Michael Moore: Kill GM!

[BUTCH1]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
I agreed with this statement at least: "It is with sad irony that the company which invented "planned obsolescence" -- the decision to build cars that would fall apart after a few years so that the customer would then have to buy a new one -- has now made itself obsolete."

He kind of lost me after that.

Well, unfortunately, that's a false view of "planned obsolescence".

What GM referred to when they spoke of "planned obsolescence" was not building, "cars that would fall apart after a few years so that the customer would then have to buy a new one", but rather introducing trivial updates each model year to make older cars appear unfashionable or outdated. It had nothing to do with making cars that were unreliable, but rather it had to do with rationing advances in conveniences or styling to ensure that there was always at least some small update to new models that would differentiate them, usually visually, from the previous year's offerings.

Interestingly, this second, more accurate, description of planned obsolescence is currently used by Porsche to great success. Porsche's history is littered with mid-year updates and small tweaks at apparently random intervals all aimed at maintaining the perception that new Porsche is always superior in some way to an older model.

ZV

I agree, my current GM (05 Malibu) looks like crap compared to the '08 models but screw it, it's paid for, it gets outstanding fuel milage and while the new V6 is 55 HP more than mine can produce, I can't justify eating the depreciation on a 4 year old domestic just to get better styling and some extra power..

 

[Bignate603]

I can't sand him. He's a hypocrite.

Take a look at this little bit of information.

One of Moore's most strongly held convictions is that, as he declared on the CNN program Crossfire in 2002, "Capitalism is a sin. This is an evil system." In his 2003 book Dude, Where's My Country? Moore wrote: "Horatio Alger must die! We're addicted to this happy myth ? that anyone can make it in America, and make it big. ? Listen, friends, you have to face the truth: You are never going to be rich. ? The system is rigged in favor of the few, and your name is not among them, not now and not ever." Moore himself is one of these ultra-wealthy few, with a net worth exceeding $50 million. On November 1, 2005, World Net Daily reported that the anti-capitalist Moore -- who had proudly declared "I don't own a single share of stock!" -- in fact owned tens of thousands of shares in U.S. stocks. Most notably, Moore owned more than 2,000 shares in Halliburton -- the gas and oil company he excoriated in his film Fahrenheit 9/11.

If the guy really cared about helping the little guy he'd be living frugally and giving away the money from his movies. He's worst than the people he attacks because they aren't preaching about the evils of capitalism and then using it to make huge amounts of money.

 

[TehMac]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
i once read an op-ed in the university of texas's student newspaper deploring volunteerism and how it takes away from the real action of activism. why change the world yourself when you can protest the government to do it for you?

My answer would be because this country and its free society thrives on individuals not thralls in the service of some all-encompassing government.

The more people I see today who say "The Fed gov't should do this, the Fed gov't should do that," I find awfully depressing and dangerous.

Have people not heard of...you know...other people?

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: LostUte

You realize that there are hundreds of power plants that currently output more than 1800 MW, right? I think Three Gorges in China puts out 18,000MW. The rate of worldwide energy use is more on the order of 15TW.

crap, i thought it said 15 TW-hr

 

[SparkyJJO]

Originally posted by: iFX
Michael Moore is an idiot.

Agreed.

 

[Greenman]

I wouldn't waste 30 seconds of my life reading anything Moore has to say. He's a fool.

 

[Knavish]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO

Originally posted by: iFX
Michael Moore is an idiot.

Agreed.

:thumbsup:

 

[Knavish]

The glaring stupidity of this policy was that, when they eliminated the income of so many middle class families, who did they think was going to be able to afford to buy their cars?

Yeah I always love this argument -- how is using more expensive labor going to make cars *more* affordable to middle class families? Rather than bankruptcy maybe GM just needs to build 100 more factories, hire a few 100k people and *create* customers!!! Brilliant!

...another matter and must be a top priority. If we allow the shutting down and tearing down of our auto plants, we will sorely wish we still had them when we realize that those factories could have built the alternative energy systems we now desperately need.

Yeah! At a turn of a knob, those factories can switch from building cars to trucks to solar panels to windmills to space shuttles!!! I'm surprised GM engineers haven't suggested this one yet.

the President must tell the nation that we are at war and we must immediately convert our auto factories to factories that build mass transit vehicles and alternative energy devices.

I suppose this will quickly be followed by a decree forcing everyone to relocate their homes to within 15 miles of a government-authorized urban center to make use of the mass transit systems. Everyone can move into their brand new goverment-built apartment block -- I think we can find plans for those in Soviet Russia somewhere.

5. For people in rural areas not served by the train lines, have the GM plants produce energy efficient clean buses.

We'll call this the One Bus Per Child Act. Since the population is pretty sparse in rural areas, let's make them small buses, perhaps van-sized. We can have the parents drive them!! People could buy them on their own at the local car dealer!!!

next month (do not believe anyone who tells you it will take years to retool the factories -- that simply isn't true).

Ok I'll take your word, as a movie producer, on this...

9. To help pay for this, impose a two-dollar tax on every gallon of gasoline. This will get people to switch to more energy saving cars or to use the new rail lines and rail cars the former autoworkers have built for them.

FINALLY something I agree with!!! Congress should have the balls to pass a gas tax and let consumer demand dictate vehicle designs rather than legislating what types of cars to build.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: SearchMaster
Well, I vehemently disagree with a tax on gas but agree that would shape behaviors and attitudes (see Europe for example).

And I know it's coming soon enough.

Don't count on it. The whole reason we have all these convoluted CAFE standards where car makers are going to have to produce cars that people don't want is because no one has the political balls to impose a tax on gas. I don't see testicular growth in Washington's future either.

You COULD make this revenue neutral, say a reduction in income tax to offset the revenue this brought in.

Anytime you tax something you discourage that activity, anytime you subsidize something you encourage that activity.

The idea is to make you want you to keep your vehicles in good running shape (tire pressure, tune ups, etc.), choose smaller more fuel efficient vehicles, and be wise in your choices when it concerns gas consumption (car pooling, mass transit, etc.). It would even go so far as to make people choose products that are produced locally because they would not have as much of a gas penalty incorporated into their price. CAFE only does one of those things by forcing you to choose federally mandated smaller anemic vehicles.

Kinda stupid isn't it.

I see the only issue as the impact to the lowest wage earners, but I imagine that could be worked out with cash credits.

 

[BoberFett]

Is he going to make a new documentary called "Barack & Me" now?

 

[xgsound]

Originally posted by: BoberFett
Is he going to make a new documentary called "Barack & Me" now?

Maybe "Borak and me" would be more appropriate.

If he wants an impossible dream like US bullit trains to every city with high MPG busses to all rural ares; why not ask for Startrek Transporters in every home. The likelyhood of both getting done are about equal as is the cost.


Jim

 

[IcePickFreak]

The gas tax is non-sense as well. There's a lot of places in the world that don't have clean water, does that mean they should tax water so as the make people decide if that swimming pool is really worth it? This amounts to nothing more than racketeering and as surprising as it may seem in modern day America, even the government didn't like this when the mafia tried it.

What ever happened to just recognizing a problem and properly addressing it? With all the stupid shit they throw tax dollars at, surely the apocalypse us petrol fiends are bringing upon us is a worthy cause to put research money into. That is what a government should do, not spend, spend, spend, then scream "The sky is falling! Quick everyone give me money and I will save you!" so you can piss that new found money away through an inefficient bureaucratic process. My dooms-day device that gets a combined city/hwy 20mpg (yes, I am a demon from the ninth plane of hell) is still far more efficient doing its job than the government is at doing theirs. Dare I say billions of dollars are tied up in suits sitting in rooms talking about the problem and other suits on TV talking for weeks about the people that talked about the problem; when it should be going to concentrating on a solution by people who research and innovate.

Imagine the public outcry if the government were to announce they were giving $50-Billion tax dollars out in grants for students going into alternative energy related fields. :roll:

 

[punjabiplaya]

Save GM!

 

[Raduque]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

You want people to get better cars/trucks and take mass trans, make gas $4+ a gallon again.

Thank you for wanting to fuck over people who can't afford new vehicles. Unless you're going to buy them for us?