For Obama, politics may be hard to avoid in auto bailout

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Reporting from Washington -- With the White House positioned to reshape the future of the auto industry, Republican Sen. Bob Corker was so concerned about the prospects for his home state of Tennessee that he delivered a personal warning to the administration's point man on the issue.

Don't keep plants open in Ohio and Michigan, which voted for President Obama last year, at the expense of a plant in Tennessee, which is solidly Republican, he said.

"I wanted to know: Would they employ a blue-state, red-state strategy?" Corker said in an interview, recalling his phone conversation last week with Steven Rattner, the administration's top advisor on restructuring the domestic auto industry.

The question illustrates the new dynamic as Obama tries to balance the economic need to salvage a struggling industry that employs hundreds of thousands of people, and affects millions, against the needs of key constituencies and possibly his own reelection hopes.

Like Corker, all sides are attempting to decode messages from the White House.

The administration has sent reassuring signals to the United Auto Workers, a staunch campaign supporter of Obama, amid fears that union members and retirees will be forced to sacrifice more benefits.

By contrast, bondholders who are owed money by General Motors Corp. say they are still waiting to see whether the White House will consider their needs.

Corker would not divulge how Rattner responded to his concerns, saying only that he believed the White House would "try to do the right thing."

But he added that politics could prove unavoidable, given the president's ties to the UAW and his election campaign's reliance on auto-heavy states such as Ohio, Michigan and Indiana.

"The administration owns this now," Corker said. "They've taken over a private company, and in essence you can imagine the kinds of pressures on them as they move ahead."

Rattner did not respond to requests for an interview.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-auto-bailout6-2009apr06,0,1016623,full.story

[thundley4]

It would not surprise me if part of the restructuring demanded by 0Bama of the automakers, would be that any plants closed MUST be in red states.

[TheSarge]

"I wanted to know: Would they employ a blue-state, red-state strategy?" Corker said in an interview

I think the answer to this question is pretty clear.

I mean look at how he hung Kentucky out to dry after that ice storm.

[thundley4]

I think the answer to this question is pretty clear.

I mean look at how he hung Kentucky out to dry after that ice storm.

We haven't heard much about FEMA helping out with flooding in the upper midwest.

[DixieBelle]

"The administration owns this now," Corker said. "They've taken over a private company, and in essence you can imagine the kinds of pressures on them as they move ahead."

Keep shouting it Corker. Let's hope he doesn't get drowned out by the fawning media though.........

[debk]

We haven't heard much about FEMA helping out with flooding in the upper midwest.

The area has already been declared a federal disaster area....so FEMA would already be there. But just like the Galveston area, you won't hear much about it as people are going out and getting things done....instead of everyone whining about it like they are still doing in NOLA from Katrina.

  I had applied to work for a company that does disaster cleanup for FEMA, in 2006. I was called week before last to see if I was still interested as they are preparing to be sent to ND/MN. They are getting stretched thin as the company still has a large staff in the Galveston area....and those in the G area are expected to be there at least through most of the summer. My friend that's there now, and has been since shortly after the hurricane, has been told he will be there at least until the end of July. Others that he works with, have been told they will be there longer. These people can only stay 11mo 29 days....and then have to be switched to another place, and replaced with different employees. Has to do with tax laws regarding temporary resident housing and such.

[thundley4]

The area has already been declared a federal disaster area....so FEMA would already be there. But just like the Galveston area, you won't hear much about it as people are going out and getting things done....instead of everyone whining about it like they are still doing in NOLA from Katrina.

  I had applied to work for a company that does disaster cleanup for FEMA, in 2006. I was called week before last to see if I was still interested as they are preparing to be sent to ND/MN. They are getting stretched thin as the company still has a large staff in the Galveston area....and those in the G area are expected to be there at least through most of the summer. My friend that's there now, and has been since shortly after the hurricane, has been told he will be there at least until the end of July. Others that he works with, have been told they will be there longer. These people can only stay 11mo 29 days....and then have to be switched to another place, and replaced with different employees. Has to do with tax laws regarding temporary resident housing and such.

Basically, the squeaky wheels get the media coverage?  Then of course there must not be any looting or other crimes happening or  the media would be all over it.

[debk]

Basically, the squeaky wheels get the media coverage?  Then of course there must not be any looting or other crimes happening or  the media would be all over it.

you just identified the difference.....


like some guy who was getting flooded out said the other day...."we do what needs to be done....for ourselves and our neighbors. we take the consequences for staying and watch the homes of those who have left."

gee....what a novel concept....

[thundley4]

you just identified the difference.....


like some guy who was getting flooded out said the other day...."we do what needs to be done....for ourselves and our neighbors. we take the consequences for staying and watch the homes of those who have left."

gee....what a novel concept....

Self-reliance is not a novel idea for dems, it's an unknown idea.

[debk]

Self-reliance is not a novel idea for dems, it's an unknown idea.

Maybe it has something to do with the area of the country, more than the political thinking.

I grew up in the midwest, and it always seemed to me, that because of the weather...and the sparsely populated areas....that people were not only more self reliant than those "city-dwellers"....but also were more likely to depend on each other in the event of a catastrophe whether it be weather related or manmade.

Back in the days of the settlers....they helped build each others' houses, barns, fences....originally and when they were destroyed by weather or fire. Much of that early comraderie continued well through the next couple of centuries. I remember as a kid....dads and older kids helping neighbors shovel out their driveways and walks from all the snow, mowing the elderly neighbor's yard - for free- just because, just doing "good deeds" for each other. My grandmother lived in a small town and didn't drive. She walked a couple of blocks to the grocery store, and the store owner woudl send one of the "boys" that worked there, back home with "Miss Katie" to carry her groceries and "keep her company" on the walk home when what they were really doing was making sure she didn't fall or anything. (she was in her late 70's and 80's)

[Chris_]

Self-reliance is not a novel idea for dems, it's an unknown idea.

I think that sort of thing scares the H*ll outta them.  The last thing they want is people taking care of themselves.  We just might figure out that we don't really need 'em...or all their taxes.

[Chris]

I knew I had bookmarked this article for a reason...

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Bob Corker said Monday that he mentioned the General Motors plant in Spring Hill, Tenn., in comments Monday about President Barack Obama's plan to rescue the auto industry because he wants to make sure the plant is not closed for political reasons.

Corker said he believes the Obama administration will be dictating what GM plants will stay open and which will be closed and he wanted to "put down a marker" with the Obama administration regarding Spring Hill.

"I want it to be known that my sense is that the only reasons they would close it is for political reasons," Corker said. He said the plant was one of the more efficient operations within GM.

“It’s been a long time since Washington has seen the kind of kowtowing that’s about to occur among members of Congress trying to curry favor with the administration to keep plants in their states open, and it will be interesting to see if the administration makes these decisions based on a red state and blue state strategy or based on efficiency and capable, skilled workers at each plant. If they use the latter, our GM plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee should do very well.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090330/NEWS02/90330016/-1/RSS05

[thundley4]

I knew I had bookmarked this article for a reason...

Unless that newspaper is right leaning, look for that article to disappear if plants in Tennessee close. Many things critical of 0Bama have a tendency to vanish online.

[Chris]

The Tennessean?  Right leaning?  Not a chance.

I think the retards that comment on the articles all share the same brain.

[Flame]

 

Back in the days of the settlers....they helped build each others' houses, barns, fences....originally and when they were destroyed by weather or fire. Much of that early comraderie continued well through the next couple of centuries. I remember as a kid....dads and older kids helping neighbors shovel out their driveways and walks from all the snow, mowing the elderly neighbor's yard - for free- just because, just doing "good deeds" for each other. My grandmother lived in a small town and didn't drive. She walked a couple of blocks to the grocery store, and the store owner woudl send one of the "boys" that worked there, back home with "Miss Katie" to carry her groceries and "keep her company" on the walk home when what they were really doing was making sure she didn't fall or anything. (she was in her late 70's and 80's)

Mr Flame and I are teaching our kids these values...neighbor's husband was out of town for most of the winter at a training thingy...when snow shoveling had to be done, our 13 year old would go do her driveway and walk.  She tried to pay him, but he wouldn't take any money.  To me, it's just the right thing to do.

[thundley4]

Mr Flame and I are teaching our kids these values...neighbor's husband was out of town for most of the winter at a training thingy...when snow shoveling had to be done, our 13 year old would go do her driveway and walk.  She tried to pay him, but he wouldn't take any money.  To me, it's just the right thing to do.

Will you be my neighbor?   

[RobJohnson]

We haven't heard much about FEMA helping out with flooding in the upper midwest.

I don't remember seeing many Midwest looters on the news either. 

[Sam Adams]

This is what happens when the government gets involved in private affairs. (And business should be a private affairs.) Sooner or later, the government makes decisions based on political motives. Even when they don't make choices based on political motives, they appear to do so, and then people get pissed off. Fights happen. So better just let people do what they want with their own money. It called capitalism.