On Politics, We Can Always See the Whites of Their Eyes.
Boycott of GM Gaining Traction?
by: Bill Dupray posted: 2009-06-08 23:04:00
Viewed 625 times. 8 Comments.
According to Autoblog, some "far right-wingers" are planning a boycott of GM. Conspicuously absent from the piece is any mention of a "far left-wing" president nationalizing a private company and giving it to political cronies like the "far left-wing" UAW.
The far right wing of the American political spectrum has begun channeling its displeasure over the federal government's involvement in the restructuring of General Motors into calls for a boycott of the company's products. Reportedly spearheaded by right wing pundits and radio show hosts, the boycott would be a response to the U.S. government taking a 60% stake in GM in exchange for forgiving most of the tens of billions of dollars loaned to the company over the last six months.
Autoblog offers no links to the "far right-wingers" who are calling for the boycott, so let me help them out with at least one: Patriot Room.
These Obama apologists then proceed to lecture us "far right-wingers" about what a bad idea this whole boycott thing is.
Therefore, a successful boycott of GM products could have the adverse effect of driving the company into liquidation. This would eliminate any hope of getting reimbursed for the tens of billions in loans that the government has given GM. All that taxpayer money may never be recovered anyway, but it makes sense to at least walk the path that has a chance of success.
Like me, you are no doubt drying the tears of laughter from your cheeks after reading the assertion that taxpayers would be reimbursed a single dime of the gift that was given to GM by the government.
As we have discussed for weeks in our podcasts and in many posts, the government can take over the automakers, but that only decreases the odds the company can make a car anyone will want to buy. Moreover, when the cars that nobody will buy are not bought, the government will continue to flush 10's of billions more taxpayer dollars down the toilet trying to keep the company afloat and the unions happy.
A boycott would staunch the bleeding by forcing the company to liquidate sooner, rather than later, and save the taxpayers far more money in the long run. After all, how did we get away from the argument about whether GM deserves any tax money at all, rather than how much it should get?
People can choose to decide that the government was wrong and punish the government by sacrificing GM to prove the point. While I would gladly sign on to a boycott, it may not be necessary. Polls show that only 26% of Americans support the auto bailouts in the first place and 17% favor a boycott and only 42% of GM owners would buy another one.
Obama may nationalize the company but markets decide what gets bought.
Tags: Obama,
Related Articles
- Tamar Yonah: Communist In The White House?
- Video: Angry, Bitter President Clings to Notion that his opinion Matters to GOP
- Jon Stewart: You set up the Presidential Podium and a TelePrompter in a 6th Grade Classroom?
- Obama: Taupe without Portfolio
Links to this post
Trackback url: http://patriotroom.com/article/boycott-of-gm-gaining-traction/trackback
Comments 8
You don't have to go to any rallies, wear signs, or throw fake blood on anybody. Just buy a Ford.
Let's assume for a sec that there's a difference between a boycott (foregoing a good you would otherwise buy for purely philosophical reasons) and a purchasing decision based on, inter alia, concerns about the quality of the product and the future viability of the company that makes it. It's not that simple, but I think Scott's saying that enough people are making the second call to make the first superfluous.
My reaction was a lot like yours, Bill; color me a "far-right winger". They want us to choose cars for political reasons -- so I hope they're happy with the result. I really wanted an Escalade hybrid like Hannity drives, so in my case it's at least a healthy dose of boycott in addition to concerns about the company being forced to phase out the Escalade, not supporting trade-in and service, etc. Also, I think the dealers near my house were McCain contributors, so I'd ultimately have to take my Escalade to Arlington or Bethesda to get serviced.
It's interesting that not many people mention that GM is actually a staggering 72.5% government owned. Canada owns 12.5%. So explain the part about how we need to save American jobs, and punish companies that expatriate some elements of production, when we're using Chinese and Canadian money to "save" GM.
I agree with you and Scott. The polls at the end of the post are just would-be purchasers' thoughts on the issue, all of which go into the purchasing decision. Frankly, I didn't need an extra reason for not buying a GM. My entire life I have thought they were pieces of trash anyway. And their current predicament proves that a lot of people agree with that sentiment.
Yeah, thanks for clarifying what I was thinking, Rose. I just think most people will come to the same buying decision without a boycott. May as well sign on to the boycott though. Will make it seem like we have more clout than we do when others boycott for reasons of quality, price and future availability.
The boycott angle is helpful in the sense that it clarifies how many people take into account the nationalization as a criterion for not buying. Of course a poll in 6 months would do that too.
The government will take $1 from my left pocket to give to GM, so that GM can take $2 from my right pocket then tell me how great it is for me
"far right-wingers" are planning a boycott of GM. Instead how about calling them prudent shoppers who want to get the most value for the dollars they are spending?
Have an opinion?
blog advertising is good for you
blog advertising is good for you
Publius' Newsstand
-
State plan fines feds $2,000 over gun ru...
Wyoming has joined a growing list of states with self-declared exemptions from federal gun regulation of weapons made, bought and used inside state borders – but lawmakers in the Cowboy State have taken the issue one step further, adopting significant penalties for federal agents attempting to enforce Washington's rules. According a law signed into effect yesterday by Democratic Gov. Dave Freudenthal, any agent of the U.S. who "enforces or attempts to enforce" federal gun rules on a "personal firearm" in Wyoming faces a felony conviction and a penalty of up to two years in prison and up to $2,000 in fines.Views: 117 Comments: 2
-
Scrambling for votes, Dems face uphill climb to...
The math is getting simpler.If every House member votes and all Republicans reject the bill as expected, Pelosi can only afford 37 Democratic defections. That breakdown of the votes would lead to a 216-215 tally. Of the 34 no votes/leaning no votes, eight of them backed the House-backed bill in November. Meanwhile, nine Democrats who voted no last fall are publicly on the fence.
So she needs to convince 6 people who voted no in the fall to vote yes now, i.e., she needs to convince 6 people who got it right last time to end their careers. Good luck with that.Views: 125 Comments: 4
-
The Cost of Democrats’ Failed Housing Policies ...
"But if people had any idea of the damage he's [Rep. Barney Frank] done [by promoting the ‘affordable housing at all costs' policies] he's be out of there." -Thomas Sowell Taxpayer Bailout for FHA: The FHA's capital reserve ratio has fallen to .53 percent, well below its statutory ratio of 2 percent. [WaPo reported] "Although the FHA's default rate has been climbing for months, . . . the latest figures show that the FHA's woes are getting worse...If the trend continues and the FHA's cash reserves are exhausted, the federal government would automatically use taxpayer money to cover the losses." . . . National Security Implications: Bloomberg: "Russia urged China to dump its Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bonds in 2008 in a bid to force a bailout of the largest U.S. mortgage-finance companies, . . . Paulson said." ...Views: 150 Comments: 5
-
The beat goes on: Rep Gutierrez from 'yes' to '...
Gutierrez, a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) in which he serves as chairman of its Immigration Task Force, said the caucus still has concerns over the extent to which the healthcare bill excludes illegal immigrants as well as legal residents from receiving benefits in the healthcare plan. "They are enough to say I can't support this bill," Gutierrez said during an appearance on MSNBC. This must be very frustrating for Nancy.Views: 105 Comments: 7
-
Very telling: Democratic candidates distance th...
Enjoy reading this ... Hardly any Democrat running for Congress seems to want to talk about healthcare. Of the 26 leading Democratic House candidates contacted by The Hill, only one would commit to voting for the Senate healthcare bill if and when it comes to the House floor. Out of the more than two dozen Democratic challengers and open-seat House candidates, only 10 commented for this story. Eight outright declined to comment. Eight more didn’t respond to several days’ worth of requests via phone and e-mail. There is no more direct evidence than, well, direct evidence!Views: 79 Comments: 0
-
Hamas answer to Biden: Gaza Rocket Strikes Kibb...
Nice job, Joe. You seemed to have made some headway: A Kassam rocket fired from Gaza damaged a building in Kibbutz Nirim on Thursday, the IDF said. In response, the Israel Air Force bombed a weapon manufacturing facility and an arms smuggling tunnel. "The IDF will not tolerate the firing of rockets by terrorist organizations at Israel and will continue to respond harshly against any attempt to disrupt the calm in Israel's southern communities," the IDF Spokesperson said. More than 25 rockets and mortars have been fired at Israel from Gaza since the beginning of the year.Views: 98 Comments: 0
-
NY23d: Hoffman makes it official: he'll run for...
Douglas L. Hoffman rode a strong wave of conservative activism to a second-place finish in last fall's special election in the 23rd Congressional District. Now the Lake Placid accountant — and adopted son of the Tea Party movement — is back for a second try, but not without some competition. Mr. Hoffman formally entered the race for the Republican nomination Monday, telling his supporters in a letter posted to his Web site that he "will defeat Bill Owens" if there's a rematch. Listen to our interview with Doug on Liberty Pundits.Views: 109 Comments: 1
-
Smackdown time - The Hill: Alexander, Gregg thr...
Senate Republican Conference Chairman Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and ranking Republican Finance Committee member Judd Gregg (N.H.) said they will force votes on virtually every sentence of the healthcare reform bill to overcome Democrats' parliamentary maneuver. Gregg said Republicans would force votes on a provision in the 1974 bill that says reconciliation can only be used to amend laws, plus another longstanding Senate rule that says reconciliation can only be used for budget-related issues, plus yet another Senate rule that says 60 votes are necessary to waive the budget-only rule. Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) sent a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) that insisted he had 41 votes for the last roadblock, thereby denying Democrats the magic 60.Views: 84 Comments: 0
-
Dems give up on flipping Stupak 12
House leaders have concluded they cannot change a divisive abortion provision in President Barack Obama's health care bill and will try to pass the sweeping legislation without the support of ardent anti-abortion Democrats. A break on abortion would remove a major obstacle for Democratic leaders in the final throes of a yearlong effort to change health care in the United States. But it sets up a risky strategy of trying to round up enough Democrats to overcome, not appease, a small but possibly decisive group of Democratic lawmakers in the House.Views: 191 Comments: 1
-
Senate Parliamentarian: Obama must sign bill as...
The Senate Parliamentarian has ruled that President Barack Obama must sign Congress’ original health care reform bill before the Senate can act on a companion reconciliation package, senior GOP sources said Thursday. The Senate Parliamentarian’s Office was responding to questions posed by the Republican leadership. The answers were provided verbally, sources said. House Democratic leaders have been searching for a way to ensure that any move they make to approve the Senate-passed $871 billion health care reform bill is followed by Senate action on a reconciliation package of adjustments to the original bill. One idea is to have the House and Senate act on reconciliation prior to House action on the Senate’s original health care bill.Views: 131 Comments: 0
Get Your PR Button!
More Articles By Bill Dupray
- State plan fines feds $2,000 over gun rules
on 2010-03-13 with 117 views - Scrambling for votes, Dems face uphill climb to pass health reform
on 2010-03-13 with 125 views - The Cost of Democrats’ Failed Housing Policies Continues to Grow
on 2010-03-12 with 150 views - Pelosi Confirms: Before Reconciliation House Must Pass Senate Bill; President Must Sign
on 2010-03-12 with 182 views - House votes overwhelmingly to investigate Pelosi and Hoyer, the most ethical leaders ever
on 2010-03-11 with 127 views - Despite Pelosi's denials, taxpayer-funded abortions appear 8 times in Senate bill
on 2010-03-11 with 229 views - House GOP votes to ban all earmarks
on 2010-03-11 with 87 views - Gallup: Record number of people believe Global Warming is exaggerated
on 2010-03-11 with 127 views - Obamacare hurting employees' coverage before it even passes
on 2010-03-11 with 268 views - House Dems Try to Pass Obamacare Without a Vote
on 2010-03-10 with 133 views
I agree that this would be good, but probably unnecessary.