Cassandra Watch: The Lights Are On But No One's Home at DetN's Howes

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

We’ve already covered Detroit News columnist Daniel Howes’ Road to Damascus moment, when the hometown paper’s seriously smart scribe finally acknowledged that the domestics are going down. But Danny’s latest column indicates a bit of backsliding. “ Fed help for GM merits tough terms” promises guidelines to protect taxpayer’s interests. You know something along the lines of Ken Elias’ recent General Motors Death Watch post. Of course, any such prescription would have to include a call for the dismissal of the Harvard-educated idiots runing GM, the Home Despots atop Chrysler and UAW jeffe Big Ron Gettelfinger. But that’s a bridge too far for the Detn’s Motown maven. “…the guys atop GM, Ford, Chrysler and the UAW with their collective hands out should be prepared to accept some onerous conditions in exchange for the federal dough — up to and including putting their jobs, legacies and golden parachutes on the line.” Putting them on the line? Danny, these guys needs to go (save that nice Mr. Mulally who rang us up the other day and totally coopted our coverage). Full marks for asking the right questions (albeit a bit late). Now, how about some answers?

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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 4 comments
  • Volvo Volvo on Oct 28, 2008

    IMO GM/Chrysler cannot be saved other than as a ward of the state. Where will the bailout money go? I don't know but I don't think the executives or employees of GM/Chrysler are the big players in this game. If you have a little time for Internet searching put on your tinfoil hat and google links between ex treasury secretary Snow, Goldman Sachs, Cerberus and GMAC. If you don't pay taxes you probably don't care.

  • Thalter Thalter on Oct 28, 2008

    Dan's analysis is pretty much spot on. Most of it could easily have been written by you, Robert (or most of the commentators on this site). Nice to see the mainstream finally waking up.

  • Buickman Buickman on Oct 28, 2008

    while Dan is a bit too GM blue to be called mainstream, he is a damn sight better than that complete idiot David Cole who is nothing more than a disgraceful company mouthpiece who makes a total fool of himself every time he is interviewed or quoted.

  • Landcrusher Landcrusher on Oct 28, 2008

    "If you don’t pay taxes you probably don’t care." OTOH, you probably do care, and you probably vote. We will soon be seeing big checks rolling out because a majority of voters no longer pay any appreciable amount of taxes. It's easy to give away OPM.

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