Toyota could soon eclipse wounded GM giant

Just trying to keep the debate honest.

This quote is over 50 years old and arguably a bit less arrogant than the misquote.
It was a different world then and I don't think anyone at GM is currently making this assertion.

 

Yes,- and probably the Chinese state industries as well... And now they are starting up Prius production over there too!

 

I do agree with you - just trying to create some waves

 

I gotz no problemz with that. B)

 

Ah, forgot the meds today?

<sigh>

Let's try this again, and please pay attention:

GM is in serious trouble thanks to INCOMPETENT, CLUELESS, and borderline CRIMINAL upper management. This isn't the fault of the hard-working assembly line folks who naturally have zero input in the management phase.

This isn't the fault of GM retirees who PAID INTO their pensions and benefits through SOURCE DEDUCTIONS and watched The General BUNGLE their hard-earned savings into nothing.

What GM is doing to the workers right now is no different than the scams that Enron, Comcast, Adelphia, and many others shoved down our throats.

But if it makes you feel any better blaming Toyota for every economic problem the United States currently has, be my guest. Knock yourself out.

Just fix that trade debacle with wheat, cattle, and softwood lumber pronto. The current Minority government in Canada is facing a Non Confidence vote, and if they lose out to more radical parties, the flow of crude, electricity, and natural gas south into your country might face "unanticipated" shortages.

 

Malorn, do you want Prius Calendar for your new dealership? or even for your current one?

 

...and provide EQUATIONS!

 

Let's go straight to the source:

http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-...elease/exh8.txt

If you have Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader:

http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-...elease/exh8.pdf

For September 2005, the total Census-basis imports are $144,255,000,000 or slightly over $144 billion. Automotive represents $32,256,000,000 or about 22% of the total.

Industrial imports as a group represent $46,856,000,000 or about 32%. Let's break this down into headers as follows, with rough percentages:

In millions of dollars:

Total Census Basis imports September 2005: $144,255

Foods, feeds, and beverages: $5,967 4%
Industrial supplies and materials: $46,856 32%
Capital goods excluding auto: $32,256 22%
Vehicles, parts, and engines: $20,118 14%
Consumer goods: $34,169 23%
"Other" goods: $4,889 3%

I note that what you referred to as vehicles can actualy be defined to be vehicles (Finished or unfinished), motors (Self explanatory), and "parts" (Subasemblies, frames, transmission, electronics, interior, glass, etc etc). I find it suspicious that the Automotive heading was the only one not drilled down.

For example, it doesn't show the proportion of those parts used by domestic producers. Say an engine assembled in Ontario, Canada, shipped to a plant in the United States for final assembly. Or printed circuit boards assembled in China or Taiwan, shipped to a GM assembly plant in Michigan.

As far as Canadian exports, since unlike you Canada is a net EXPORTER, look at:

http://strategis.ic.gc.ca

http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/in.../mtb200503e.pdf

As far as automotive exports:

http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/sc_mrkti/tdst/td...ped=GROUPED#tag

From Jan to Sep of 2005, this was approximately $38,397,510,240 Canadian dollars. Total exports for the same time period are aproximately $320,000,000,000, so Automotive makes up about 12% of the Canadian economy.

As far as fixing the American trade deficits, maybe cut out the easy credit. Cut out the ridiculous ease large companies have in declaring Chapter 11 while individuals cannot. Maybe stop consumming far more crude oil than you can produce domestically.

Again you keep crying about GM and how it's now going to suck down the Canadian economy too. Why not try what we have done, and diversify a wee bit?

Good luck in politics. I rather doubt the "fat cats" will knock you off, they'll just giggle at your deranged ramblings.

 

Careful, or he'll post a link that will slow down/halt your browser....

http://priuschat.com/Zero-Day-Exploit-Targets-IE-t12837.html


:lol:

h34r:

 

So, what is it to be ?

Tariffs ?
Quotas ?
Subsidies ?
Laws against buying imported cars (US centered companies building in Mexico excluded, natch) ?

You may want to start making excuses for your election loss now.

 

I'll say it again. Your beef really isn't about Toyota... it's about globalism, and the cracks in the seams that capitalism can cause on a global scale.

You're just picking on Toyota as your effigy of globalism to burn because you hate them.

No one cares who's the #1 carmaker... but i'd rather it be a company that doesn't treat it's workers badly.

 

The truth is that Malorn has an axe to grind but no solutions...

There is a trade gap, but it's nothing that was created by some external force... it was created by the free market based on the compellingness of the product from overseas. Any government intervention to undo the trade gap will basically boil down to social engineering.

Malorns seemingly only solution is naive in that everyone should collectively stop buying non-american cars and blindly buy something domestic as some kind of stopgap charity for our ailing domestic car companies.

 

And what is that supposed to mean? Tell people that buying non-american cars is a bad decision?

I'm totally against that. You need to stop putting the blame in front of the average consumer or GM's competitor and go to the source: GM...

If GM could create more compelling products, they would sell more and gain back valuable mindshare... simple as that. you don't need a lawmaker telling people that you need to buy an american car to stimulate the american economy..