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Comments
Well, for starters for the most part people who get unemployment checks tend to very quickly put that money into the market buying things like food. The lower the income level that you give money to the more likely they are to spend it.
Health care - well it will employ more people in the health care industry. Of course this is one industry that isn't nearly as hard hit by the current recession.
I like the prepaid credit card idea too, but not for people who are already in debt. I think people in debt should not spend more. The government could go out and get info. on those behind on their mortgage or credit card payments, and the money would go towards paying down their debt. This would help the banks too and be less TARP $ needed.
For people who aren't behind on payments, yes the prepaid card that has to be spent is better, but not much. Why? Because I would just use that card to buy my groceries and gas, instead of spending money I earn. So I would have no net increase in spending. Whether you give me a check or prepaid card, I'll still save and spend the exact same amount.
I just don't think this stimulus bill is going to do much to get permanent jobs to the people in what they are trained to do. The few flagmen that will be needed for 2 years, on the few projects isn't going to do much. Probably many of these new stimulus jobs will go to firms that then hire illegal workers.
We've already been doing those things for years...the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere," for example, was part of an earlier infrastructure package.
And the federal government already spends lots of money providing services to the poor.
I think you can count on that. I think the stimulus bill is shaping up to be a universal Health care bill. The jobs provided will be in a new bureaucracy that keeps track of every individuals health records. There will not be enough money in that $800 billion to do much but cover administration costs for the expenditures. It is government bloat like NEVER before.
The bill’s health rules will affect “every individual in the United States” (445, 454, 479). Your medical treatments will be tracked electronically by a federal system. Having electronic medical records at your fingertips, easily transferred to a hospital, is beneficial. It will help avoid duplicate tests and errors.
But the bill goes further. One new bureaucracy, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, will monitor treatments to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective. The goal is to reduce costs and “guide” your doctor’s decisions (442, 446). These provisions in the stimulus bill are virtually identical to what Daschle prescribed in his 2008 book, “Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis.” According to Daschle, doctors have to give up autonomy and “learn to operate less like solo practitioners.”
Elderly Hardest Hit
Daschle says health-care reform “will not be pain free.” Seniors should be more accepting of the conditions that come with age instead of treating them. That means the elderly will bear the brunt.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&refer=columnist_mccaughey&sid=aL- zfDxfbwhzs
Where is AARP when you need them? Roads and Bridges, I knew we left something out of the Stimulus bill... :sick:
This may just be one more push for people to retire to Mexico or Costa Rica. I would like to retire to Hawaii, but the cost and issues of Big Brother are just getting ridiculous.
Anyway I say no more $ to government to waste, and acquire power. They need to decrease their involvement in the operations of the country and world, NOT increase them. I just saw this fine example today - http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-02-08-hurricane-aid_N.htm
WheelMan
The others get theirs first then Treasury gets our money back. Except that the others aren't going to be getting theirs for some time to come - if ever. That means that our money is even farther back.
$17 Billion gift to GM and Chrysler to keep them afloat for 90 days. But I doubt that any more will be forthcoming.
France Gives Its Carmakers Loans (AutoObserver)
How does paying more unemployment or providing health care stimulate the economy?
Well, the unemployed buy stuff, you know, food, clothes, payment for health care etc. The recipients of these expenditures now have money to buy more stuff and so it goes around stimulating the economy. People who don't have money or are afraid to spend it, don't buy stuff.
So you believe that whether it is GM or the guy down the street who's been spending more than he makes, that if they run into trouble because they didn't save, that the people who have been playing by the rules, being conservative not overspending, then needs to supplement the people who partied the money away?? Is this the life lesson we are teaching? No matter what you do, or how stupid or arrogant you are, the government should protect you?
If you want to know the truth I say let the over-spenders suffer. Give the tax refunds to those who have been responsible. I promise that if you give me stimulus $, I'll buy stuff with it.
It is exactly what this Congress and President were elected on. Remember the lady interviewed the day Obama was elected. She was elated because he was going to pay her bills for her. So far it looks like Government is most beholden to the banks, Wall Street and the Insurance companies. They have gotten the bulk of the gravy. You and I that live within our means will be screwed over for sure. I think Costa Rica is looking better every day. I have friends that retired down there and only come back to renew their visa. Hawaii is somewhat retiree friendly. Lower property tax. No income tax on defined pension income.
Government is beholden to banks and corporate special interests no matter who is in the oval office. Who do you think chooses who you are allowed to vote for?
Things are heating up quite nicely.
Regards,
OW
Mike DiGiovanni, General Motors Corp.'s executive director of global market and industry analysis, said last week he expected Chinese auto sales could hit 10.7 million units in 2009, more than his estimate of 9.8 million unit sales in the U.S. this year. Autodata forecasts 2009 U.S. sales at 9.57 million.
Which means one thing. C11 isn't that far fetched an option any longer.
Regards,
OW
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c111:5:./temp/~c111bJwULs::
Regards,
OW
Agree. As I've said before for numerous weeks, the financial system and economy is in far worse shape than most of you realize (I wish I had realized this in Sept. before losing big). Vehicle sales will be lucky to hold where they are.
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Geithners-blunt-assessment-risk-time/story- .aspx?guid=%7B39C3386A%2D3CD9%2D4FEF%2DA4A6%2DF832431E9E69%7D
We are not going to need all the manufacturers, plants and workers we have today. Again I say let the market decide who the weak are. If you want the D3 to continue, you and millions other can send your own money to help them; not mine or the majority of us who don't want to subsidize the D3's existence.
Bankruptcy, Patel contends, would likely have less negative ramifications then it would have last year and would allow the automaker to more aggressively reduce its debt.
"The damage to the enterprise of a GM bankruptcy today is notably less than it would have been a few months ago, largely because of public desensitization to a bankrupt carmaker," Patel said in a note to clients.
GM has repeatedly ruled out seeking bankruptcy protection, saying such a step would scare off consumers, cause its revenues to plummet and risk that a Chapter 11-style restructuring would end up as a liquidation of its assets.
But some critics of the U.S. bailout for the auto industry have said that the government could provide bankruptcy financing for GM or Chrysler and allow them to win deeper concessions from creditors and the union.
The U.S. Treasury has retained two law firms with extensive bankruptcy experience and the investment bank Rothschild to advise officials on the taxpayer-backed restructuring of GM and Chrysler. One of the scenarios those advisers will consider will be a government-assisted bankruptcy filing, a person with direct knowledge of the work has said.
Another of the other immediate priorities will be working out an agreement between other creditors and the government that would provide senior status to the public funding, a second person involved in the discussions said.
JP Morgan's Patel said a bankruptcy filing by GM would likely cut the automaker's debt by over 60 percent compared with just a 25 percent cut in indebtedness under an out-of-court restructuring.
Time to do the right thing. Everything is falling into place for the inevitable.
Regards,
OW
What happened? I'll tell you what happened.
Here is my experience and real life take on the Big 3:
Purchased 1st car with parental help financially when I was 16. I preferred to go with something brand new and budget was around 12 - 15K. This was 1994 and I decided that Chrysler Dodge were really pushing the "This is the New Dodge" this is the NEW factory headquarters, this is the new office headquarters approach well.
They did a good job of marketing that this was not the same old american filth your father and mother could warn you about. After all, it was the 90's and surely the Americans had figured out how to make a car run reliably, right? Seemed logical to a gullable 16 year old at least. :confuse: :sick:
Being as America is supposed to have technology figured out and be an advanced civilization, it's hard to believe that our vehicle production could be in third world status. They sold that they had changed, that they were not like before, that they were new and "improved." Therefore, I figured that buying American would lead to more bang for the buck (after all,less shipping fees, local materials, supplies, should all lead to more bang for my buck).
So this supposedly "new" American vehicle was in the shop every 3 to 4 months during the warranty for relatively minor things everytime, but not always.
1 st morning day after arrival at home (car wouldn't start) faulty 02 sensor and fuel pump?
40,000 mile head gaskets that needed replacement at guess what, 40,000 miles.
60,000 mile auto tranny, that needed replacement and rebuild at guess what, 60,000 miles.
36,001 mile or 3 year and one day Air Conditioner and Compressor, that needed replacement at guess what, literallly days after the warranty expired.
Leaking gas tank faulty O-ring.
Faulty parking break.
Faulty Windshield and structure, cracked in half while parked, was not vandalized or hit or chipped; just poor workmanship material, design, and engineering.
Lame gas mileage to performance ratio; underperformed.
Rattles galore and got exponentially worse as the car aged.
It was bad under warranty (leaking glue under the window trimmings, spewing everywhere, battery terminal corrosion, starter wire and cables corrsion everywhere, ate batteries up like crazy, faulty belts including the serpentine belt, faulty check engine light warnings, faulty dash and trim under windshield that got dislodged with time. Wind leakage through poorly designed and built window moldings/flashings/rubber trim/gaskets. Rattles galore more as vehicle added on miles.
However, once the Tranny died at just over 60K, we didn't keep the car long after. Once the alternator and electrical gremlins caused the car to be towed for the 4 time by necessity before hitting 65,500 miles, the vehicle was sold immediately thereafter.
I'm sure based on the exponential increase of costs to keep the car running over time, that not even Donal Trump would be in business today had he bought that vehicle that I did and tried to keep it running until this day. I've talked to other owner's of the same vehicle and they all had the same issues (all had faulty head gaskets and transmissions and AC's). Those are all expensive fixes.
I should have bought the extended warranty; but guess what, I can buy a Honda and get an implied and unwritten extended warranty at no extra cost!
It's hard to think of a part on the car that didn't go bad and need replacement.....
I suppose the aluminum wheels were ok, though only 14". My biggest gripe with the car is that it was obviously designed to be a short term temporary vehicle and should not have been sold legally as a car in the U.S. If Chrysler was being honest they would have sold them just like BIC razors, as TEMPORARY product (filth!).
Fraud I say, Fraud! :lemon:
Is your neighbor driving 300 miles a year? If so, I'd say 400 dollars on a 1998 Jetta ain't so bad!
Certainly not as bad as the $5,000 or so I spent getting a Dodge to get to 65,000 miles.
I noticed the speedometer cable was making a little noise and decided to wait until I got home to lube it. The next day going up the Left Coast we had to have the passenger window regulater repaired at Santa Rosa.
The transmission blew at 15,000 miles as it wasn't the speedo cable causing the noise. At 25,000 the connecting rod scored the crankshaft.
There were other minor problems within the first 3,000 miles and 90 days, but Chrysler factory reps in the Terminal Sales Building in Portland were of no help. Their attitude was not caring or sympathetic. They couldn't care less!
Burying Chrysler Corp might have a few attending its last rites, but not me.
in the end, the people who do not work to create a profit can control this country and have fought to do that. Barry never made a profit for anyone. Why the suprise that the gov bails out people who at least try to make a profit? Most of this country lives in the glass house w/r/t profit making so being against the bailout would be like throwing rocks from the glass house.
Meanwhile there is nothing in the Stimulus bill for bailing out the Domestic auto industry. I would say they are on their own when the $17 billion Bush gave them runs out. Barry has bigger fish to fry. He has about half the states on life support all looking for a handout from the bill. Millions of homeowners upside down in a mortgage they should have never been given. Who really cares about the Domestic auto industry outside of the states that are impacted?
He hit a tire in the road with it and it was $6500 to fix. He had to foot $750 deductible and an insurance rate hike thereafter. That happened the day after he told me it weighed 3600 lbs and did 0-60 in 6 seconds. He loves the car but is really upset about the expenses it brings and his stopwatch is slow. He paid $750 to rent a G6 while the Jetta undercarriage was repaired over nearly 4 weeks. Another $300 for repairs and it would have been totaled by his ins co. I'm thinking $6800 car almost totaled by hitting a tire laying on its side in the center of the lane?
My Buick has its problems too. After 150k miles, the paint started to peel off. I had been offered $1800 trade for it just previously and found out that a high quality repaint was $3500. It was essentially totaled when the paint started peeling. Giving it an earl shibe paint job is like totaling it anyway. Then I lost 4th gear in '07. I'll turn 170k this week and it has never been to a repair shop since the prev owner gave it a new battery on the day he sold it to me in '04. Those 2 things are the worst two days in my auto owning life due to vehicle decay but since I'm still driving it, so far it has cost me a couple hundred for extra gas being a 3 speed. In 5 years and 81k miles I had to put some parts in it. rear air shocks, a MAF sensor, spark plugs, 4 tires, a starter motor, disc pads all around, front rotors, and one front caliper. All total about $950 in parts and some of my time. It comes out to $35 every 3k miles vs $400 for the Jetta. I could argue that the Buick was 2.3 times older (in miles) in the comparison. I also saved hundreds by putting in the brake pads and starter myself. He had all his work done at a VW dealer. This Buick was my worst GM car out of 11. The only one to ever break a tranny.
About this time of year in No NJ it can be 30-ish most of the time and damp. Starting up usually was not a problem. The problem was the carburator ( what the hell is that? ). Until it got good and warm it would take some time off ocassionally....like everytime I came to a stop light or stop sign in the first 20 min the engine would cough, sputter and die as the engine tried to start up again. Everywhere.
The most fun though was sitting at a stop light waiting to enter a 4 lane local highway with the engine laughing and shaking as it sat there. 'Watch what I do to you this time buddy'. I start up from the stop light with a car full of wife and kids and nearly all the time it would enter the intersection and decide to quit. 'BWWWWWaaaaaahhaaaaa, got ya there buddy'
Of course the light changes then. So sitting dead in the water in the middle of 60 mph traffic in both directions I had to do the following...
..grab the empty hardpack of cigarettes ( I don't smoke )
..jump out of the car and open the hood [wife screaming]
..unspin the wing nut holding the air filter in place [ wife screaming AND kids crying]
..take off said air filter and jam the hard pack into the carburator [everybody screaming]
..run around and get back into the car and start it up... of course it laughingly did all the time [wife, kids and all passing motorists screaming]
..jump OUT of the car again [ME, wife, kids and all passing motorits and all blocked motorists screaming]
..take hardpack OUT of the carburator [ me, wife, kids, motorists and sirens screaming ]
..replace air filter and spin the wingnut back on, KICK the SOB car [ me, wife, kids, motorists for 5 miles around, sirens and now the car screaming ]
..close the hood and run back into the car.
..drive away like nothing happened.
Oh and Chrysler wants some sympathy. 'Take a dirt nap.'
Seriously!!!
I think you've just given Ford and GM more "comparison" commercial marketing ideas in how to skew a paid for advertisement to favor their products. They will pay people to go out and CRASH through their own fault reliable cars like Toyotas and Hondas, and include collision damage withing the "repair bill" total in order to get favorable comparisons to the maintenance and repair costs of their own vehicles.
Your Buick was dying because of it's own faulty parts.
His Jetta required $400/3000 miles because he kept driving into stuff and crashing his own car due to his own fault.
Jettas handle well and have good brakes, no excuse to be hitting tires on the road! He should have swerved to avoid it, which is something you can do in a foreign car that handles well w/o losing control.
I've never heard of combining body work and paint shop costs with maintenance and/or repair costs before you suggest the idea in your post.
That would be like me driving my A3 into a concrete wall and saying Audi's cost too much to repair. I don't think anyone figures in repair costs due to crashes in their vehicle purchasing decisions. Crashes shouldn't happen, and if they do, they should be somebody elses fault, in which case it's not your problem, as long as you have un/underinsured insurance.
not sure if these loans are going to work out. the economy is really suffering, so there are not a lot of new car buyers out there.
otoh, there are still some buyers out there.
However that was a lame argument against owning a Jetta.
And those buyers are shrewed, clever, & knowledgeable, however, most are patiently waiting to buy today at the price the vehicle will be in a year from now, and why not?
After enduring this economy, car dealers should be prepared to significantly lower prices more than they have so far.
The above opinion reflects my observation of NW markets.
Seriously!!!
I wasn't comparing my repairs with the accident damage. he told me it was $400/3k BEFORE he hit the tire in the road. Funny you should mention avoidance. The spot where the tire was didn't allow avoidance. There was a 10 inch curb to his left and he was in the left lane and was passing a slower car in the right lane. the tire was the best thing to hit.
The Jetta had been thru 3 turbos and 3 mass air flow sensors in the near 75k miles since new and only 40-45k miles he had it.
my boss is looking for a new vehicle to replace one that was written off.
he is cross shopping and driving a hard bargain.
need to rant a bit here.
my mother's car needed some new tires.
in an effort to support the local dealer, i asked them for a price on 4 tires.
their number was higher than some others, but i figured it is close, lets go with the local D3 guy.
when i got the bill, sales tax was not included and there was a host of additional charges, although not a lot of additional money.
i like the malibu, but does anyone think i would ever buy one from that dealer? :sick:
when i ask for a price form the ford dealer, i get THE price.
i made the bad assumption that the family owned local D3 dealer was what i was used to from another local owned D3 dealer.
The question is which one will survive and which will go out of business? It was a gamble with either one. I do like the looks of the Pacifica. I rode in one and the engine was very noisy. If he wanted a Mercedes Engine he should have bought the GL320CDI and he would be getting closer to 30 MPG on the highway.
and you forgot to mention that it was a curve too. Otherwise how come he did not see the tire on the road when he decided to pass? Or maybe he was watching the blonde in the car he was passing?
So, in other words, he STILL hasn't experienced quality then......
He spent a lot of time hauling up and handing over 5 inch shells meant for Kamikazis in the middle of the night. 64 yrs later he still won't buy from them. Plenty won't buy GM over a 20 or 30 yrs ago breakdown. He is vastly outnumbered by them. You put 100 million cars on the road and you are going to have enemies.
I am not too worried about where a car comes from as long as it is a first world nation.
Well, I guess we won't be hearing from him on this, seeing as how it's no longer ridiculous. All I know is I've helped push more dead Jettas off the road than I have Neons.
Man, AMEN to that, cooter