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ignorant
ignorant SuperDork
12/16/08 10:58 a.m.

http://www.boycottalabamanow.com/

this is just stupid.

nutters said: Welcome to the “BOYCOTTALABAMANOW.COM” website. This site has been developed by a grassroots number of true Americans who have had enough with uninformed politicians who are not helping the domestic auto industry, in this case Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama. Members of our website hold no grudges against all of the hard working people who live in the wonderful state of Alabama. However, it is time to fight back for America and the only way to do it is with our wallets. Our objective is to demonstrate to the senator what happens when a part of America is not supported; therefore we are launching a nationwide boycott of Alabama. It is clear to most Americans that the Big Three must obtain loans in an effort to get through this economic mess (much of which was caused by our illustrious Mr. Shelby, Mr. Barney Frank and many others who failed to prevent the banking industry from going belly up). And to the great people of Alabama, please keep in mind; we didn’t start this mess, our government did.
bamalama
bamalama New Reader
12/16/08 11:14 a.m.

Don't they know that no one here has the internet?

Jamesc2123
Jamesc2123 New Reader
12/16/08 11:17 a.m.

Um, most politicians from the south should be very familiar with the automobile industry. Foreign car companies have been building plants all over Alabama and the rest of the south with great success. Alabama, to name just one state, has major plants for Honda, Toyota, M-B, and Hyundai. I guess Richard Shelby is just used to dealing with auto execs that get it right...

Here's a good article on this: http://www.slate.com/id/2206525/pagenum/all/

Jake
Jake HalfDork
12/16/08 11:17 a.m.

: |

Boycott what? Peaches? Peanuts? Cotton? Timber? What does this bozo think we're doing here that's so wrong, especially if the boycott isn't aimed at the manufacturers of cars that have plants here?

Not that most of the rest of the country wants to visit AL, anyway. I mean, we're all inbred cousinberkeleyers here, right?

walterj
walterj HalfDork
12/16/08 11:27 a.m.
Jake wrote: ...What does this bozo think...

The 1st problem with your analysis is the assumption that he does.

Jake
Jake HalfDork
12/16/08 11:32 a.m.
walterj wrote:
Jake wrote: ...What does this bozo think...
The 1st problem with your analysis is the assumption that he does.

lol - I really just wanted to use the word "bozo-" I don't get to use that one very often.

Dr. Hess
Dr. Hess SuperDork
12/16/08 11:36 a.m.

I've been to Alabama. I've been on ships crewed up out of Mobile. When you are on a ship with a Mobilian crew, you are guaranteed to have an "interesting" time. Fights, drunks, disappearing aftershave 3 days out of port, cops, you name it. It will be interesting.

Don't think I'd boycott Alabama because of this though.

Jensenman
Jensenman SuperDork
12/16/08 12:17 p.m.

'Disappearing aftershave'. I don't think I'd ever be that desperate. I did have a technician trainee who, on a $5 dare, drank a coffee cup full of Listerine mouthwash.

AngryCorvair
AngryCorvair Dork
12/16/08 12:35 p.m.

i'm too lazy to research the tax breaks given to the "transnational" manufacturers who've set up shop in the states represented by those who voted against the LOANS (!!11!!!) for the domestic automakers, but it think it would be an interesting point in the argument that these guys are voting against americans.

carguy123
carguy123 HalfDork
12/16/08 12:42 p.m.

Just further proof the War of Northern Aggression isn't over.

Dr. Hess
Dr. Hess SuperDork
12/16/08 12:42 p.m.

Here's an editorial by Pat Buchanan http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=83764

... In 1993, Alabama put together a $258 million package to bring a Mercedes plant in. In 1999, Honda was offered $158 million to build a plant there. In 2002, Alabama won a Hyundai plant by offering a $252 million subsidy. "We have a number of profitable automakers in America, and they should not be disadvantaged for making wise business decisions while failure is rewarded," says Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina. DeMint is referring to "profitable automakers" like BMW, which sited a plant in Spartanburg, after South Carolina offered the Germans a $150 million subsidy and $80 million to expand. ...

So, that's about a billion right there, give or take, for the foreigners to build state-of-the-art plants here. But nothing for 10% of our economy (Big 2.5) who got hammered by them?

ignorant
ignorant SuperDork
12/16/08 12:44 p.m.
AngryCorvair wrote: i'm too lazy to research the tax breaks given to the "transnational" manufacturers who've set up shop in the states represented by those who voted against the LOANS (!!11!!!) for the domestic automakers, but it think it would be an interesting point in the argument that these guys are voting against americans.

weak argument as these tax breaks are routinely given by states/municipalities to any company willing to relocate to their area.

Tyler H
Tyler H Dork
12/16/08 1:31 p.m.

What's the difference between a Detroit idiot and an Alabama redneck?

The accent.

I see more rednecks from the north than my own backyard at any given Bristol race.

alfadriver
alfadriver Reader
12/16/08 1:37 p.m.
ignorant wrote:
AngryCorvair wrote: i'm too lazy to research the tax breaks given to the "transnational" manufacturers who've set up shop in the states represented by those who voted against the LOANS (!!11!!!) for the domestic automakers, but it think it would be an interesting point in the argument that these guys are voting against americans.
weak argument as these tax breaks are routinely given by states/municipalities to any company willing to relocate to their area.

Uh, very STRONG argument. When you give 1-2B of tax credits to a company, that 1-2B that the govenement never will see.

OTOH, the Big 3 is asking for LOANS, which will be paid back. Big difference.

What's worse is that the most volcal of the Big 3 opposition are the clowns whoes states have given these tax credits to FORGEIN companies (let me translate, said profits LEAVE the US).

Let's review: Tax credits for companies who take profits outside of the US. No loans for companies whoes proftis stay in the US.

So we subsidize companies who help take net $$ out, and don't even give loans to ones that help grow US wealth.

What's wrong with this picture?

Jensenman
Jensenman SuperDork
12/16/08 3:03 p.m.

This question just popped into my head: what kind of subsidies do countries like Brazil give to American and other companies which build plants there?

EDIT: A bit o' Googling found an old news item (1999) which says yes Brazilian states do subsidize manufacturing plants.

http://www.allbusiness.com/transportation/motor-vehicle-parts-manufacturing/347687-1.html

Ford Motor Co. said it's re-evaluating its South American strategy after Brazilian officials reneged on subsidies for a plant and its first-quarter loss on the continent widened.

While the economic situation in Brazil is stabilizing, the political climate remains volatile, Chief Executive

Officer Jac Nasser said. Other Brazilian states have offered sites for the $700 million plant after Governor Olivio Dutra in the southern Brazil state of Rio Grande do Sul halted subsidy payments.

"We're re-evaluating our plans and I can say there are many alternatives," Nasser told reporters after the annual shareholders meeting in Detroit.

Ford, which builds engines, the Fiesta and Ka small cars and F-Series and Courier pickup trucks in Brazil, had intended to open the plant in 2002. The company trails Volkswagen AG, General Motors Corp. and Fiat SpA in market share in the country, and had a $165 million loss in South America in the first quarter.

ClemSparks
ClemSparks SuperDork
12/16/08 3:11 p.m.

I think it's funny to assume that the average consumer knows (much less gives a hoot) where products come from. I'd be hard pressed to tell you what comes out of Alabama besides Hondas (since that's the only reason I know it exists at this point in my life). I could tell you what comes out of MY state (but most folks here...in my state...can't).

Clem

DirtyBird222
DirtyBird222 HalfDork
12/16/08 3:14 p.m.

aftershave in Alabama is what cologne is to the rest of the country. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8qGj0ST7Hs

Dr. Hess
Dr. Hess SuperDork
12/16/08 3:18 p.m.

Well, on merchant vessels, aftershave to Mobilians is Crown Royal to the rest of the country.

Here in Arkansas, I can tell you what comes out of our state: Clintons and rice, but I think the Clintons are worth more now.

Jamesc2123
Jamesc2123 New Reader
12/16/08 3:34 p.m.
alfadriver wrote: Tax credits for companies who take profits outside of the US. No loans for companies whoes proftis stay in the US. So we subsidize companies who help take net $$ out, and don't even give loans to ones that help grow US wealth. What's wrong with this picture?

If foreign companies are making profits on their American Investments, they are going to turn that profit around and put it back into more production and more plants in this country. What evidence shows that these companies are somehow "taking their money and running"? That argument doesn't seem to make sense to me. The only people who would be taking money out of our economy "permanently" are the salaried CEOs of the foreign car companies living in Japan, Germany, etc.

Of course, Bob Lutz spends most of his money on Russian supersonic jetfighters, so go figure on that idea too...

ignorant
ignorant SuperDork
12/16/08 3:48 p.m.
alfadriver wrote:
ignorant wrote:
AngryCorvair wrote: i'm too lazy to research the tax breaks given to the "transnational" manufacturers who've set up shop in the states represented by those who voted against the LOANS (!!11!!!) for the domestic automakers, but it think it would be an interesting point in the argument that these guys are voting against americans.
weak argument as these tax breaks are routinely given by states/municipalities to any company willing to relocate to their area.
Uh, very STRONG argument. When you give 1-2B of tax credits to a company, that 1-2B that the govenement never will see. OTOH, the Big 3 is asking for LOANS, which will be paid back. Big difference. What's worse is that the most volcal of the Big 3 opposition are the clowns whoes states have given these tax credits to FORGEIN companies (let me translate, said profits LEAVE the US). Let's review: Tax credits for companies who take profits outside of the US. No loans for companies whoes proftis stay in the US. So we subsidize companies who help take net $$ out, and don't even give loans to ones that help grow US wealth. What's wrong with this picture?

no weak argument against ONLY the car companies as those tax breaks are available to ANY company that moves inside the US or builds a plant. PERIOD!.. Those tax breaks are not earmarked for Foreign Auto Suppliers..

ZOMG.. The Kansas City Cheifs just fot $25 in tax breaks.. They are taking our jobs.. lets kill them..

http://news.bostonherald.com/sports/football/other_nfl/view/2008_12_16_Missouri_board_approves__25M_tax_breaks_for_Chiefs/srvc=home&position=recent

This is how business is done in America. Get over it or vote someone in who will change it.

Look http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4179/is_20010506/ai_n11766631/pg_1 Tax breaks for Duke Energy..

Tax breaks to my dad's small insurance company to build a small office in Newtown PA so he can employ some people.

edit and those tax breaks are employing my friend in Alabama at a foreign car company. Guess what he just bought. A GMC sierra.

minimac
minimac Dork
12/16/08 3:55 p.m.
alfadriver wrote: What's worse is that the most volcal of the Big 3 opposition are the clowns whoes states have given these tax credits to FORGEIN companies (let me translate, said profits LEAVE the US).

I guess I'd find it easier to support the domestics if they were domestic. Not Mexican or Canadian but made in the U.S. of A. Bailout so the production can be "outsourced" is just wrong, even if you want to call it a loan. Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Mitsubishi- they're all publicly traded stocks, just like the "Big 3".That means the money goes to the stockholders. Just like Chrysler, Ford and General Motors. What about the GM plant in China? Does that money stay there, or does it go to Detroit? Neither. It goes to the GM stockholders. Want to keep the money from Toyota in the U.S.? Buy some Toyota stock....it's real simple.

DILYSI Dave
DILYSI Dave SuperDork
12/16/08 4:05 p.m.
alfadriver wrote: OTOH, the Big 3 is asking for LOANS, which will be paid back. Big difference.

If you believe that, I've got some beachfront property to sell you.

They are going to die. It is inevitable. They have mis-managed themselves into an unsustainable business model. If they are going to die, then giving them money is akin to flushing it. Let the market do what it wants to do.

racerdave600
racerdave600 Reader
12/16/08 4:06 p.m.

It's common practice to give incentives to companies to relocate to all areas of the country. What they give up in incentives is more than made up for in personal income and sales tax. Most of those plants create a large number of well paying jobs for local people, as well as others brought into the area, it's a win-win situation.

Along with car companies, Alabama also has one of the best medical centers in the country, and where I live in Huntsville, we have more rocket scientists per square mile that anywhere! Between the DoD and NASA, I think we're only second to Silicon Valley in tech companies. We're so far advanced of anything in Detroit it'd make them wince. And I don't see anyone here asking for a bailout, including Toyota which is only a few miles from my house.

Oh, and we don't have people moving out in droves taking their dead relatives with them!

And if anyone here is from Detroit, I'm only having a little fun and their expense!

racerdave600
racerdave600 Reader
12/16/08 4:09 p.m.

Which also has me thinking. Why aren't they complaining that Obama wants to cut NASA and DoD jobs when he takes office to pay for his welfare plans? It will in the long run cost about as many jobs as the auto industry, and may leave towns such as ours a ghost town. When that happens and it hits Northern California, I would bet Pelosi and company will be singing a different tune. Just a thought...

SVreX
SVreX SuperDork
12/16/08 4:18 p.m.

I'm pretty sure Alabama (or any other Southern state) would be happy to offer tax incentives to any of the big three if they'd like to build a viable plant in the South that is going to employ a bunch of people.

Its a break that is available to everyone.

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