| |

This is one of the greatest responses to the requests for bailout money I have seen thus far. As a supplier for the Big 3 this man received a letter from the President of GM North America requesting support for the bail out program. His response is classic, and has to make you proud of a local guy who tells it like it really is.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

First the letter from GM:

Dear Employees & Suppliers,

Congress and the current Administration will soon determine whether to provide immediate support to the domestic auto industry to help it through one of the most difficult economic times in our nation’s history. Your elected officials must hear from all of us now on why this support is critical to our continuing the progress we began prior to the global financial crisis. As an employee or supplier, you have a lot at stake and continue to be one of our most effective and passionate voices. I know GM can count on you to have your voice heard.

Thank you for your urgent action and ongoing support.

Troy Clarke
President General Motors North America

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Now the response from one of GM’s suppliers:

Gregory Knox,
Pres. Knox Machinery Company
Franklin , Ohio

Gentlemen:

In response to your request to contact legislators and ask for a bailout for the Big Three automakers please consider the following, and please pass my thoughts on to Troy Clarke, President of General Motors North America.

Politicians and Management of the Big 3 are both infected with the same entitlement mentality that has spread like cancerous germs in UAW halls for the last countless decades, and whose plague is now sweeping this nation, awaiting our new , Pres- Obama, to wave his magic wand and make all our problems go away, while at the same time allowing our once great nation to keep “living the dream.” Believe me folks, the dream is over!

This dream where we can ignore the consumer for years while management myopically focuses on its personal rewards packages at the same time that our factories have been filled with the worlds most overpaid, arrogant, ignorant and laziest entitlement minded “laborers” without paying the price for these atrocities this dream where you still think the masses will line up to buy our products for ever and ever.

Don’t even think about telling me I’m wrong. Don’t accuse me of not knowing of what I speak. I have called on Ford, GM, Chrysler, TRW, Delphi, Kelsey Hayes, American Axle and countless other automotive OEM’s throughout the Midwest during the past 30 years and what I’ve seen over those years in these union shops can only be described as disgusting.

Troy Clarke, President of General Motors North America, states: “There is widespread sentiment throughout this country, and our government, and especially via the news media, that the current crisis is completely the result of bad management which it certainly is not.” You’re right Mr. Clarke, it’s not JUST management. How about the union electricians who walk around the plants like lords in feudal times, making people wait on them for countless hours while they drag ass, so they can come in on the weekend and make double and triple time for a job they easily could have done within their normal 40 hour work week.

How about the union line workers who threaten newbies with all kinds of scare tactics for putting out too many parts on a shift and for being too productive (We certainly must not expose those lazy bums who have been getting overpaid for decades for their horrific underproduction, must we??!)

Do you folks really not know about this stuff? How about this great sentiment abridged from Mr. Clarke’s sad plea: “over the last few years we have closed the quality and efficiency gaps with our competitors.” What the hell has Detroit been doing for the last 40 years?! Did we really JUST wake up to the gaps in quality and efficiency between us and them? The K car vs. the Accord? The Pinto vs. the Civic?!? Do I need to go on? What a joke!

We are living through the inevitable outcome of the actions of the United States auto industry for decades. It’s time to pay for your sins, Detroit .

I attended an economic summit last week where brilliant economist, Alan Beaulieu, from the Institute of Trend Research , surprised the crowd when he said he would not have given the banks a penny of “bailout money”. “Yes, he said, this would cause short term problems”, but despite what people like politicians and corporate magnates would have us believe, the sun would in fact rise the next day and the following very important thing would happen. Where there had been greedy and sloppy banks, new efficient ones would pop up. That is how a free market system works. It does work, if we would only let it work”.

But for some nondescript reason we are now deciding that the rest of the world is right and that capitalism doesn’t work – that we need the government to step in and “save us” Save us my ass. Hell – we’re nationalizing and unfortunately too many of our once fine nation’s citizens don’t even have a clue that this is what is really happening. But, they sure can tell you the stats on their favorite sports teams… yeah – THAT’S really important, isn’t it?!

Does it ever occur to ANYONE that the “competition” has been producing vehicles, EXTREMELY PROFITABLY, for decades in this country?… How can that be??? Let’s see. Fuel efficient. Listening to customers..Investing in the proper tooling and automation for the long haul.. Not being too complacent or arrogant to listen to Dr. W. Edwards Deming four decades ago when he taught that by adopting appropriate principles of management, organizations could increase quality and simultaneously reduce costs. Ever increased productivity through quality and intelligent planning. Treating vendors like strategic partners, rather than like “the enemy”…Efficient front and back offices.. Non union environment..!

Again, I could go on and on, but I really wouldn’t be telling anyone anything they really don’t already know down deep in their hearts.

I have six children, so I am not unfamiliar with the concept of wanting someone to bail you out of a mess that you have gotten yourself into – my children do this on a weekly, if not daily basis, as I did when I was their age. I do for them what my parents did for me (one of their greatest gifts, by the way) – I make them stand on their own two feet and accept the consequences of their actions and work through it.

Radical concept, huh? Am I there for them in the wings? Of course – but only until such time as they need to be fully on their own as adults.

I don’t want to oversimplify a complex situation, but there certainly are unmistakable parallels here between the proper role of parenting and government. Detroit and the United States need to pay for their sins. Bad news people – it’s coming whether we like it or not. The newly elected Messiah really doesn’t have a magic wand big enough to “make it all go away.” I laughed as I heard Obama “reeling it back in” almost immediately after the final vote count was tallied. “we really might not do it in a year or in four” Where the Hell was that kind of talk when he was RUNNING for office?

Stop trying to put off the inevitable folks! That house in Florida really isn’t worth $750,000. People who illegally jump across a border really don’t deserve free health care benefits! That job driving that forklift for the Big 3 really isn’t worth $85,000 a year. We really shouldn’t allow Wal-Mart to stock their shelves with products acquired from a country that unfairly manipulates their currency and has the most atrocious human rights infractions on the face of the globe..!

That couple whose combined income is less than $50,000 really shouldn’t be living in that $485,000 home..! Let the market correct itself folks – it will. Yes it will be painful, but it’s gonna’ be painful either way, and the bright side of my proposal is that on the other side of it all, is a nation that appreciates what it has and doesn’t live beyond its means and gets back to basics, and redevelops the patriotic work ethic that made it the greatest nation in the history of the world.

Sorry – don’t cut my head off, I’m just the messenger sharing with you the “bad news”. I hope you take it to heart.

Gregory J. Knox
President Knox Machinery, Inc.
Franklin , Ohio 45005
source.

| |

Related Reading:

Chapter 22

The Story Of Troy - M. ClarkeIn this book we are to tell the story of Troy, and particularly of the famous siege which ended in the total destruction of that renowned city. It is a story of brave warriors and heroes of 3000 years ago, about whose exploits the greatest poets and historians of ancient times have written. Some of the wonderful events of the memorable siege are related in a celebrated poem called the Ilʹi-ad, written in the Greek language. The author of this poem was Hoʹmer, who was the author of another great poem, the Odʹys-sey, which tells of the voyages and adventures of the Greek hero, U-lysʹses, after the taking of Troy.

Homer has been called the Father of Poetry, because he was the first and greatest of poets. He lived so long ago that very little is known about him. We do not even know for a certainty when or where he was born. It is believed, however, that he lived in the ninth century before Christ, and that his native place was Smyrʹna, in Asia Minor. But long after his death several other cities claimed the honor of being his birthplace.

Seven Grecian cities vied for Homer dead, Through which the living Homer begged his bread.

LEONIDAS.

It is perhaps not true that Homer was so poor as to be obliged to beg for his bread; but it is probable that he earned his living by traveling from city to city through many parts of Greece and Asia Minor, reciting his poems in the palaces of princes, and at public assemblies. This was one of the customs of ancient times, when the art of writing was either not known, or very little practiced. The poets, or bards, of those days committed their compositions to memory, and repeated them aloud at gatherings of the people, particularly at festivals and athletic games, of which the ancient Greeks were very fond. At those games prizes and rewards were given to the bards as well as to the athletes.


Download The Story Of Troy Now!

Skeptics: Frederick Ii, Holy Roman Emperor, Michel de Montaigne, Snopes.com, Ian Plimer, Richard Saunders, Edzard Ernst, Sima NanPurchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Frederick Ii, Holy Roman Emperor, Michel de Montaigne, Snopes.com, Ian Plimer, Richard Saunders, Edzard Ernst, Sima Nan, List of Skeptics and Skeptical Organizations, David Marks, Massimo Polidoro, Debunker, Jeff Schweitzer, Sven Ove Hansson, Jim Lippard. Excerpt: David F. Marks (born 1945) is a psychologist and professor at City University in London , United Kingdom . Marks is largely concerned with three areas of psychological research - health psychology , cognitive psychology , and parapsychology .Career After completing a BSc at Reading University and a PhD at Sheffield University he migrated to New Zealand where he taught at the University of Otago . In 1986 he returned to the UK as Head of the School of Psychology at Middlesex Polytechnic before moving to City University in 2000. He founded and edits the Journal of Health Psychology (Who's Who, 2007).Health psychology In his work on health psychology Marks advocates a greater understanding of the socio-political context affecting individual behaviour (Marks et al., 2005). With Michael Murray and colleagues he has actively promoted a critical-theoretical approach, including the foundation of the International Society of Critical Health Psychology . This organisation has included the consideration of social justice, community approaches, and arts projects for the reduction of health inequalities. Marks has also been interested in new research methods for clinical psychology and health psychology (Marks

Secret Society (2000) [VHS]

How to Build and Modify GM LS-Series Engines (Motorbooks Workshop)

When first introduced in the 1997 Corvette, GM's LS1 engine shook the performance world.  Its combination of massive power, light weight and impressive fuel economy set new precedents for performance engines--and continues to do so generation after generation.  The latest version, the LS9, makes some 638 hp from just 6.2 liters, far eclipsing even the mightiest big-blocks from the muscle car era--while meeting modern standards for emissions and fuel economy.  It’s no wonder, then, that the LSX engines have become some of the most popular for high-performance applications. 

For those who want to build or modify their LS engine, this book provides the most detailed and extensive instructions ever offered.  Whatever your performance goals might be, How to Build and Modify GM LS-Series Engines shows you what modifications are needed and how to make them.  Premier LS engine technician Joseph Potak addresses every question that might come up, covering topics including crankshafts and piston assemblies, cylinder heads, camshafts, valvetrain, block modifications, intake manifolds, fuel system, header selection, and setting up ring and bearing clearances for particular uses.  In short, this book is the ultimate resource for building the ultimate LSX engine.