gasoline vehicle, most will settle on what's cheapest vice what is better for the environment.
Similar to the obesity situation in this country. I'm sure some want to diet and eat healthy that are overweight (yep talking to you Michael Moore, living high on the hog - literally!), but if the cost of an apple is the same as a Big Mac, then they're going to eat a Big Mac...
at 14:15 on November 20th, 2008
I say let them fail, not because I want to see people lose their jobs, but because the vast majority of car makers are greedy and haven't invested enough time or money in developing vehicles that don't destroy the environment.
In Europe, I think the best news to come out of the current financial situation and ailing car industry is the proposed takeover of Opel by German firm SolarWorld...
"I see a need to overhaul our manufacturing sector. Just like we have seen in the alternative energy area, the auto industry must be overhauled. That means we need to build cars of the future -- electric, hybrid engines, this can't be left to the Japanese," - SolarWorld Chief Executive Frank Asbeck
Source - Reuters
PS I can't view that video here in France - do you think its only available in the US?
at 14:25 on November 20th, 2008
Update - its up on YouTube as well.
at 17:58 on November 20th, 2008
Thanks you so much, everybody for reading and for the great comments !
at 04:06 on November 21st, 2008
Nobody wants to talk about this but it is the entire trucking industry who is on the line...
......not just the big 3. Think about it. People buy the big SUV's because they stay on the road when a big 80,000 lb tractor trailer comes swooping by. People buy the biggest thing they can for the safety of themselves and family...without regard to the cost for gas......simply to stay alive from all the BIG RIGS on the road. Going.. Green... they consider is suicide.....
If we are going to make our cars and small trucks go Green.....that means downsizing the BIG TRACTOR JOE TRAILERS in the USA. Remember BEST WEST?
I would love to see 80,000 lb trucks get off the road....for smaller trucks... But what will that mean? It will mean smaller transport trucks, that use less fuel, and go faster...but more of them....This means more of them on the already crowded roads in America. Is that what we want?
It is why I believe the new economy is coming that will change so fast we will wonder what happened, because we Americans are not all dumb to the core.
It means a rival of the train system that runs on electricity powered from GEOTHERMAL ENERGY ELECTRIC. Trains will carry the loads across country, and smaller battery trucks will pick up the loads for delivery that assures they have more than enough power capacity to do it. This will be a win for Green Technology, smaller trucks to replace the Tractor Trailers, which means no more fear and no need to buy SUV's for protection on the road......less trucks on the road......and a working transportation system that supports truckers so they get home each night, a working train system, a working big 3 Auto Company that makes electric cars, so people can go to the stores where they dropped off the goodies the night before.
It means people have to think about the changes we need for the future that protects the environment, makes jobs, and keeps companies profitable... It can be done.....
but Americans won't do it...They are too dysfunctional.....Obama has no clue....and McCain woudl be the same...
I know I use to drive a Freightliner.
Rev. Jermano