Daily Podcast: Collateral Damage
I promise we'll post something quirky to lighten the mood later, but I feel compelled (compelled I tell you) to mention that Detroit's meltdown is finally getting the coverage it deserves. Detroit News' columnist Daniel Howes– he of the jump down turnaround better days ahead– has just used the "b" word in his latest rant, finally admitting that "Big three need cash fast" (never mind a competitive small car or ten). The Detroit Free Press is also beginning to wake up and smell the ashes. While I'm pleased that the Motown print media is finally growing a pair, I am astonished that these two august institutions have failed to fully and persistently chronicle the human cost of The Big 2.8's inexorable decline. Jim Dollinger (a.k.a. Buickman) tells me that Flint is even more like a ghost town these days, with business drying-up and blowing away. Where are the papers' reports on the lives disrupted by Detroit's downsizing? While we await these tales of woe from the sharp end– which will arrive in force the moment Chrysler files– we'd appreciate any local reports from our Best and Brightest.
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quasimondo : June 25th, 2008 at 7:04 pm Of course they’re not going to care, it’s not their jobs going bye-bye In other industries during my blue collar career. It has happened to me twice. My current job is based on fear and is recession proof. The worse things get, the more the haves want to protect them and theirs. It pays the bills, but is joyless. If people treated people better, they wouldn't need the service I provide.
Skooter : “The attitude of the American people toward both their country and icons such as their automobile companies just plain sucks. There is no such thing as patriotism anymore. It is sad.” I have been hearing that lament from employees of the Detroit automakers for years. You are wrong, patriotism and love of country is alive and well in the US but no one out here outside of Detroit equates the USA with GM. They are not synonymous. As for people lamenting the loss of an icon, that is true but the goodwill was lost by years of poor products
maybe the press is finally worried about their jobs. instead of bad mouthing the workers at the auto plants, they have seen the light and realize it is the boys at the top. and if the 2.8 or majority of go belly up, whose ad revenue is going to replace it. maybe some of the press will be in line for those $14.00 dollar an hour jobs too. if there are any. then they can really write a story about life on the line. of course it might just be the un-employment line.
@skooter: Well, GM's sucked for 30 years, so that's no surprise. I don't care about "icons", either. I care about what works. I'm from Flint, as well. My mom moved us out of there as soon as she was able. My uncle will retire from GM this weekend after 35 years. I don't know what's going to happen to him. I presume he's going to work somewhere more stable. Part of me wants to stay because I have roots here, but an ever increasing part of me wants to stay for one more year, then take my degree in psychology as far away from the state as possible.