Steps to take over rather than bailout automakers:

[yurbud]

I particularly like this guy's idea about how to compose a board of directors. Unfortunately, I think a big part of why we bombed the shit out of Yugoslavia was to destroy that business model.

Don't Bail Them Out, Take Them Over

By STANLEY HELLER

Frank Hammer and Dan LaBotz are absolutely right that the attempt by the powers that be to destroy the auto unions is a defining moment for labor just like the PATCO fight in the ‘80s. Labor has to stop cheerleading for their bosses plans, come up with their own, unite with their natural allies and come out into the streets swinging. It should not wait to see what the Obama Administration has in store for it. That the word of the future appointments of Geithner and Summers was joyfully received by the stock market is no good news to us.

***

3. The government would provide high quality health care for all auto workers and auto worker retirees. It would be a model program, the prototype for single payer for everyone.

4. For at least a year there would be no layoffs of auto workers. Spread the work around. Let workers who are not producing cars use work time to figure out how to how to make better cars and vehicles. Send some of them full time to schools specializing in research and development.

5. Dump the current Boards of Directors and create a new one, 40% elected by production and white collar workers, another 20% chosen by environmental and consumer organizations, the rest chosen by the government. The company books would be open to the public.

http://counterpunch.com/heller11262008.html">FULL TEXT

[BR_Parkway]

1. But, but, but... that'd be socialism! I like!

[KansDem]

2. If this is "socialism," then call me a "Socialist!"

It looks like a good plan to me and much better than the present model...

[fumsm]

3. But what about Honda, Hyundai etc...

What would I say to them. After all, I am a republican senator from the south who got elected and stays in office via the money of the implants, who I set up with massive tax breaks for them so they would set up shop in my state. What would I say? Someone may even question the tax breaks, which because the state afforded these, has to go back to the federal gov for money to operate, which initially came from the northern auto states. What would I say?

[EC]

4. They are all non-union and their

cars aren't any less expensive than the Union made cars, so I would summize from that, that the Unionized shops are making better use of their time and money...by the way, those foriegn auto makers in the south...they are getting bail-outs from their respective homelands...so tell your Senators to go screw themselves...they are not doing any better than the big 3...

[fumsm]

5. But, but

That's not what I heard on the MSM. They didn't bother to acknowledge the 3000 layoffs at Toyota in Japan. Or reduction in work force at Honda. You wouldn't expect them to look for these stories that were on the front page would you. Wouldn't sit well with there plan to kill Detroit. They would rather report on the people in Georgia building Hyundai's that are going to save our country.

[yurbud]

6. at least in Japan, they provide good benefits to workers, and management takes reasonable salaries

the interests of workers and Big 3 management are not the same.