I noticed that the local media here has finally caught up with auto workers doing some seriously illegal stuff in a Chrysler plant here in Detroit.
Via Detroit’s Fox 2 News:
Video:
The Story:
myFOXDetroit.com Staff – We’re all rooting for the auto industry to come back stronger than ever. It affects every one of us here in metro Detroit and across the country because it’s so important to our economy.
Fox 2’s Rob Wolchek got a tip about what some guys are doing at Chrysler’s Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit. This is the same plant that President Barack Obama visited back in July and talked about the significance of manufacturing in America.
The same place where the President remarked on the tax-payer generated government loan saying “I believed that if each of us were willing to work and sacrifice in the short term — workers, management, creditors, shareholders, retirees, communities — it could mark a new beginning for a great American industry. And if we could summon that sense of teamwork and common purpose, we could once again see the best cars in the world designed, engineered, forged, and built right here in Detroit, right here in the Midwest, right here in the United States of America.”
I thought I would comment on this story; seeing that I have some background in this area. I have news for my fellow Conservatives; this sort of thing has been going on for years in the auto plants. In fact, back in the 1980’s the drug problem was so bad in a few of the G.M. plants locally here, that General Motors had to call in the Federal Government to bring in undercover narcotics officers —- posing as workers that transferred in from other states, to nab these people dealing the dope. That is because the Union, that was supposed to be making sure stuff like this was not happening; had been bought off by the drug dealers and was standing by and letting them deal the drugs. I believe that Chrysler and Ford had similar raids too back in the 1980’s.
From a taxpayer’s stand point; yes, this does make me angry. Because basically, taxpayer’s dollars are paying for these guys to sit around and smoke dope. This is because taxpayer dollars did, in fact, bail this auto company out. However, because I am a bit of a libertarian; I do see this in another light. The late great Senator Barry Goldwater said the following: “You cannot legislate morality.” You can set rules, you can encourage people not to smoke or deal drugs; but you cannot force people not to do these things. As long as there are people out there who have a desire to do these things and as long as they are illegal — People are going to figure out a way to do them, without getting caught. Breaking the law is in the human DNA. It is how we are wired, it is, as the Bible puts it; in our human fleshly nature. Adam and Eve proved that one in the Garden.
The real underlying point here is this; these companies, especially Chrysler — should have never been rescued by the Government, at all. General Motors and Chrysler both had enough liquid assets that they could have sold off to generate enough capital to get themselves out of the hole that they were in. Granted, the problem was created by the Wall Street crash of 2008; however, General Motors and Chrysler had and most likely still has management issues that has caused waste for years. Now, unlike other libertarians and Conservatives; I will not play the scape-goat game with the Unions. The unions are a only a small part of the problem. Granted, they do play a role in the problem; but that role is not nearly is huge as it is made out to be by some on the right. The truth of the matter is, that these companies have not been properly managed for years. This is why these auto companies have had money issues for years.