ascMcLaren Enthusiasts

[ChuckG]

Look up Treaty of Versailles and League of Nations. The Senate can and must exercise advise and consent.

And Clinton IS responsible. He's a Georgetown and Yale-educated man. He constantly hides behind ignorance, but he knows EXACTLY what he's doing--like opening the floodgates of Chinese goods that are then sold by WalMart where his wife sat on th board for many years.

As Eisenhower once told Kennedy, "Son, at this level all you get are hard decisions". Prepare accordingly.

[Kentennis]

Oh Bull! The floodgates were opened by Richard Nixon and we already had a negative trade balance by 1985.

Blame Clinton for everything? You're totally wrong, and why didn't G.W. Bush do something about it in the first 6 years of his administration, when he had control of both houses and the White House? Because American Corporations, with their huge salaries, bonuses and perks don't want anything done until they control all the money left in America. They WANT to manufacture consumer products there, to sell here. And neither party has the gonads to do what needs to be done. It would be costly to us, at first, but return us to a position of fiscal sanity.

China's going to own this country, thanks to the greed of American Corporations and the Chinese who will not allow you to sell something in China unless you make it in China. And I mean make the whole thing! Otherwise they have protective tariffs, which Reagan started getting rid of under the guise of 'Free Trade.' Turns out 'Free' is pretty costly for the US citizens!

[negusm]

What's funny is how "Tarriffs" have been labeled "Protectionism" which has been touted as being BAD.

Sorry, but protectionism is bad for countries that MANUFACTURE. We don't manufacture anything. We tried protectionism back when we were the manufacturing center of the world and we got spanked.

We could turn the tables now on China but there is no will to do so. Corporations run this country and own both sides. It's pretty pointless to argue who did what.

-Mike
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1985 ascMcLaren Coupe - Midnight Blue
Under Restoration

[Kentennis]

You're right. No gonads on either side.

[ChuckG]

Not blaming Clinton for everything, but wasn't he the union's choice to solve all their problems--then gives China MFN? Same unions wanted to elect the man who promised to make the "internal combustion engine illegal" in 2000. Labor votes for its enemies rather than the ones who support fair competition. If you read their newsletters (my dad's a UAW retiree and I read his) it's less about work and fair trade and all about Socialism. One party wants unions to work and be fair--the other wants to use them to create Socialism.

You are right--Republicans didn't think it all through, but they didn't ask the people they're stabbing in the back to loan them a knife. They also don't support creating a huge entitlement class that won't take menial jobs--come see the conditions of the roads and the trash along them--then come see the huge numbers of people on unemployment and Welfare that could use the work--but the Liberals think that's beneath them. No one's mentioning a WPA, are they??

Keep in mind: Union pension plans are HUGE investors and Wall Street must answer to them by providing growth to meet their obligations. This is often at cross purposes with current membership's best interests.

NAFTA hasn't worked out so great for Mexico either. If it was, would they be dying to come here? Really, Mexico keeps the farmers happy importing all the corn we subsidize then sell cheaper than their farmers can--even with $5-a day help--legally!

Tariffs would work--IF they were reasonable, but other countries will retaliate against our raw goods--like corn, and the agro-businesses will have a fit.

And it would leave the Chinese less money to loan to subsidize people sitting on their butts breeding with no desire to hold a job that isn't at the CEO level.

[Karl]

I'm not sorry to see Mercury go. They haven't really had anything original in well ever. Everything seems to be rebadged, and restyled Ford's. They are a drain on Ford. GM has the same problem with Chevy and GMC. If Ford wants to compete with foreign companies they are going to have to trim down.

As far as buying American over Foreign it is all so confusing. I live in the South, and I have seen Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia car plants, but I have never seen a Ford or Chevy car plant. So really would I help my state more by buying a Toyota made at a local plant, or a Ford made in Mexico or something?

[Kentennis]

Chuck: China was grant 'Most Favored Nation' status in 1979. It was continued by Reagan, and praised by him too, GHW Bush, Clinton and then GW Bush. So 20 years of Republicans and 8 years of Democrats have continued the status.

Don't use this forum to spread lies and enhance your political party's ideology. This is not a political forum. Although, as we get closer to election there are those that will try their damndest to do so!

And Karl: Ever drive through Atlanta where the Ford Taurus is built? It's right next to I-75.

Anybody else notice that US built products now surpass the Japs and Koreans in quality?

[Karl]

Ken,

I haven't driven down I-75 to see the Ford Taurus plant. I have driven down I-10 through I think Alabama, and Georgia and seen the Kia and Hyundai plants though.

I agree that the US has stepped up it's quality control, but I think the Toyota's that falied recently were built in the USA. Kia and Hyundai have also done 180's on their quality control. I would go out tomorrow and buy a new Ford if they offered a 10 year, and 100K mile warranty. I also really wish they hadn't changed the look of the new Fiesta when they brought it over here. That is the kind of stuff about Ford that kills me.

[negusm]

Good to see US getting their quality in-line. Who's got the sinking feeling they're gonna blow it?
_________________
1985 ascMcLaren Coupe - Midnight Blue
Under Restoration

[Kentennis]

You go ahead and keep buying your foreign badged cars assembled in America. I'll keep buying the vehicles that don't give me any trouble. We've driven Fords over 300,000 miles without problems.

1993 Escort 181,000 and sold it. Bought the 100,000 mile warranty never used it.

1989 Aerostar. Bought the 100,000 mile warranty, never used it. The guy I sold it to with 60K on it in '92 is still driving it.

1997 Expedition. Drove it over 250,000 trouble free miles. Didn't buy the extended warranty. My daughter now has had the vehicle over 3 years and another 60,000+ miles. No problems yet. Now has over 300K on it.

2004 Escape. Has 59,900 on it as of today. No problems.

2007 Ford F150. has 36,000 miles on it and the only part that wasn't right was the rear end. Made in Japan. Had to be replaced in the entirety.

And funny thing but the biggest problem with the Fusion is the Aisin transmission. made in Japan.

I would rather employee Americans making American car parts than the foreigners that ship most parts here, pay less in wages than I have in retirement and have to use the 100K warranty to sell a car.

[plumkrazy]

Ken I'm not putting Ford down but I bet some of your cars would have lost brake lines and other parts here in MI. It's just a sad thing about MI weather and metal. they just dont play well here.