Charlie LeDuff: Ford, Michigan oligarchs drive profits on broken promises to people

[313WX]

Following Ford's massive layoffs, he lambasts them [[and even GM) for how they've been screwing over Michigan, and also criticizes Michigan politicians for giving them such generous handouts despite this.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/op...001/?gnt-cfr=1

Archive version:

https://archive.ph/4yRdE

[Richard]

There's a white-collar guy at Ford who's spent the better part of a year teaching his replacement in India how to do his job.

Disney world did the same thing years ago.

Tell everybody to get an education in IT,they go into debt in the process,they get hired long enough to train their foreign replacement then spend billions erasing the debt.

I do not blame Ford,or Gilbert or Oligarchs they are no different then the public when it comes to free money.

We the people are to blame,we are the ones that elected the officials to do what is in our best interests,so that is what they are doing.

There was a guy that was pushing hard to stop all of this but a large percentage of the population decided it was not the way to go and they were happy with things the way they were.

To be honest even your local politicians went out of their way to oppose it while turning around and handing out billions in compensation as the solution,it’s the price you pay,it’s what you wanted,you cannot have it both ways.

Before the bankruptcy,the governor put a freeze on all subsidies and incentives,it did not stop Mr Gilbert from purchasing and rehabilitating multiple properties.

If somebody offered you $60 million,would you say no?

It’s nothing new,same thing happened with the steel industry,they were given billions in taxpayer money to upgrade their facilities in order to compete with cheap imported steel being dumped on the country,they took the billions and invested it in other ventures,look how many cities were destroyed and workers were tossed aside in that game.

When all the politicians had to do was increase import tariffs on steel in order to create a competitive market.

It is easy to pick a target and say that is the root of our problems,GM,Ford etc are not doing anything different then the public does.

The difference is they are looking out for their best interests which is easy to do because we are not electing or supporting politicians that look out for our best interests.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Richard, you have a answer for everything don't cha?

[Richard]

Richard, you have a answer for everything don't cha?

And it’s people like you that do not,which is why we are where we are at.

Facebook is doing the same thing,laying off hundreds as they move their tech overseas.

But really,why should I care if 1000s of good paying jobs are lost in Michigan,or California or where ever they are outside of what directly effects me?

I do not have all of the answers,but I do realize that we are all in the same boat together and we all sink or swim together.

[JonWylie]

There's already a thread about Ford's layoffs, do we really need another one just because a washed-up journalist made a podcast about it?

[313WX]

There's already a thread about Ford's layoffs...

The article is about more than Ford's layoffs....

[JonWylie]

The article is about more than Ford's layoffs....

So add it to the other thread.....

[Richard]

There's already a thread about Ford's layoffs, do we really need another one just because a washed-up journalist made a podcast about it?

It exemplifies a real problem,it’s one thing for the taxpayers to invest with for instance Mr. Gilbert because they will receive a payback long term.

It’s another situation with companies,that money you gave them,you will be in the hook for it generations to come,what is your return?

Ford collecting even more funds while decreasing its footprint,leaving fewer to pick up an increased tab,sound familiar?

Nothing personal against the OP but they left the city,I am guessing because they were looking for opportunities that did not exist where they were at,the loss of 3000 jobs creates more leaving the region for better opportunities,the goal would actually be to stop the bleeding and create opportunities.

Paying a corporation to decrease opportunities or not holding them to the agreement of providing them,is probably not the best way to go about things.

It is your money that is being used,you have consequences for your financial mistakes,would you not expect others to?

The region is already well aware of what is going to happen in the future when it comes to the auto manufacturers,they have already told you,are you going to keep investing billions into something that you know will not have an impact with no conditions?

Or use the same billions to wean yourself off of that dependence?

To me anyways the article focuses to much on the receiving parties verses the core issue.

You go buy a new car and you expect to get what you payed for and if it is anything but,you expect results in order to rectify it,why should agreements when it comes to incentives be any different?

Remember not long ago when all of the states were positioning for the Amazon super centers,cities and states were throwing out these billion dollar incentive packages.

Last week Amazon announced they were closing a bunch of them,imagine if Detroit had won that bid,you would now have the pleasure of looking at a empty billion dollar warehouse,that your kids kids would be paying for with no recourse.

[Satiricalivory]

So add it to the other thread.....

This thread was obviously made with the intent to troll. As usual with this OP.

[Ray1936]

Richard, you are very wise, but you ramble beyond the target point. I like to hear your words, but they tend to be a bit too lengthy. Might thou stopeth and thinketh afore posting? Just sayin'.

[Richard]

^ I guess one needs to figure out if this is a discussion forum or a debate forum.

My interpretation is it is a discussion forum,hence the topic of Discuss Detroit,which is considered a more informal setting.

Do you read newspaper or online articles? They have multiple paragraphs when one actually covers the subject matter,they are considered professionals and get paid,but everybody is different in life and everybody has their little quirks,I guess the difference is determining which ones really matter in the grand scheme in life verses the ones that do not.

For the most part I do not have a target point,I take a subject and zoom out with it,it’s up to the individual to read it or not,to expand on it or ignore it,I could just post - Well that sucks that the taxpayers are wasting billions,but what does that actually accomplish?

If you look at the article presented

What was his intent?

Because the corporate incentives verses the examples of Mr Gilbert are really two different subjects that are not even related in the first place.

[MikeM]

Do you ever notice people falling asleep while you're taking to them?

[Richard]

Do you ever notice people falling asleep while you're taking to them?

Depends on who I am taking to and where I am taking them,are windows in glass houses a pia to keep clean?

I guess that is the alternative,post something that means nothing and chalk it up to as contributing.

[CassTechGrad]

"Thread: Charlie LeDuff: Ford, Michigan Oligarchs Drive Profits On Broken Promises To People"

I could add a million more names to that list.