Got this in my morning email from an old squadron mate:
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Auto Supplier Tells GM Where To Go > >
> >
> > This message says a lot about our need to stand up and be responsible. >
> > Hopefully it will get a wide distribution. > >
> >
> > This is one of the greatest responses to the requests for bailout > > money I have seen thus far. As a supplier for the Big 3 this man > > received a letter from the President of GM North America, requesting > > support for the bail out program. His response is well written, and > > has to make you proud of a local guy who tells it like it is. > >
> >
> > ------------- > > *GM Letterhead* > >
> > Dear Employees & Suppliers, > >
> >
> > Congress and the current Administration will soon determine whether to >
> > provide immediate support to the domestic auto industry to help it > > through one of the most difficult economic times in our nation's > > history. Your elected officials must hear from all of us now on why > > this support is critical to our continuing the progress we began prior >
> > to the global financial crisis. > >
> >
> > As an employee or supplier, you have a lot at stake and continue to be >
> > one of our most effective and passionate voices. I know GM can count >
> > on you to have your voice heard. > >
> >
> > Thank you for your urgent action and ongoing support. > >
> >
> > Troy Clarke > > President, > > General Motors North America > >
> >
> > ------------- > >
> >
> > Response from: > >
> >
> > Gregory Knox, Pres. > > Knox Machinery Company > > Franklin, Ohio > >
> >
> > Gentlemen: > >
> >
> > In response to your request to contact legislators and ask for a > > bailout for the Big Three automakers please consider the following, > > and please pass my thoughts on to Troy Clarke, President of General > > Motors North America. > >
> >
> > Politicians and Management of the Big 3 are both infected with the > > same entitlement mentality that has spread like cancerous germs in UAW >
> > halls for the last countless decades, and whose plague is now sweeping >
> > this nation, awaiting our new "messiah," Pres-elect Obama, to wave his >
> > magic wand and make all our problems go away, while at the same time > > allowing our once great nation to keep "living the dream." Believe me >
> > folks, The dream is over! > >
> >
> > This dream where we can ignore the consumer for years while management >
> > myopically focuses on its personal rewards packages at the same time > > that our factories have been filled with the worlds most overpaid, > > arrogant, ignorant and laziest entitlement minded "laborers" without > > paying the price for these atrocities. This dream where you still > > think the masses will line up to buy our products for ever and ever. > >
> >
> > Don't even think about telling me I'm wrong. Don't accuse me of not > > knowing of what I speak. I have called on Ford, GM, Chrysler, TRW, > > Delphi, Kelsey Hayes, American Axle, and countless other automotive > > OEM's throughout the Midwest, during the past 30 years and what I've > > seen over those years in these union shops can only be described as > > disgusting. > >
> >
> > Troy Clarke, President of General Motors North America, states: > > "There is widespread sentiment throughout this country, and our > > government, and especially via the news media, that the current crisis >
> > is completely the result of bad management which it certainly is not." > >
> >
> > You're right Mr. Clarke, it's not JUST management. How about the > > electricians who walk around the plants like lords in feudal times, > > making people wait on them for countless hours while they drag ass so > > they can come in on the weekend and make double and triple time for a > > job they easily could have done within their normal 40 hour work week. >
> > How about the line workers who threaten newbies with all kinds of > > scare tactics for putting out too many parts on a shift and for being > > too productive. > >
> >
> > (We certainly must not expose those lazy bums who have been getting > > overpaid for decades for their horrific underproduction, must we?!?) > >
> >
> > Do you folks really not know about this stuff?!? How about this great >
> > sentiment abridged from Mr. Clarke's sad plea: "over the last few > > years we have closed the quality and efficiency gaps with our > > competitors." What the hell has Detroit been doing for the last 40 > > years?!? Did we really JUST wake up to the gaps in quality and > > efficiency between us and them? The K car vs. the Accord? The Pinto > > vs. the Civic?!? Do I need to go on? What a joke! > >
> >
> > We are living through the inevitable outcome of the actions of the > > United States auto industry for decades. It's time to pay for your > > sins, Detroit. > >
> >
> > I attended an economic summit last week where brilliant economist, > > Alan Beaulieu, from the Institute of Trend Research, surprised the > > crowd when he said he would not have given the banks a penny of > > "bailout money." > >
> >
> > "Yes, he said, this would cause short term problems," but despite what >
> > people like politicians and corporate magnates would have us believe, > > the sun would in fact rise the next day and the following very > > important thing would happen. Where there had been greedy and sloppy > > banks, new efficient ones would pop up. That is how a free market > > system works. It does work if we would only let it work." > >
> >
> > But for some nondescript reason we are now deciding that the rest of > > the world is right and that capitalism doesn't work - that we need the >
> > government to step in and "save us". Save us my ass, Hell > > - we're nationalizing and unfortunately too many of our once fine > > nation's citizens don't even have a clue that this is what is really > > happening. > >
> >
> > But, they sure can tell you the stats on their favorite sports teams. > >
> >
> > Yeah - THAT'S really important, isn't it. > >
> >
> > Does it ever occur to ANYONE that the "competition" has been producing >
> > vehicles, EXTREMELY PROFITABLY, for decades in this country? How can > > that be??? Let's see. Fuel efficient. > > Listening to customers. Investing in the proper tooling and > > automation for the long haul. > >
> >
> > Not being too complacent or arrogant to listen to Dr. W. Edwards > > Deming four decades ago when he taught that by adopting appropriate > > principles of management, organizations could increase quality and > > simultaneously reduce costs. Ever increased productivity through > > quality and intelligent planning. Treating vendors like strategic > > partners, rather than like "the enemy." Efficient front and back > > offices. Non union environment. > >
> >
> > Again, I could go on and on, but I really wouldn't be telling anyone > > anything they really don't already know down deep in their hearts. > >
> >
> > I have six children, so I am not unfamiliar with the concept of > > wanting someone to bail you out of a mess that you have gotten > > yourself into - my children do this on a weekly, if not daily basis, > > as I did when I was their age. I do for them what my parents did for > > me (one of their greatest gifts, by the way) - I make them stand on > > their own two feet and accept the consequences of their actions and > > work through it. Radical concept, huh. Am I there for them in the > > wings? Of course - but only until such time as they need to be fully > > on their own as adults. > >
> >
> > I don't want to oversimplify a complex situation, but there certainly > > are unmistakable parallels here between the proper role of parenting > > and government. Detroit and the United States need to pay for their > > sins. > >
> >
> > Bad news people - it's coming whether we like it or not. The newly > > elected Messiah really doesn't have a magic wand big enough to "make > > it all go away." I laughed as I heard Obama "reeling it back in" > > almost immediately after the final vote count was tallied. "We really >
> > might not do it in a year or in four." Where the Hell was that kind > > of talk when he was RUNNING for office. > >
> >
> > Stop trying to put off the inevitable folks. That house in Florida > > really isn't worth $750,000. People who jump across a border really > > don't deserve free health care benefits. That job driving that > > forklift for the Big 3 really isn't worth $85,000 a year. We really > > shouldn't allow Wal-Mart to stock their shelves with products acquired >
> > from a country that unfairly manipulates their currency and has the > > most atrocious human rights infractions on the face of the globe. > > That couple whose combined income is less than $50,000 really > > shouldn't be living in that $485,000 home. > >
> >
> > Let the market correct itself folks - it will. Yes it will be > > painful, but it's gonna' be painful either way, and the bright side of >
> > my proposal is that on the other side of it all, is a nation that > > appreciates what it has and doesn't live beyond its means and gets > > back to basics and redevelops the patriotic work ethic that made it > > the greatest nation in the history of the world and probably turns > > back to God. > >
> >
> > Sorry - don't cut my head off, I'm just the messenger sharing with you >
> > the "bad news". I hope you take it to heart. > >
> >
> > Gregory J. Knox, President > > Knox Machinery, Inc. > > Franklin, Ohio 45005 > >
> >
> > ------------- > >
> >