Buffalo Boy's Blog

Look at who voted against the Auto Bailout and its mostly southern, republican senators. The south is about to win the civil war about 150 years after it ended. The republican senators won't vote for a LOAN to save our domestic, AMERICAN car companies but they sure as hell will give money to Toyota, Volkswagon, Honda and other foreign car makers to build plants in their states.

Pennslyvania was the first state in 1978. That ended with labor problems. Then came the real foreign stampede. Honda in Ohio in 1982. Illinois gave a $249 million package to Mitsubishi to build a plant. In 1992, South Carolina gave a package to BMW worth $150 million. Mercedes Benz got $258 milion from Alabama in 1993, in 1999 Honda got $158 million from Alabama plus another $90 million and $33 million in tax breaks to open and expand their plants there, in 2000 Mississippi gave Nissan $295 million to set up shop there, Hyundai got yes from Alabama, $252 million to move in.

My favorite part of this is this direct quote from this article:

"It is only a matter of time before the other states that have given nine-figure subsidy packages to foreign carmakers also begin to wonder if they made the right decision for the long-term prosperity of their citizens. They may also realize that giveaways are ultimately work against future corporate investments. A sign of this came in 2005 when Toyota rejected several subsidy-laden deals from U.S. communities and instead decided to build its next assembly plant in Ontario. The decision was said to be made because of the higher quality of the workforce in Canada."

They gave subsidies with these car companies really not even needing them. Toyota, built its latest plant in Ontario because THE WORK FORCE WAS BETTER. I bet a big part of that was because in Canada, Toyota doesn't have to pay healthcare cost.

So who voted against the bailout in the senate? 31 republicans: Senator Allard, Colorado, Senator Barasso, Wyoming, Senator Bennett, Utah, Senator Bunning, Kentucky, Senator Burr, North Carolina, Senator Chambliss, Georgia, Senator Coburn, Oklahoma, Senator Cochran, MISSISSIPPI*, Senator Coleman, Minnesota, Senator Corker, Tennessee, Senator Crapo, idaho, Senator Demint, SOUTH CAROLINA*, Senator Ensign, Nevada, Senator Enzi, Wyoming, Senator Grassley, Iowa, Senator Gregg, New Hampshire, Senator Hatch, Utah, Senator Hutchinson, TEXAS*, Senator Inhofe, Oklahoma, Senator Isakson, Georgia, Senator Kyl, Arizona, Senator Martinez, Florida, SENATOR MCCAIN, ARIZONA* (Sorry Joe Autoworker, guess McCain doesn't support you guys), Senator McConnell, Kentucky, Senator Murkowski, Alaska, Senator Roberts, Kansas, Senator Sessions, ALABAMA*(Surprise Surprise, the foreign car capital of the US), Senator Shelby, ALABAMA*(Shocking! Both republican senators from Alabama, how much money did they give to foreign automakers to move to their state? Lets add it up), Senator Thune, South Dakota, Senator Vitter, Louisiana, Senator Wicker, MISSISSIPPI* (Okay theres the second Miss. repuke senator).

8 republicans did not vote including Senator Hagel who almost certainly would have voted for the bailout because he is essentially a democrat disguised as a republcian and Senator Stevens because he is too busy being indicted.

Two voted yes, Senator Lieberman and Senator Sanders.

Ladies and gentleman, when the economy crashes and the big three automakers are down to the big one assuming Ford survives the chaos, you have your republican senators above to blame. They will give money to the foreign companies to build their plants here but when it comes time to save the American companies, the American workers, piss on em.