Originally Posted by Peachie

Village Kahuna, perhaps you also were listening to the U.S. Automakers CEO's testifying before the Senate Banking Committee today. Robert Casey, (D)PA, while interviewing the CEO's, addressed Ron Gettelfinger, AUW President, and sought to clarify the $73. hrly wage myth out there concerning the auto-workers that is completely false. Casey stated that since 2003, 150,000 autoworkers have been downsized out of the auto industry. Since 2005, the beginning autoworker hourly wage is $14. and retiree benefits were reduced by 50%. The approximate proportion of Labors' cost per automobile is 10%. Gettelfinger, in earlier testimony, advised the SBC that a big part of the problem not being addressed in the success of the auto industry was as an example; Korea's ability to ship vast numbers of cars to the USA and in turn, Korea allows only a small number of cars to be imported to that country. He also advised that the burgeoning cost of health care in this nation is disabling the companies providing this benefit.

I'm sure if we continue to lower the hourly wages and benefits for the automaker industry, we will have many more positions available for the illegal aliens crossing our borders and reaping the benefits of citizenship for their "American born children" and our health care system.

I don't know the solution for the automakers' dire straits but I do know that a staggering amount of money was applied to the banking/investment fiasco and a much smaller amount would be required to stabilize an industry suffering from the same problems as the rest of the economy, a severe recession.

(BTW, VK, I shortened your original response to simplify the point I wanted to make.)