A Michigander's Rant

I try to avoid politics and ranting here but what went down in Washington this week really has me ticked as a Michigander. So pardon me for standing up for my state here but I just have to do it.

The U.S. Senate this week through some silly procedural rule that I as a democratic majority rule kind of a guy don't understand killed off a plan to rescue the U.S. automakers. As I understand it, though a majority of senators favored the rescue loans, enough if-I-can't--have-my-way-I-won't-play lawmakers created a roadblock in their sandbox that could not be overcome.

What is the problem here? Did the U.S. automakers create the global recession that has auto sales plummeting worldwide? Did the Big Three create the housing mess that sapped all the available credit from our financial institutions? Did the UAW push for free trade laws that allowed our wealth and capital to be siphoned off to other countries?

I don't think so. So why punish Detroit? Especially after the government just bailed out big banks and Wall Street for over ten times what automakers asked for. Sure, Detroit isn't as tres chic as NYC with its trendy gourmet restaurants and latte coffeehouses. But we deserve to work, make money and eat too, even if it's just McDonalds.

Southern Republicans who are mainly responsible for now putting this country on the fast lane to financial ruin want the unions to shoulder the blame, saying it's their salaries that are to blame. How many millionaire union workers do you know? Now how many millionaire investment bankers, Wall Street moguls and fat cat CEOs do you think there are? Or senators? I think southern lawmakers are just piqued that they can't bring back slavery, so they're trying to do the next best thing and bring back slave wages for the average joe.

From what I hear, this anti-U.S. crusade is being led by some bumpkin senator from Alabama. Never cared much for that state anyway. The only Michigander I know who ever moved to Alabama was that traitorous former Michigan State football coach Nick Saban, who is now trying to rescue the once great football program at the University of Alabama (since I'm ranting, might as well get in a knock against my rival Michigan State).

Until a few weeks ago, I owned three cars representing the Big Three: a Chrysler mini-van, a Saturn Vue, and a 1983 Ford Thunderbird. Nope, won't buy Japanese or foreign. If the Big Three go under, I'll buy a horse before I buy a foreign car. So-called auto experts have been promoting the myth of Japanese superiority for some time. Let's see, my Chrysler mini-van that I bought used for $6,000 about seven years ago now has 195,000 miles on it. We drive it to work every day. I sold my 83 T-Bird in a day by putting an ad in the classic car classified section of my local paper. How many classic Hondas do you find at your local antique car show?

And my Saturn Vue is the luxury mainstay of my personal fleet. It gets better gas mileage than advertised, has power to spare, and drives like a charm in mid-winter Michigan. We bought this one as a replacement for our old Saturn which had over 150,000 miles on it, a milestone that a local Honda salesman claimed was impossible for a Saturn. Yes, I test drove a Honda CRV, shame on me, but we bought the Saturn Vue because it was cheaper and we liked it better anyway. So I don't buy into that myth of Japanese superiority which I think was just concocted to ease the guilty consciences of those responsible for putting Americans out of work by buying foreign cars.

Yes, my grandfather worked and retired from GM, as did my uncle and more recently my brother. And, yes, we do kid them about their health benefits and pensions. 'Generous Motors' as we sometimes refer to GM. But I worked one summer at a GM plant and the day I quit to go back to school was one of the happiest days of my life. The work was hot, tedious, and sometimes dangerous. I hated it. So I don't begrudge any auto worker their salary or benefits.

And if the automakers get their rescue loans, you won't see union workers celebrating with spa massages at a luxurious resort as happened when the fat cats at AIG got their multi-billion dollar windfall. No, the automakers will just be back on the line the next day, working hard, just happy to be able to support their family and contribute to the economy. That's the way we roll here in Michigan.