Michael Moore: Profits Up At GM! And You're Still Unemployed

[Hissyspit]

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/mike-friends-blog/profits-gm-and-youre-still-unemployed

August 13th, 2010 2:10 PM
Profits Up at GM! And You're Still Unemployed
By Michael Moore

- snip -

During the first half of 2010, GM made $2.2 billion in profit, yet according to The Wall Street Journal, they've only added 2,000 jobs in all of North America, taking their workforce from 113,000 to 115,000.

And what's true for GM is true for the country. The government stepped in with trillions of dollars in cash and guarantees to keep Corporate America from collapsing due to its own stupidity, short-sightedness and greed. And it worked—for Corporate America. You may not have noticed as you were being foreclosed on, but the profitability of the Fortune 500 is almost back to normal. It jumped to $391 billion in 2009, up 335 percent from 2008. And the 500 biggest non-financial corporations are now sitting on $1.8 trillion in cash, more than at any time in the past 50 years. (That's what the business press always says—that they're "sitting" on it—although as far as I know this is not literally true.)

- snip -

To understand what's happening, we have to focus on the bottom line, just like they do. And what the bottom line says is that the entire business world has figured out how to make huge buckets of money without hiring us to work for them. I'm not sure how in the long run this benefits these companies. Maybe the same robots who make most things now are also programmed to buy them?

But the upshot is this: We have to face the fact that most of America's CEOs don't want the economy to get "better." Because for them, it couldn't get better—they've got profit coming out their ears, while with 9.5 percent unemployment their entire workforce is too scared to ask for a 25 cent-an-hour raise. They'd be happy to have things stay just like they are now. Forever.

But as bad as the bad news is, the good news is better. Millions more people now realize that we need a new New Deal. We have to re-engineer American civilization, and it's going to take a lot of people.

Did you know Portugal now gets 45 percent of its electricity from renewable sources—up from 17 percent just five years ago? Or that Scientific American found we could eliminate all fossil fuel usage by 2030?

MORE MOORE AT LINK

[Jim Sagle]

1. Just a crocka chickenshit bullshit from Motormouth Mike.

THIS was the GOOD bailout, the one that put GM back in the black and some blue collars back to work. What's not to like unless you're an incurable malcontent?

[Hannah Bell]

3. "some" = 2000? how many got laid off or forced into early retirement?

how many lost wages, bennies & pensions?

it wasnt a "good" bailout, it was cover for gm to dump their workforce.

[michreject]

11. I was one of em who left early

I was 53 when I retired @ 37,000 per year pension.

Damn GM.

[Hannah Bell]

19. not sure if you're happy or sad about that, but: many lost more:

Frank's committee is in charge of the Troubled Assets Relief Program that funneled billions of dollars to General Motors Corp. to bring the automaker out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy last summer. The process also led to salaried retirees from auto parts maker Delphi, including 1,500-plus from local Delphi Packard Electric operations, losing their retirement benefits.

Some of the 20,000-plus total Delphi salaried retirees and surviving spouses saw their pensions cut from 30 percent to 70 percent after the federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. took over the plan when Delphi emerged from bankruptcy in October.

http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/540716/Rep--s-visit-draws-attention.html?nav=5021

[laughingliberal]

22. Doubt we'll be seeing many more who will be able to do that. nt

[defendandprotect]

51. True -- and taxpayer money is subsidizing GM's new attacks on the unions...!!

... and I think they actually went ahead with 23,000 layoffs after the bailouts?

[laughingliberal]

23. Woo hoo! That was some ROI! 2,000 whole jobs for...how much did we give them? nt

[Moostache]

5. Disagree with full throat...

A "recovery" is not one that returns a corporate entity to profits! When companies large or small become unmoored from PURPOSE and dedicated solely to PROFITS, it is always an unmitigated disaster for average and low-income people. GM making MONEY is not enough..GM making steps towards building a new manufacturing economy INSIDE the UNITED STATES is a better step forward.

Ironic as it may seem, if you want to buy an "American-made" car, you are more likely to get one from Nissan or Toyota than from Ford or GM these days. When American companies use foreign labor to build their "American" cars and leave 100,000's of former US auto industry workers among the permanently unemployed, it is NOT time to drink the Kool Aid and proclaim "victory"...

[blue_onyx]

48. This statement...

"if you want to buy an "American-made" car, you are more likely to get one from Nissan or Toyota than from Ford or GM these days"

is incorrect.

[HEyHEY]

6. I agree, it's not like they don't have some loans to repay

Are they supposed to just live paycheque to paycheque so that they are always laying off and hiring on? Let them get things sorted and stable for a bit. If, after a while, they don't start to rehire then start asking the questions.

[defendandprotect]

52. Why have sympathy for a corporation which has attacked its unions and betrayed its workers?

Decade after decade?

Easy to see, as well, the alliance between GM and oil industry in low MPG --

We had cars with 42mpg and more in the 60's --

This is criminal corruption we're bailing out -- rather we should have nationalized

GM and kept the workers going by creating a new, more environmentally sound product!

Made in USA!

And -- by the way -- we should be slamming the door on these corporations who want to

seek slave labor overseas and then return to sell the product here!

[HEyHEY]

61. I don't have sympathy, I'm saying let them sort things out for the long term benefit. n/t

[defendandprotect]

62. US government has a duty to recognize corruption/criminal behavior ... not allow them "time" --

to further screw things up --

[HEyHEY]

63. Okay, if you want them to jump to conclusions, over hire and get in over their heads again, fine

But when they go broke again and put everyone out of work permanently you'll wish they had been given some time. It's the same principle of people in financial trouble being forced to hand over their money to the credit card companies as soon as they get a little money, it will only insure their long-term financial trouble. Let them save a bit of money, get permanently organized, then get the money, or in this case, jobs.

[defendandprotect]

64. Nonsense .... the most urgent thing to do is to reregulate capitalism....

Unregulated captialism is merely organized time -- time after time!

And, no -- it's nothing like honest citizens being lured into debt by credit card companies

charging "Mafia vigorious" on what they owe.

Again -- these companies should have been NATIONALIZED -- and the companies run by government

until they were profitable again -- with improved products -- and then turned over to the

workers.

Capitalism doesn't "fail" -- it is intended to move the wealth and natural resources of

nations from the many to the few. In that it has always succeeded mightily!

[HEyHEY]

66. Yeah, well we'll see who's right.

I maintain raiding them for sake of some quick jobs is foolish.

[defendandprotect]

68. Raiding them? I maintain that bailing out criminal activity by corps is just asking for more!

[slampoet]

10. Why bother reading the article when you only have personal attacks?

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[pattmarty]

20. AND, another Michael Moore basher. That coulda come right off.......

......Freerepublic or WorldnUt daily.

[laughingliberal]

25. Yep. nt

[pattmarty]

30. Haven't we "met" somewhere else?

:sarcasm:

[defendandprotect]

53. Mainly a personal attack .... Amazing how one of our finest Democrats is the "enemy" here

at DU/DLC --

[JNelson6563]

70. As a Moore fan I agree with Jim's statement.

There are more jobs to come in relation to GM (them and related companies) and it's starting to improve. Those of us in the trenches of this economic horror are GLAD things are getting better and jobs are coming back. Yeah we wish it were faster but it IS happening.

Sometimes MM is a bit immature and/or unfair in his criticisms.

Julie

[Greyhound]

27. THIS was just about the WORST possible of all the scenarios.

They got your pensions (just keep watching), they got most of your jobs, they broke your union, and they let GM off scott-free with hundreds of billions in hidden profits.

You (the GM worker) would have been far better off if they'd let it collapse and divided up the money among the workers (about $50K * 120,000, plus the pension fund). Those blue-collars that you mention would be the people starting their own businesses and hiring those that had already been laid off

[Jakes Progress]

39. Lotta hate you got goin' there.

Over one million dollars for each job it saved. Bet I could do better.

[NJmaverick]

41. You pretty much nailed it

All sorts of union jobs were saved and MM is whining and crying

[YOY]

45. That's our Mav!!! :Happy sitcom jingle:

n/t

[YOY]

46. You forgot to call him "fat". It's usually where most start when attacking Mike.

n.t.

[JonLP24]

60. They invested $500 million in a Mexico plant

They opened a non-union plant in Michigan and "asked" the union workers a cut in half their pay.

[JNelson6563]

69. Well said Jim.

More jobs on the way but ol' Mike is doing well so it won't make a bit of difference to him, like it will to those hired and to-be-hired.

Julie

[JVS]

2. GM's doing what GM does best: giving Americans a raw deal.

They've perfected the art.

[Major Hogwash]

4. Hey Hissyspit, this was a really good article. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Sometimes I wonder how much better this country could be if Michael Moore's advice would be followed.

And then I wake up.

[NNN0LHI]

8. wonder how much better this country could be if Michael Moore's advice would be followed??

He advised some other goofs to vote for Nader and they did.

We now know "how much better this country could be if Michael Moore's advice would be followed", and it isn't so good.

Don

[90-percent]

9. Nader

In one of Mike's books, he tells of imploring Nader to ask his followers to throw their votes to Gore back in 2000. When it was clear Ralph wouldn't win. Ralph did not take Mike's advice.

-90% Jimmy

[defendandprotect]

54. Nader alerted us to corporations buying government 40 years ago ... and ...

Hard to believe that anyone still believes this DLC scapegoating of Nader for 2000 --



It's a farce --

Journalists who did the recount report that Gore won -- no matter how you count the votes --

and including in Florida --

300,000 "Democrats" in Florida voted for Bush --

More than 600 "illegal" ballots were counted for Bush --

More than 3,000 "butterfly" ballots went to Pat Buchanan --

Other third parties took tens of thousands of votes in Florida --


We had a GOP-sponsored fascist riot that STOPPED the vote counting in Miami-Dade

County which had been MANDATED by the Florida Supreme Court. No police interference.


AND, finally US Supreme Court Gang of 5 undermined the Florida State Supreme

Court ruling and gave decision to Bush.


HOW could you ignore all of this and buy the propaganda that it had anything to

do with Nader --???????????????????????????????????





Voters who came out to vote for Nader would NOT have voted for Democrats --

HOWEVER, they did cast their votes for Democrats in Congress which greatly helped the Democrats.

[Hissyspit]

14. Don

First off, Moore has said he is not a Democrat. He had every right to endorse Ralph Nader, but has said he asked Nader to withdraw when it became clear Bush might win. He very publically asked Nader not to run in 2004. He endorsed Barack Obama in 2008. But, secondly, why are you supporting a tacky empty personal attack post against me from this guy for my simply posting a Michael Moore article like I've been doing for-practically-ever?

[Major Hogwash]

57. Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!! That killed me, I fell out of my chair, hit my head, now I'm dead

This was not "a tacky empty personal attack post against me".

I agreed with Michael and you and thanked you for posting it.

LoL

[Hissyspit]

59. This looked like anti-Moore sarcasm to me:

"Sometimes I wonder how much better this country could be if Michael Moore's advice would be followed.

And then I wake up." it seems to imply only people who live in dream world think Moore's advice would work.

If I misinterpreted it, I apologize.

[pattmarty]

21. Give it a fucking break.

[Jakes Progress]

40. Do you always let MSM do your thinking for you?

[defendandprotect]

55. Democratic leadership needs to begin to actually acknowlege . . .

and deal with fraudulent elections -- computer hacking --

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8944704&mesg_id=8948853

[Hissyspit]

12. Actually, Michael Moore has been right about a shitload of stuff.

But instead of countering his points in the OP, you post empty personal attacks on him AND me. Usually only get THAT from freepers.

[Major Hogwash]

58. Hahahahahahaha!!!! I'm dying here.

I agreed with you and then you accuse me of freeping and creeping.

LoL

By the way, I like your avatar lots.

"Ceiling kitty sees all".

LoL

[Uben]

7. Hurray! Profits are up!

We went from a nation of Americans to a nation of greedy asshole bastards. Companies like GM once employed people, made a fine product, and produced a nice profit for investors. Today, it's all about making as much as they can to pay CEOs and investors, workers be damned! The greed of the leisure class has taken precedence over fair and honest worker compensation. Companies once cared about workers, but now they are the "expendables". All the trimming came from worker's wages and benefits. We will never see those days again.

[xchrom]

13. Recommend

[david13]

16. General Motors. A crocka chickeshit bullshit. With bullshit

crap products. The GM motto "F*** the Customer".
dc

[amborin]

17. profits up b/c wages slashed and new GM plants in Michigan are non-union

[pattmarty]

24. About the "new" GM plants in Mi, is that true? Can u provide info?

[laughingliberal]

28. Here's some information:

http://www.gsmlaborcouncil.org/node/4704

In related news-Screwing workers with help of the White House:

http://www.economicpopulist.org/content/obama-administration-assisting-squeezing-gm-chrysler-uaw-workers

[pattmarty]

31. Thx.

[amborin]

44. and here:

http://upload.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8937020

[sufrommich]

35. MLive says the UAW will organize the plant. Unfortunately

the lithium battery business is up and running in China.GM is claiming we will lose to China without low wages. We have sold our souls to them and now the chickens are coming home to roost.

[amborin]

43. more here, too:

http://upload.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8937020

[DimplesinMI]

34. LORD, I wish people would know what the hell they are talking about...

First, there are no "New" GM plants in Michigan. Four plants were converted to manufacturer new products, including the Chevy Volt. These plants would have been shut down and more jobs lost in Michigan, if it was not for President Obama's bailout. Next, the newer workers ARE STILL UAW!! The UAW agreed (like the Union had any other choice, the UAW was RIGHT in this case to SAVE JOBS) with GM demand to reduce starting wages to $14.00 per hour, employees must pay more in healthcare and the retirement program is 401K based, instead of a defined benefit program. Thus, what is now called, the "Two Tier" wage system. By the way, Ford (the one that did not receive a direct bailout) and Chrysler (who received a bailout) ALSO operate on the "Two Tier" wage system.

:rant: Would you have preferred that our unemployment rate in Michigan be 20 percent, instead of 13.2 percent? Michael Moore in this case, need to shut his pie hole. He lives up-north, not in Southeastern Michigan, where we would have been directly affected if President Obama did not bailout GM and Chrysler. There are no Automobile plants "Up-North". Maybe that is why he feels, whatever he "feels".

Also, Michael has a movie studio, production company and the like. I have yet to see his multi-millionaire self, advertise any employment opportunities that he is creating for Michigan. Where are your 2000 jobs Mr. Moore? You have the cash, just like GM.....(Sound of crickets....).

As a daughter of a former GM UAW worker for over 40 (R.I.P. Daddy), I am sick and tired of so-called Democrats and Liberals...(I am left-leaning Independent) knocking President Obama's efforts to save JOBS within my state of Michigan!!! The plant my Daddy worked at for 40 years is closing in December 2010. I live right around the corner from the plant and it hurts, soon see the plant gone.

REGARDLESS, I am HAPPY that up to 500,000 Automobile jobs and up to 1.4 Million other jobs, were SAVED by Obama's actions. Other small businesses depend on the revenue within the areas of the plants; workers at part manufacturers, restaurants, hospitals, banking services and the like. See FOLKS this was bigger than just GM, Chrysler and Ford! These are workers, just like most Democrats, that pay their taxes, try and maintain their homes and take care of their families. Would Michael Moore have hired these workers, plus all of the layoff Big Three employees, at his production company? Probably not..........

He need to stop complaining about the bailouts unless, he is actually going to do something to solve the 13.2 percent unemployment rate in HIS STATE, besides promote his next movie and complain.

Also, Mike....what exactly have you done for your own hometown, Flint, Michigan.....not much! :sarcasm:

Enough said!

[Bluenorthwest]

38. Mike runs a Union shop, bud.

And you might want to take the time to look into what many people in the film biz in MI and outside of MI have been doing to promote shooting and long term location work there. Which I'm sure you don't know about. It is similar to the push that went to and from Vancouver BC back in the 80's, and Vancouver is now a huge film center. This sort of thing does not happen over night.
Mike is the only reason I know a thing about Flint, the only reason many people have any concept at all of the problems in the region, in a human and personal way. The reputation of that area was so horrible in the film biz that when they wanted to make 'Robocop' which is set in Detroit, they went to Toronto, because Detroit was unworkable, scary, and expensive. So fucked up that people who wanted to film there felt they could not.

[DimplesinMI]

47. And this "Off the Chain" comment, will go unanswered...

So I can stay on this forum......

"Detroit was unworkable, scary, and expensive. So fucked up that people who wanted to film there felt they could not'"

Except to say, one, now I strong believe you do not stay in Michigan and two, the film industry tax credit has been approved by Governor Granholm, since 2007. And you bring up a 23 year old, 1987's film "Robocop"....as a defense for Mr. Moore inactions....Laughable!

Enough said

[defendandprotect]

50. The plants should have been nationalized .... that's simply a different way to save jobs ...

than turning taxpayer money over to GM to "sit" on --

In fact, I recall that the administration actually did think that GM would

create jobs - rather they went ahead with layoffs.

And, btw, Mike's "hometown" is all of America -- and he has certainly done everything

he can to wake us up!

And, last I heard, Mike is reinvesting in Michigan -- wasn't he turning back some credit

he got from Michigan for making a movie there -- and investing in reopening movie houses

and some other projects.

[DimplesinMI]

36. Here we go AGAIN...............

Do ANY of you that are complaining about the bailout ACTUALLY live in Michigan? Probably not. When President Obama visited a Chysler and GM plant, where the WORKERS (you know, the ones that ACTUALLY WORK on the line, whose jobs were SAVED/GAINED by the Bailout) the President got a overwhelming POSITIVE WELCOME!!! Here is a links to many articles about UAW Workers/Future Workers at the so-to-be Holland, Michigan Battery Plant, that were excited to see our President and THANK HIM for saving and/or creating jobs:

OH YEAH, the Holland, Michigan location is a Korean Owned PARTS plant, where the Volt Battery is being manufactured, NOT GM..:grr:

http://www.fox17online.com/news/landing/fox17-president-obama-holland-visit,0,829423.story

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-obama-herald-government-bailout-saving-american-auto/story?id=11280776

http://www.examiner.com/job-search-in-detroit/president-obama-visits-michigan-to-speak-on-chrysler-general-motors-job-creation

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/07/30/128873541/president-obama-visits-detroit-car-plants-praises-workers-perseverance

BY THE WAY....where is Michael Moore Press Confidence in Flint, Michigan about his form of Job Creation for that city? :argh: Flint's unemployment rate is 14.1 percent.....Link- http://www.bls.gov/web/metro/laummtrk.htm. He can create or save some jobs in Flint, Michigan....at anytime...but he would rather make movies and complaint about the bailout..... :nopity:

Yeah, right!!!!

[defendandprotect]

56. ..and American taxpayers are subsidizing this attack on workers/unions by GM...!!

[LWolf]

18. I hear GMs hiring in Mexico. nt

[sufrommich]

26. Hey, maybe if American workers didn't have to compete

with foreign workers for your dollar, there would be less of that.

[upi402]

29. Clinton/Gore's NAFTA and GATT proves

that corporate money can buy both parties and capture American government.

But hey, I didn't say that here - just kidding really... postulating for debate purposes only ya know!

[sufrommich]

32. I think that's OK to say here. NAFTA and GATT were and

are bad policy.

[LWolf]

42. I'd love to see the death and burial of NAFTA/CAFTA.

A return to fair trade based on environmental and labor standards.

I don't know if I'll ever be able to afford a new vehicle again in my lifetime. They just cost too damned much. When I do, though, there is, somewhere, a ranking of vehicles that shows how much of each vehicle is manufactured in the U.S.. That would be a big factor in making a selection.

[Ignis]

33. K&R

If that's still allowed. :shrug:

[femrap]

37. k and r...nt

[defendandprotect]

49. LOVE Michael Moore -- GM is proving once again that human interests aren't their interests ....

And, didn't know that about Portugal -- Wow!

And Obama administration is investing taxpayer dollars in a new generation of

nuclear power plants!! How's that for going even further backwards!!

[TreasonousBastard]

65. If Moore shows a profit, does he go out and hire a bunch of people he doesn't...

need just because he's got some cash burning a hole in his pocket?

Better yet, does he go out and buy a bunch of GM cars so GM will need workers to make those cars?

(What DOES he drive, anyway?)

[HEyHEY]

67. A volkswagen I believe.

[tammywammy]

71. Really? n/t