It's a free country!!

[on_two_wheels]

Okay, I have to vent so bare with me and realize....I'm just venting!!

If it's such a free country, why weren't WE asked if WE wanted to dump a total of $50 billion dollars our OUR money into GM? GM is currently valued at approximately $500 mil. In order to break even (according to financial wizards) the company would have to be valued at somewhere between $62B and $69B!!! Anyone willing to make that investment is a sucker! They'd have been better off letting them go into bankruptcy on their own and use the $50 billion for national programs that create jobs for those that would lose their's.

If this is such a free country, why wasn't I allowed to vote on what I can do in my car? A few men/women in political seats agreed to making cell phone use/texting illegal but never even asked their constituents. Must be nice to get fat on insurance lobby money.

If it's such a free country, why is it in many cities (and that number grows) that a business owner can't choose to allow smoking? The dangers are pretty well known by everyone over 12 years old. So if I go into a business that has clearly visible signs stating it's a smoking establishment AND they ask, "smoking or non-smoking" I should accept the risks, not make everyone else stop. NOTE: I am a non-smoker! Even more crazy, a city here in california is trying, or maybe has by now, to make smoking on the street illegal. Yeah....the auto emissions, water shortages, state deficit are all issues but let's focus on the second hand smoke issue outdoors just in case it happens when there is NO wind or even a breeze!!

The other day I open my yahoo home page. It shows the top 5 searches for the day. Three were regarding reality tv show, one was music and one was Iran. Seriously? This is our priorities? I'm still worried about that crazy bastard in N. Korea!!! :shocked2:

Okay....I could go on forever but I'll go do something more productive. Hope everyone has a great day. Surprisingly, I do feel better. :cool2:

 

[siikik]

Free country... yeah right... what you been smokin? (excuse the pun)

In case you didn't notice, we've been slowly losing them for no reason other than we let it happen. Have you looked at what's gone out the window with the patriot act? (No, it doesn't deserve the proper capitalization.) Same old story... everybody complains, but nobody does anything. Write your congressman, show up at legislative sessions and by all means, get your name on a government watch list by supporting radical initiatives like the fair use tax.

Without making this a huge political debate, I'll only say this country is headed down a road we've already traveled. Twice.



Ken

 

[RICHinNC]

Actually it all started with Lincoln.

 

[Dig]

Actually it all started with Lincoln.

That is 100% true...the start of the elimination of state's rights in favor of a dominant Federal government.

Here's something interesting, and very ironic...a Russian author in a Russian periodical:

http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/107459-0/


Don't get me started on the despicable PATRIOT Act....Whatever administration happens to be in power at the time when the day comes, Demo or Repub, I'm sure I'll be one of the ones rounded up.

 

[pafindr]

If it's such a free country, why weren't WE asked if WE wanted to dump a total of $50 billion dollars our OUR money into GM?

Well, if they would have asked us then we would have said "NO".
If we said no then how would the government have taken control of GM?

It's simple really.
It's better to do it and ask for forgiveness later then it is to ask when you know you're going to get rejected.

 

[TheScubaBOB]

Welcome to life in the USSA (United Socialist States of America).

I wouldn't agree that it started with Lincoln though. His Federalist Ideals were nothing compared to the Socialist developments of the 20th century.

I think the "New Deal" was what started it off. For the first time in US History the Federal Government took (not accepted) responsibility for providing a minimum lifestyle for US citizens.

All of the Entitlement Programs (Socialist Distribution of Resources) started with the New Deal.

We're just a few programs away from Socialized Healthcare, what is there that the States don't offer to provide for those who refuse to get of their a@@es and work?

Nobody "deserves" anything, we all should work for it.

 

[siikik]

Actually it all started with Lincoln.

Well, he was a little before my time... but I would agree with you.



Ken

 

[DeputyDan]

The NEw Deal was where it got intrenched

 

[on_two_wheels]

Wow.....I was expecting a bunch of people blasting me telling me how great the country was, etc. Unfortunately, if I get my name on a watchlist, my career is over prematurely. Once I retire, maybe I'll get a little more active if it's still legal.

 

[H2Andy]

it really isn't about GM

this is not about making money. this is about re-making the rust belt and re-creating two (possibly three) failed automakers and re-tooling them as new companies that will provide jobs and economic drive for the next 100 years

the auto industry is not just GM. it's Chrysler and Ford, as well as their parts manufacturers, distributors, dealerships, etc. that's a lot of economic activity to lose by letting the Big Three fail

Detroit needed to stop and change direction, but it's hard to stop a moving train. this was about the only way to get these companies healthy again for the future and make them competitive with foreign automakers

if it works (big if) the dividends will far exceed the money pumped into them, and that can't be measured just by the companies' book value