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Lying cons kill US jobs + tech future.
1–17 out of 17 messages
| Author | Message |
| cdnreprtr |
Posted - 8/18/2012 7:05:47 PM | show profile | flag this post
From The Atlantic: -Bob Lutz, a long-time titan of the auto industry, has in recent years devoted himself to the development of GM's electric car, the Chevy Volt. This is what he says in an interview with Charged, a magazine covering the electric-vehicle business. For context it's worth noting that Lutz, a former Marine Corps aviator, is on the right-wing side of the normal U.S. political scale (emphasis added). "The level of owner satisfaction is extremely high. Quality and reliability is extremely high. But the downside is that the political extreme right has been distorting the facts of the Volt. The Volt passed the government crash tests with a five-star safety rating, and didn't roll over. But the testing protocol requires that even if the vehicle doesn't roll, it has to go through the rotisserie maneuver, which is five minutes on one side, five minutes on its back, five minutes on the other side, and then back on its wheels again. At some point during the rotisserie, some fluid leaked out, and three weeks later caused a short in the battery and the vehicle caught fire. I mean, how safe it that? Three weeks should give people adequate time to exit the vehicle. And what did all these right-wing commentators make of that? "Chevy Volts catch fire." All of them were talking about "yeah, they all catch fire. GM's gonna recall 'em. There's just another Obama-inspired program - a misguided socialist automotive policy. And not only did they spend a lot of your hard-earned tax dollars creating this vehicle, but now they put a $7500 tax credit on it." Well, there are a couple of things wrong with all those statements. First of all, the Volt was my idea in 2006. We showed the first prototype at the Detroit Auto Show in 2007. Obama wasn't elected until late 2008, so Obama could not be the progenitor of the Chevy Volt. And what they also conveniently forget is that the $7500 tax credit for electric vehicles was enacted under the Bush administration.... And these people are supposed to be for American jobs? They did such reputational damage to the Volt that the demand dipped to a very low level. So GM did the right thing, which was to idle production for 5 weeks and lay off workers. So here are these right-wing pundits who are always talking about jobs, jobs, jobs. Actually through their irresponsible reporting on the Chevrolet Volt they managed to put American workers out of their jobs for five weeks! It annoys me to no end. ... As a conservative myself politically, it annoys me no end to see deliberate lying and misinformation coming out where they will trash an outstanding American product and do damage to American employment just to get at Obama. That's just plain unethical." |
| cruiser |
Posted - 8/18/2012 8:15:58 PM | show profile | flag this post
The bottom line is did it catch fire or not? The answer is: it did...and the Volt might have been in rush hour freeway traffic when the short occurred. That very easily could have been fatal...from the fire or from other vehicles. The criticism was well deserved. |
| Grateful Deadline |
Posted - 8/19/2012 12:33:28 AM | show profile | flag this post
Sorta like a gas line leak in an older car, eh, cruiser? So many older unmaintained cars get them, and they cause fires. |
| cdnreprtr |
Posted - 8/19/2012 1:19:48 AM | show profile | flag this post
Cons are happy to lie and destroy the US auto industry .. .... and kill of tens of thousands of jobs .. just to score a couple of talking points off Obama. Lies like this aren't just irresponsible. as the GM exec stated .. American workers were laid off, their families suffered. Ha, ha! Real funny! electric cars and goober liberals! Cons dont care. They want America to fail. |
| cdnreprtr |
Posted - 8/19/2012 3:49:53 AM | show profile | flag this post
Con hypocrites . "And what they also conveniently forget is that the $7500 tax credit for electric vehicles was enacted under the Bush administration.." Yep. Thats a GOP handout. Y'all didnt have a problem then. And y'all voted for Bush's Big Auto bailout. His policy. I think it's courageous policy. It saved jobs. It an investment in future jobs. China, Germany, etc make it a priority. But the GOP flip flops, again and again, and can't figure it out. Of course the confused GOPs have outspent Dem admins for the past 30 years, while Clinton and Obama reduced spending. That is the economic fact, verified by the CBO and every single objective source. While Clinton was balancing the budget, Cheney was preaching "deficits don't matter" to encourage outrageous political earmarks like Alaskan bridges to nowhere (Doncha know?) What do repubs stand for? Bogus, proven failure, trickle down ... Tax cuts for the 5%, and increases for the middle and working class |
| cruiser |
Posted - 8/19/2012 11:57:56 AM | show profile | flag this post
Obama "reduced spending" the same way Clinton "left a surplus." NEITHER happened. |
| cdnreprtr |
Posted - 8/19/2012 12:22:05 PM | show profile | flag this post
More bald faced lies. The congressional budget office, the non-partisan arm and the only authority that matters, say Clinton ran a surplus and Obama reduced spending. That is fact. You are a liar. |
| livinliberal |
Posted - 8/19/2012 4:02:20 PM | show profile | flag this post
Haha...Cruiser is such a tool... It is well documented that Clinton left a surplus and that Obama has slowed spending more than any other president since Eisenhower...Repubs claim we are losing jobs...actually, the private sector is hiring...most layoffs are coming from the government due to repub cutbacks in spending. Once again, repubs cut jobs while asking where they are. It all comes down to McConnell...who openly stated that the GOPs goal for the next four years was to defeat Obama in 2012...that means the repubs have done everything they can to stop his plans to help the nation so they could blame him for things getting worse. I think McConnell is a traitor who should be hauled off to jail for obstructing Congress in order to make Americans' lives worse so his party could get back in power. He is a national disgrace. |
| Grateful Deadline |
Posted - 8/19/2012 4:23:45 PM | show profile | flag this post
The charts of these stats have been available from myriad sources all year. Remember, you're dealing with cruiser, who believes that "facts" are something every worthwhile reporter pulls out of thin air, not by gathering information from sources. That's what you're up against. |
| mpdodgson |
Posted - 8/19/2012 5:40:10 PM | show profile | flag this post
When it comes to "hypocrite Cons" Ryan has proved himself to be one of the worst. I'm sick and tired of all this 'bold thinking' crap, and he's such a great economic policy wonk. He voted for all the huge budget-busting measures under Bush. Both unpaid for wars. Tarp. The Stimulus. Then--this week--he gets caught looking foolish for criticizing Obama for an GM auto plant that closed..." calling it "one more broken promise" on the Democratic administration's record." Oops. It closed while Bush was president. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/17/paul-ryan-gm-federal-funds_n_1799515.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular And then--same week--he gets caught ina bold faced lie he never asked for Stimulus money. "WASHINGTON-- In a television interview with WCPO Cincinnati, Republican vice presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) directly contradicted an Associated Press report that said he had sought stimulus funds for his congressional district, while at the same time publicly decrying the bill as a "wasteful spending spree." "No, I never asked for stimulus," Ryan said when questioned on reports that he had sought funds." Yes he did. Several times. To the Energy Dept no less. Even wrote letters. "Presented With Letters, Ryan Admits Requesting Stimulus Cash" http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/08/presented-with-letters-ryan-admits-requesting-stimulus-cash/ Now, it's up to the voter to decide what's worse--the VP candidate lying, and basically falsifying his record--or Romney changing his record to suit the audience at hand on issues large and small. Take your pick. |
| cruiser |
Posted - 8/19/2012 5:50:38 PM | show profile | flag this post
"It is well documented that..." No, it's pure bullsh*t. Clinton's "surplus" occurred when he traded public debt for money from the Social Security trust fund and eight other "off books" government funds so the amount of his debt wouldn't officially show up. Obama's "reduced spending" occurred when he falsely listed EVERY SINGLE PENNY of his 2009 spending under Bush's budget. I know the facts...and all of you know that I know the facts...even if you won't ever acknowledge it. |
| cruiser |
Posted - 8/19/2012 5:54:01 PM | show profile | flag this post
"Now, it's up to the voter to decide what's worse" Obama's Chicago-style thug politics or trying to stick Bush with the bill for his profligate spending. Maybe they both should be added together. |
| cdnreprtr |
Posted - 8/19/2012 6:11:38 PM | show profile | flag this post
Bu..bu...but. WHAAAAAAAA! Twist it however you want The fact is the CBO, using long standing accounting guidelines and standards .. A nonpartisan level playing field agreed to by all parties in congress .. Said it was a surplus. Fact. Typical cons just unilaterally change rules after the fact .. More outright deception and dishonesty. But the thing that really shows everyone how stupid you are is another a simple fact. The GOP congress under Clinton and after argued the surplus to justify the Bush tax cuts. Yes, the fact is that in 2000 even the GOP ...a well as the CBO .. Stated it was a surplus. Of course the tax cuts, GOP incompetance and mismanagement turned the projections into a fiscal wasteland of debt .. Thus the revisionist history and pathetic bu... But ..NOT A SURPLUS bullshit on con sites like prison planet or drudge or whatever internet "truth" you managed to google. Fact are facts. If you have trouble reading the CBO docs try moving your lips more and mouth breathing less. |
| etaoin shrdlu |
Posted - 8/19/2012 8:20:09 PM | show profile | flag this post
Gee cruzo... I know you're not much of a gearhead, but the Volt fires only occurred in wrecked cars -- WEEKS AFTER the car was totaled. "[NHTSA] remains unaware of any real-world crashes that have resulted in a battery-related fire involving the Chevy Volt or any other electric vehicle." http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jan/21/business/la-fi-autos-volt-20120121 Of course gasoline powered cars NEVER catch fire. I never hear about the two or three car fires in the DC metro area during morning traffic reports. |
| cruster |
Posted - 8/19/2012 10:41:33 PM | show profile | flag this post
"Obama's Chicago-style thug politics" and it that sounds racist, it's because it is! |
1–17 out of 17 messages
