Potential For a More Detroit-Friendly Congress?

[Variance]

Potential For a More Detroit-Friendly Congress?

When Congress reconvenes in January, Detroit automakers will have a lot of friends in high places -- and that has foreign automakers a little wary.

With the return to power of Michigan's congressional Democrats -- who will head three key committees and have significant say over the agenda on Capitol Hill -- lawmakers are expected to revive several proposals aimed at helping the domestic industry.

Detroit Free Press

[FAPTurbo]

I hope GM doesn't bank on getting help from Congress. I'd rather see them keep straightening themselves out by themselves, without any governmental help.

I suppose if it means battling Japan and China on their unfair trade practices, then I'd be all for it.

[turbo200]

Potential For a More Detroit-Friendly Congress?

When Congress reconvenes in January, Detroit automakers will have a lot of friends in high places -- and that has foreign automakers a little wary.

With the return to power of Michigan's congressional Democrats -- who will head three key committees and have significant say over the agenda on Capitol Hill -- lawmakers are expected to revive several proposals aimed at helping the domestic industry.

Detroit Free Press

229302[/snapback]

I hope so. I think the only way Ford and DCX can look for positive earnings and strength in the coming years, along with ultimately viability in the next decade, is to hope for some kind of tarriff to be passed.

EDIT: competition isn't getting any easier.

Edited December 19, 2006 by turbo200

[grandmarquis]

i wouldn't get my hopes up. with kalifornia wackos like pelosi in power, toyota will most likely benefit the most.

[carman21]

LOL! The Dems may impose protection for Detriot but, they will raise gas taxes, help the unions raise wages and benefits and prevent buy-outs and lay-offs, not to mention what the enviromentalists in the DNC will do to Detriot again.

While the GOP were hands off when it came to Detriot. The DNC will have their hands in Detriots pocket while Toyota will be given free reign because, the Dems like their eco-friendliness. Remember which party's base buys the Prius and has never been in a Detriot vehicle unless when in a limo.

[Brandon Lutz]

I keep saying and I will always say it. It does not matter if it's Democrats or Republicans NOTHING will be done to help. As long as career politicians are in charge nothing will be done unless it is to said politician's gain. They care not for the people that vote them in, the industries that are ailing in this country, or the overall good of this country unless they can financially and politically gain from something.

Until we get career politicians out of power NOTHING will get done. That is unless you consider bickering endlessly and taking pot shots at each other and stealing your hard earned dollars getting something done.

[carman21]

Detriot has no allies in DC these days, their best hope is to dump the unions then may be the GOP msy listen if they are lucky. Right now it matters little to both parties. Its gonna take an automsker going down before anybody lifts a finger.

[ellives]

I keep saying and I will always say it. It does not matter if it's Democrats or Republicans NOTHING will be done to help. As long as career politicians are in charge nothing will be done unless it is to said politician's gain. They care not for the people that vote them in, the industries that are ailing in this country, or the overall good of this country unless they can financially and politically gain from something.

Until we get career politicians out of power NOTHING will get done. That is unless you consider bickering endlessly and taking pot shots at each other and stealing your hard earned dollars getting something done.

Ditto. The ONLY hope is that the new members of congress maintain some backbone. They have some serious numbers. I would love to seem them pass congresional term limits. This country has no need for the likes of Ted Kennedy or Robert Byrd. We test people for a driver's license once they make it to a certain age but we let the someone who is a virtual vegetable like Strom Thurmond stay in congress. The question is whether the voters will pay attention long enough to have something like term limits pass. I doubt it.

[ellives]

i wouldn't get my hopes up. with kalifornia wackos like pelosi in power, toyota will most likely benefit the most.

I'd cut her some slack for a while. I like her tenaciousness. She's already made some stumbles but hopefully she'll find her footing. My most hopeful scenario is for the congress to remain split, and nothing gets accomplished in the next session and another slaughter happens in the '08 election. There *is* hope with Frist out. Good riddance. This past congress did nothing for anybody and they got their just reward.... political death.

[ZL-1]

I thought GM was in the business of building cars and trucks, not in the business of complaining who's in Congress or the White House...

[FAPTurbo]

I thought GM was in the business of building cars and trucks, not in the business of complaining who's in Congress or the White House...

+1

[Satty]

I thought GM was in the business of building cars and trucks, not in the business of complaining who's in Congress or the White House...

Someone has to be the scapegoat and so far people aren't latching on to Toyota being the cause of GM's problems, so why not use Congress which just went through massive turnover because of many unpopular decisions?

[ellives]

Someone has to be the scapegoat and so far people aren't latching on to Toyota being the cause of GM's problems, so why not use Congress which just went through massive turnover because of many unpopular decisions?

"Scapegoat" is just whiner talk. Nobody's asking for a scapegoat. They're asking for a level playing field. Besides, anyone who doesn't think government has a role in business is ignorant, a fool or both.

[ZL-1]

Someone has to be the scapegoat and so far people aren't latching on to Toyota being the cause of GM's problems, so why not use Congress which just went through massive turnover because of many unpopular decisions?

Yeah, politicians are easy scapegoats. Where I disagree with you is on the 'so far people aren't latching on to Toyota being the cause of GM's problems' part. People can only blame the Big 3 for the Big 3's problems: it was complacence and a bit of arrogance that got the Big 3 in trouble.

"Scapegoat" is just whiner talk. Nobody's asking for a scapegoat. They're asking for a level playing field. Besides, anyone who doesn't think government has a role in business is ignorant, a fool or both.

And how would that 'level playing field' be like? Edited December 28, 2006 by ZL-1

[siegen]

I heard Toyota was going to run for U.S. President in '08. It hasn't been announced yet, but they are expected to make the announcement during the first sales day of the new Tundra. They will be running in the Green Party. This would mark the first time in U.S. history that a corporation has ran for Presidency, and also will be the best financially backed Green Party candidate in history. Expect advertising to appear on TV, MySpace and the side of the White House (yeh, they have that much money).

[Satty]

Is Honda going to be the running mate? I dont think Toyota and Honda have enough trucks to appeal to the Super Duty loving right wing rednecks who continue to support dubya. They need a stronger, more "rugged" running mate.

[siegen]

Is Honda going to be the running mate? I dont think Toyota and Honda have enough trucks to appeal to the Super Duty loving right wing rednecks who continue to support dubya. They need a stronger, more "rugged" running mate.

No. Since they aren't trying to be something they're not (American). Toyota might get Bush's bother, Jeb Bush, though, as that'll score them some more points in Texas at least.

If Toyota becomes the next President, they can really push their trucks! :AH-HA_wink:

All kidding aside, you know what strikes me as funny? A lot of consumers don't buy American because they feel Japanese cars are simply better. If Toyota succeeds in making themselves "more American", will consumers stop buying them because of it?? That would be priceless.

[ehaase]

Nothing will change in the next two years. A Democratic congress and Republican president will create gridlock.

You may see Detroit friendly policies if a pro-labor Democrat like John Edwards wins. However, the environmentalists are a very strong constituency for the Democrats. I know Barack Obama supports higher CAFE standards and Hillary Clinton probably does also.

At best, things will be neutral for Detroit; at worst, depending upon the environmentalists, things may get worse.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

I'll leave it at this:

Congress traditionally gravitates to the place in which they can get the most financial gain (regardless of affiliation) and we ALL know who has the most money.

I wouldn't look for any help for Detroit from Uncle Sam anytime soon. If the last 'go round' is any indication of things to come, then I'd look for a whole lot of nothing.... at all.

[haypops]

At best, things will be neutral for Detroit; at worst, depending upon the environmentalists, things may get worse.

I think that the environmentalists would be very much against the use of past year credits, so this might work out in Ford and GM's favor.

[ellives]

Nothing will change in the next two years. A Democratic congress and Republican president will create gridlock.

You may see Detroit friendly policies if a pro-labor Democrat like John Edwards wins. However, the environmentalists are a very strong constituency for the Democrats. I know Barack Obama supports higher CAFE standards and Hillary Clinton probably does also.

At best, things will be neutral for Detroit; at worst, depending upon the environmentalists, things may get worse.

I'd love to see gridlock in congress for 2 years. If it happens, it will be a good excuse to vote the rest of those damn useless, do nothing, self-serving foot draggers out. I can't wait.

[ellives]

Yeah, politicians are easy scapegoats. Where I disagree with you is on the 'so far people aren't latching on to Toyota being the cause of GM's problems' part. People can only blame the Big 3 for the Big 3's problems: it was complacence and a bit of arrogance that got the Big 3 in trouble.

And how would that 'level playing field' be like?

A level playing field would be one where labor costs are similar. This means Toyota gets unionized or the UAW completely fails.

[ZL-1]

A level playing field would be one where labor costs are similar. This means Toyota gets unionized or the UAW completely fails.

And, in your opinion, should the US Congress force Toyota to unionize?

[haypops]

This is going to seem far fetched, but cut me a little slack on this. The FDA(Food and Drug Administration) just declared genetically modified animals safe to eat. After a short period of time for public comment, regulations will be drafted to allow these products to enter our food supply as they should. The United States will attempt to export these food products. Our trading partners will set up prohibitions to the importation of these American products. The congress will retaliate by setting up restrictive tariffs on foreign made vehicles. GM and Ford will be saved.

Happy New Year all

[SoCalCTS]

I think there will be a shift in tax incentives from Red States to Blue States. I mean Toyota, Hyundai, and Nissan all profited from a congress that poured millions into the southern (red) states that have been trying to supplant the traditional auto manufacturing in the northern (blue) states. I think with the Democrats controlling the agenda in congress, we will see an end of the concerted effort to move northern manufacturing to the south. This will be good for GM and Ford. Even if the president is Republican, its still congress that decides who gets what money.

[ellives]

And, in your opinion, should the US Congress force Toyota to unionize?

No way. Did you come to this conclusion from my prior posts? I would never suggest the government get involved unless there is illegal activity going on.

To me the unions have the wheel. They either get Toyota and Honda unionized in '07 or they fail in '07 during the contract negotiations with GM and Ford. It's in their hands and if they have a compelling story to tell it shouldn't be tough to convince the Toyota and Honda labor to jump on board. If not, I'd really wonder why they think the GM and Ford workers should continue. I just don't think they have a compelling story to share with anybody.

Edited December 31, 2006 by ellives

[ellives]

I think there will be a shift in tax incentives from Red States to Blue States. I mean Toyota, Hyundai, and Nissan all profited from a congress that poured millions into the southern (red) states that have been trying to supplant the traditional auto manufacturing in the northern (blue) states. I think with the Democrats controlling the agenda in congress, we will see an end of the concerted effort to move northern manufacturing to the south. This will be good for GM and Ford. Even if the president is Republican, its still congress that decides who gets what money.

The incumbent congress is mostly a bunch of whores out for themselves. When congressional term limits are passed (if ever) there *may* be a chance of real work getting done. As it is now, the country is being sucked down the tubes by special interests and pure apathy.

[loki]

I think that the environmentalists would be very much against the use of past year credits, so this might work out in Ford and GM's favor.

that sounds like it makes sense.

The incumbent congress is mostly a bunch of whores out for themselves. When congressional term limits are passed (if ever) there *may* be a chance of real work getting done. As it is now, the country is being sucked down the tubes by special interests and pure apathy.

either term limits passed or make them not paid nearly as much, but have some sort of checked expenses allowable.

[ellives]

that sounds like it makes sense.

either term limits passed or make them not paid nearly as much, but have some sort of checked expenses allowable.

"Term limits" are the answer. The problem is the congress will NEVER pass it unless there is a HUGE groundswell from the people (their constituents) demanding they do it. Alas the people are lemmings and would never do this and the congress knows it. Most people don't even know who their congressmen are so how could we expect them to even get organized about something like this? How's that for cynicism?

[haypops]

Most people don't even know who their congressmen are so how could we expect them to even get organized about something like this? How's that for cynicism?

I noticed from information below your screen name that you are from New Hampshire. The following article is about one of NH's new congress people. It is an amazing story. I present it in a bipartisan manner. The story here isn't party affiliation but rather victory of the little people over "big politics". If the moderator feels this to be too political, then remove it please. If you read nothing else, read the last paragraph.

A win from the blue

Unknown tapped a Democratic tide in N.H.

By Rick Klein, Globe Staff | November 15, 2006

WASHINGTON -- The last time Carol Shea-Porter

had been in the same room as President Bush,

she said, her T-shirt's message -- "Turn your

back on Bush" -- won her a push out the door

from a Bush supporter as she left an airplane

hangar in Portsmouth.

When Shea-Porter saw Bush again Monday night

at the White House, she shook his hand as the

next House member from New Hampshire's First

District. The conversation was cordial,

Shea-Porter said, but that doesn't mean

she's forgotten the message of change that

sent her to the nation's capital.

"Our obligation is to take what we heard and

to speak it loudly in Washington," Shea-Porter,

a Democrat, said yesterday in an interview in

the courtyard of the Rayburn House Office

Building, where she is undergoing orientation

for newly elected members of Congress.

Shea-Porter is one of the very few people in

the age of big-money campaigns who can watch

"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and truly see

herself. She's of a political breed that

many believed was extinct: the angry citizen

who decides to run for Congress -- and wins.

No other newly elected representative came from

as far off the national radar screen as Shea-Porter,

a 53-year-old community activist who never before

ran for public office. She defeated Representative

Jeb Bradley last week in a race that shattered the

myths of what it takes to win a congressional seat.

She had no slick ads or Washington consultants.

Her campaign was run by a medieval scholar who

worked alongside a nutritionist, an accident

investigator, and a pair of court reporters.

The Democratic establishment brushed her off

as unelectable. She was outspent 5 to 1.

Yet Shea-Porter won with a grass-roots, fiery

message centered on opposition to the Iraq war

and the president's agenda. She spoke to crowds

of as few as three, encouraged her neighbors to

spread the word, dogged her opponent at town

hall meetings. And she won a congressional race

that few thought winnable until close to

Election Day.

"We could hear the rumbling on the ground,

and that's why we never, never thought we

could lose," Shea-Porter said. "It's easier

if you get to run those big ads or whatever.

But we worked relentlessly, relentlessly,

night after night after night."

Her victory will make her New Hampshire's

first female US representative -- and the most

liberal member of Congress the state has had

in recent years. Now, Shea-Porter will have to

turn her formidable campaign skills into running

a congressional office. She'll have to work with

a Democratic establishment that includes many

who didn't know her name just a week ago.

Indeed, there are strict limits on what any

individual member can do to move the grinding

machinery of the House. As a freshman,

Shea-Porter will get low priority in choosing

her committee assignments, a factor likely to

determine which issues she can help mold.

"I'm curious to see how she'll do, because

party politics is a lot of the job in

Washington," said Jim Craig , the state

House Democratic leader whom Shea-Porter

defeated in the primary. "She's not beholden

to anyone, and that's good in a sense, but

it might cause problems for her."

The average House seat cost roughly $1 million

to win this year, according to the Center for

Responsive Politics. Shea-Porter spent just

$123,000 through mid-October -- the most recent

data available -- which is the least of all

435 men and women who will make up the 110th

Congress's House of Representatives.

Shea-Porter this week is experiencing insider's

power for the first time, and is wide-eyed about

much of what she's seeing. She called it "surreal"

to be at the White House for a reception, and

expressed wonderment at sitting just feet from

House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert during an

orientation session.

Roaming the corridors of the Capitol complex with

her campaign manager and friend, Sue Mayer , she

marveled at the fact that the air-conditioning

is blasting even in November -- indicative of a

broken energy policy, she said.

After running a campaign on a shoestring, she's

juggling two cellphones and has a BlackBerry she

hasn't yet figured out how to use. She's fielding

calls from 2008 Democratic presidential hopefuls --

an advantage of representing New Hampshire --

and is reviewing "more résumés than there are

people in New Hampshire" from job-seekers.

Born in New York and raised in New Hampshire,

Shea-Porter lived much of her adult life in

suburban Washington, D.C., a mother of two

teaching government at a community college

and to retired federal employees. She and

her husband, Gene, moved back to New Hampshire

just three years ago, and she quickly got i

nvolved with retired General Wesley Clark's

2004 presidential campaign, where she met Mayer.

After Bush won reelection, she began tracking

Bradley at town hall meetings to confront him

about his support for the Bush agenda and the

Iraq war. After volunteering on the Gulf Coast

to help Hurricane Katrina victims, she decided

to do everything she could to change the

government. That meant running against

Bradley, a two-term incumbent who had won

by large margins.

Shea-Porter and Mayer were told they needed

to raise money -- perhaps as much as $1

million -- but they never really tried.

Instead, Mayer said, she used her master's

degree studies in medieval history to spread

Shea-Porter' s message by word of mouth,

learning lessons from centuries-old

rebellions that turned on word of mouth

and "spread like wildfire."

They mixed in modern touches, including the

Internet-based organizing mastered by a crop

of enthusiastic Granite Staters who cut their

political teeth volunteering in 2004 presidential

campaigns.

Mayer and Shea-Porter credit Malcolm Gladwell's

"The Tipping Point" with introducing them to the

power of enlisting local trend-setters in spreading

the word without an advertising budget: They would

tell anyone they met that if they liked the

campaign's message, they should 10 tell voters

about it. Before long, they broke through in some

local media outlets -- just enough to keep the

momentum going.

"If you are spreading a message that resonates

with people, you don't really need all this

electronic stuff to make it go," Mayer said.

"We were trail-breakers. "

In the primary, the Democratic Congressional

Campaign Committee directed its resources to

Craig, considering him the best bet to beat

Bradley. Shea-Porter won by 20 points even

though she was outspent 10 to 1.

Even after the primary upset, she got little

respect from party honchos. The day after the

election, when Howard Dean wanted to tell

reporters about Shea-Porter' s unlikely

victory, the chairman of the Democratic

National Committee couldn't summon her name.

"Carol Shea -- it's a hyphenated last name.

Anybody remember?" Dean said. "Carol Shea --

what's the, anybody know what I'm talking

about? The First District of New Hampshire?"

Now, as Shea-Porter prepares to begin the

weekly commute to Washington, she realizes

that she has to learn to channel her

grass-roots energy into a very ossified

political process. She has plenty of

doubters, starting with Bradley, who in

his concession speech seemed to be already

girding for a rematch: "Sometimes the

pendulum swings one way and then it

swings back. We'll look forward to

when it swings back."

Shea-Porter wants US troops out of Iraq

within six months, a balanced budget,

and universal healthcare provided through

Medicare. She acknowledged that those

goals will be difficult to achieve, but

said she's committed to working with

members of both parties to at least

make progress.

"It's not a disgrace to miss the goal

as long as you're working on it. What's

disgraceful is not to even start," she

said. "People voted for change, they

voted for an agenda -- and you can

hear it -- but they also voted for

civility."

Dean's blanking notwithstanding,

Democrats are beginning to learn

Shea-Porter' s name. The morning

after the election, the DCCC

called with its first offer of

financial support.

"They asked us if we wanted them to

pay our debt, and we told them we

didn't have any," Shea-Porter said.

"But it was nice of them to offer."

[ellives]

I noticed from information below your screen name that you are from New Hampshire. The following article is about one of NH's new congress people. It is an amazing story. I present it in a bipartisan manner. The story here isn't party affiliation but rather victory of the little people over "big politics". If the moderator feels this to be too political, then remove it please. If you read nothing else, read the last paragraph.

Don't conclude too much from Carol Shea-Porter's win. She clearly needs to be a little more humble in her interviews about the election. The reason she was elected was more a referendum on Iraq than it is about her campaign strategy. New Hampshire is a Republican state. This said, there has been a steady migration of Massachusetts-originated people (who tend to be liberal Democrats like John Kerry) over the border so the southern part of NH has been gradually turning blue but overall it's a red state.

Shea-Porter was the beneficiary of the "staight party ballot" where the voter can simply check one box and the whole ballot simply votes for either the Republican or Demcratic candidate. No thought is required on a office-by-office basis. I made the point to ask people about how they voted and a lot, including a lot of Republicans like me, voted the straight party option in favor of the Democrats. This is why she was elected and not because of any strategy her campaign used or a wholesale change in public political leanings.

This state *is* a grass roots-type environment. We expect the candidates to visit us and pariticipate in town hall meetings so we have a chance to see their thought process at work. We are also a spread out state and require the use of automobiles so we're keenly interested in the price of gas and also many of us use oil to heat our homes during the winter. We also don't like government telling us how to live our lives. Remember, New Hampshire has no sales or income tax. The only significant tax we have is real estate tax. This is one of the reasons I suspect Shea-Porter will be a one-term-congresswoman as the Democrats are always looking for ways to increase taxes. Unfortunately there was no other way to get Bush's attention and get his cowboy antics under control.

The way I figure it, the Dems have 2 years to make some changes otherwise the control of congress will flip back to the Republicans. I'm not sure that's enough time but it certainly will be enough to establish whether the remaining incumbent congresspersons have gotten the message, otherwise they'll be also be out in '08 which I personally hope will happen anyway.

Clearly the next 2 years will be interesting and significant in many, many ways. The presidential election and the UAW contract re-negotiation come to mind.

On a side note is anybody on this forum attending the Detroit auto show in a couple of weeks? I've never been as the Boston show has been enough but there are so many product releases scheduled for the Detroit show this year it sounds like it would be worth the trip.

Edited January 1, 2007 by ellives

[carman21]

Let's just remember that this was an anti-GOP election not a pro-DNC election. This was the weakest 6-year itch for any president since the 19th century this hardly constitutes an overwhelming victory for the DNC. All the GOP needs is a strong candidate like Giuliani in 2008 and the GOP will regain control of both the Senate and the House, if GOP repeats 1994, 2008 could be a disaster for the Dems.

There are things I hope Washington does in the next 5 years.

1) Impliment the Fair Tax.

2) Promote biofuels like E85 and hydrogen fuel cells.

3) Break up the monopolies in organized labor, allow workers the choice to be represnted by one of several unions or to choose remain or become a non-union worker.

This would allow unions entry into foreign automakers US factories, like Toyota and would reduce the number of union workers in Detriot further.

4)Give workers the ability to have portable disability, retirement, and health care accounts so workers can leave jobs that are not satisfactory with the risks being limited to vacation pay.

[ZL-1]

No way. Did you come to this conclusion from my prior posts? I would never suggest the government get involved unless there is illegal activity going on.

No, it was just a small 'provocation' :AH-HA_wink:

To me the unions have the wheel. They either get Toyota and Honda unionized in '07 or they fail in '07 during the contract negotiations with GM and Ford. It's in their hands and if they have a compelling story to tell it shouldn't be tough to convince the Toyota and Honda labor to jump on board. If not, I'd really wonder why they think the GM and Ford workers should continue. I just don't think they have a compelling story to share with anybody.

But this has nothing to do with Congress, unless Congress legislates on a national health care scheme that takes the cost away from carmakers to tax payers. That's the only way of 'leveling the playing field'.

Regarding the UAW, I have a feeling they're dead already, but don't know it yet. Any confrontation with GM, Ford or DCX will be disastrous, and either they cooperate with or they're toast. What happens with the Toyota and Honda US labour force is irrelevant IMO because the UAW won't get them massively unionized: both Toyota and Honda are smart enough not to make the kind of concessions the Big 3 have made.

[ellives]

No, it was just a small 'provocation' :AH-HA_wink:

But this has nothing to do with Congress, unless Congress legislates on a national health care scheme that takes the cost away from carmakers to tax payers. That's the only way of 'leveling the playing field'.

Regarding the UAW, I have a feeling they're dead already, but don't know it yet. Any confrontation with GM, Ford or DCX will be disastrous, and either they cooperate with or they're toast. What happens with the Toyota and Honda US labour force is irrelevant IMO because the UAW won't get them massively unionized: both Toyota and Honda are smart enough not to make the kind of concessions the Big 3 have made.

Implying GM, Ford and Chrysler "aren't smart enough" is naive. Unions operate successfully when they have numbers. If they were able to get enough numbers to unionize Toyota and Honda, I am quite doubtful intelligence would have anything to do with making concessions under strike conditions. When you aren't shipping vehicles, the bills don't get paid and the business eventually goes down the tubes. Management will do amazing things under those circumstances.

Congress *could* help with national health care but there are plenty of other ways they could help. For instance they could decide to slap tarriffs on imported vehicles to compensate for the fact environmental and labor laws are not comparable within importing countries (thereby putting US manufacturers at a disadvantage.) Our "trade policies" within the US are far to one sided in favor of importers at the moment and they're eating our lunch. Maybe the Dems will help.

[Variance]

May as well post this here:

The Detroit News: GM says Toyota has more clout in D.C.