Tuesday, November 3, 2009

The World is Over is Over

Yup the good times are here again. Yesterday, Ford reported a profit for Q3 2009 of just under 1 billion dollars and today Ford and GM reported sales increases month-over-month comparing last October to this October. I think these two things are evidence enough to allow Michigan to return to its wasteful and uni-industry oriented ways. Long live the motorized carriage!

I guess the question now is how stupid are we really, as a state? I fear there are more than some who believe that the cyclical nature of industry will suffice to pull Michigan out of our economic swine flu and that if we just continue to trust in the almighty auto industry prosperity is bound to follow forever! One small (and by small I mean major) piece of evidence that we are still idiots is that the UAW rejected their proposed new contract with Ford that would make Ford a much more cost competitive firm. There are many UAW Ford workers who work outside of Michigan so it's not all our fault, but if bankruptcy isn't evidence of an unsustainable business model, I don't know what is. While Ford didn't technically declare bankruptcy, they did borrow $30B before the credit market died and this is the sole reason that Ford didn't have to declare super duper bankruptcy. It would be just plain stupid for anyone to think that everything was and is OK with that company and that the existing contracts are good for Ford and "the people". It's hard to defend unions, even for a fan of the working man, when the people somehow believe that they can get paid if their company doesn't exist. The logic just doesn't work. I will always love you Michigan, but sometimes you are as dumb as Dude, Where's My Car? (which I paid to see in the movie theaters. I also paid to see Pootie Tang)

No comments: