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Come on, is driving to Capitol Hill really necessary?

Posted Dec 02 2008, 12:37 PM by Kim Peterson
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The head honchos of Ford, Chrysler and GM are headed back to Washington to ask Congress for a bailout, but this time they won't be flying in personal jets.

I can appreciate what my colleague Scott Reeves describes as a massive public relations comeback, but this seems almost as ridiculous. Does Alan Mulally, the CEO of a major multinational company (Ford) really need to drive 10 hours from Detroit to Washington?

What is the productivity loss from having the CEO on a 10-hour road trip? Ford is betting that what is loses in resources, it'll gain in political goodwill. And there's something kind of charming about having Mulally hit the road in a Ford Escape hybrid, except that at the end of the road he's going to beg for taxpayer dollars.

In the end, Mulally is just piling more spectacle on top of an already spectacular dog-and-pony show.  Will the testimony from Detroit's Big Three actually mean anything, or are they just there so the politicians can grab more face time in front of the cameras?

Excuse me for being so cynical. The debate about whether to bail out Detroit is fascinating, and could fundamentally alter a major American industry. There are huge issues at stake, affecting real jobs and real families.

Mulally says he'll work for $1 per year in order to get government loans for Ford. That's the kind of commitment I want to see. All this fuss about CEO transportation is just silly and distracting. 

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Comments

 

Let GM, Ford and Chrysler go bankrupt, fire the current CEO's, Let the Bankruptcy Judge appoint effective turn around teams.

Bankruptcy would void the Union Contracts and start-over. The real problem is the the Union fat cats and  the the very high wage and benefit costs.

GM was smart to turn the retirement benefits to the Unions, the underfunded reitrement plan should break the Unions anyway.

RB (Posted 12.04.08 5:13 AM) Report Abuse

Looks like RM didn't see the headlines about GM slashing jobs. Or did he think his was more sacred than the rest of GM? People are cutting way back on food and clothes and vacations and Mr. Corporate Pilot is more concerned about his flying time,nice sales pitch too. He can get in line with the rest of GM's employees seeking un-employement. Or perhaps he could make a deal with Pelosi? Taxpayers have already bailed out one industry,heck,throw a couple of corporate jets in there too. We taxpayers are just here to provide money for the needy CEO's. How could I think anyone would want to help the PEOPLE WHERE THEY GET THEIR MONEY FROM??

Verbal Harpoon (Posted 12.04.08 8:11 PM) Report Abuse

WHEN THE GULF STATES GET HIT BY HURRICANES, AND CALIFORNIA BY FIRES,AND MUDSLIDES AND EARTHQUAKES. I DONT QUESTION ANY OF MY TAX MONEY BEING SENT TO FIX THE PROBLEMS. WE  ARE ALL AMERICANS AND WE SHOULD COME TO EACH OTHERS AIDE. WAKE UP AMERICA WE ARE DESTROYING OURSELVES FROM WITHIN. TELL SENATOR SHELBY HE SHOULD STOP HIS GRANDSTANDING AND DRIVE BACK TO ALABAMA IN A FORD FOCUS.

vincent leone (Posted 12.05.08 11:10 PM) Report Abuse

Wish George had to drive to Iraq.in a duce an half truck with no heater or air cond.

Razor (Posted 12.07.08 1:27 AM) Report Abuse

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