Live blog automakers on hill

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/live-blog-the-automakers-plead/

enjoy... It could be fun. Anyone find any more live blogs? I bet there are many.

Looks like GM arrived in the Volt.

So lets get this right. He drives cross country in a Malibu Hybrid as part of a 3 car motorcade (i suspect the other two cars were security.) Meanwhile a Volt is sent on a Semi so that it can be driven the last few miles.

jrw1621 wrote: Looks like GM arrived in the Volt. So lets get this right. He drives cross country in a Malibu Hybrid as part of a 3 car motorcade (i suspect the other two cars were security.) Meanwhile a Volt is sent on a Semi so that it can be driven the last few miles.

They get to show off two cars at once.

Leads me to believe the volt isn't quite ready yet...

"Senator Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican, uses his down home manner to take on Chrysler, suggesting that “All we’re really doing is providing capital for you to hang around long enough to get married.”" love the live blog.

1:00 p.m.| Mass Transit: Senator Dodd wants them to go into mass transit vehicles. Business strategy by senators may not be the solution, but everyone deals with the idea respectfully.

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2006/12/who_killed_the_.html <-- They were already in the mass transit business. killing trolley companies to get people to buy buses.

ignorant wrote: Leads me to believe the volt isn't quite ready yet... "Senator Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican, uses his down home manner to take on Chrysler, suggesting that “All we’re really doing is providing capital for you to hang around long enough to get married.”" love the live blog.

Isn't the State of Tennessee handing out money to General Motors to keep their old Saturn Plant going?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_Hill_Manufacturing

http://media.gm.com/manufacturing/

From the blog: "The Times has a photo of Rick Wagoner being driven to Washington in a Chevy hybrid. That beats flying a corporate jet, but is it nearly as fuel-efficient or economical as flying on a commercial jet from Detroit? Some may also note that when they drive to plead for money from a lender, they do not have a chauffeur."

I want to kick this "blogger" (god I hate that term) in the teeth. They drive a hybrid to Washington so they can show the out-of-touch Senators that GM is not, as they implied last time, still using antiquated technology and this guy rips on them for not flying there, and for having a chauffeur. Is he sure that it's a chauffeur and not another exec who is helping him prepare for the meeting? Even if it is a chauffeur, who cares, he's probably getting a lot of work done while being driven there instead of chatting on his cell phone while driving. I'm betting most of the Senators didn't drive themselves to Capitol Hill this morning.

Now, as to how economical it is, Detroit to Washington is 524 miles, according to Google. That Malibu Hybrid gets 34 mpg highway, 26 city. Since this is mostly highway miles, I'll use the 34mpg. That means they used a whopping 15 gallons to drive there, and will use another 15 to drive back, so they'll spend about $60 on gas. I'm betting you can't find round trip plane tickets from Detroit to Washington for $30 a person, assuming there were only 2 people in the car.

But wait, since the Senators are obviously such business geniuses, surely Amtrak, a government run business will have a cheap, timely solution! For $68 each way, per person, they could have made the trip from Detroit to DC in an astonishing 16 hours. Why does it take so long? You can't actually take a train from Detroit, the Nation's 11th most populous city, to the Nation's capital. You've got to take a bus to another city and catch the train there, even though Amtrak does stop in Detroit. You could take the train west to Chicago and then east to Washington (going right by Detroit, but not actually stopping there), but its quicker to take the bus to Toledo. I'm so glad the automakers are going to talk to the government for help, I'm sure they'll have some incredible solutions.

Sorry for complaining, I'm just in a bad mood today. Ignorant, thanks for the link.

HAHAHAHA, this was funny: " 2:33 p.m.| Mexico or Michigan? : Senator Tester asks about G.M. expanding in Mexico, and Mr. Wagoner says he knows of no plans. Mr. Tester warns he will be mad if they approve the bailout and in a few weeks G.M. announces expansion of “a plant in Michigan.”

As the titters spread, he asks, “What did I say? He meant Mexico, of course."

Bob

Snowdoggie - good find. But you should know that facts and logic have no part in politics. :D

Does the financial crisis apply to their US manufacturing only? If so, I'd say shut it down and have them bring over the cooler cars they're providing to the Euro markets. I want a Fiesta and a Ranger sized 4dr pickup.

It'll sting at first but you've gotta take the bitter medicine before you feel better. UAW will go away forever and that's a good thing.

I believe now.. that these ass monkies need to have one of these companies fail to teach them a lesson about capitalism and producing a product that people want.

Here are my reasons why:

• They came to washington a month ago super smug with a good old boy nudge and wink looking for a handout with out any real plan

• So they go away and develop a plan. It sucks. If I developed that kinda drivel in b-school I would have been shown the door. There are now interesting ideas there

• To get a business loan I have to go down to the local bank, present a detailed plan and then get it ripped apart by some smarmy ass before they deny the loan. I don't think my local bank would give anyone a loan with this BS crap they are presenting..

I am really starting to believe one needs to die to put the fear of GOD in these people. I don't believe they actually have a sens of mortality. I think they have more of a sense of mortality this week than they did last time.... but.. one needs to die to make the others strong, if the market wills it because they are not fit enough to compete.