Chrysler is a dinosaur that should not exist in today’s auto market.

It’s sad when a newspaper allows an idiot to make bets and claims in its name that it refuses to back up. If the USA Today is going to dish out the op-ed with little to no fact checking that bashes an industry, but refuses to post the rebuttal then that reeks of bad journalism. Post both sides of the story and then let the readers decide for themselves. Despite the recent resurgence by GM, the slow-but-steady turn around at Ford, and even the rare gem at Chrysler all three must continue to face an anti-american drum that’s being steadily beat by the media. How can anyone expect to make a resurgence against such stead fast opposition.

Damn liberal media!

I’ve been saying that for a long time Kenny. The Media has too much power in this country, and its not about being objective anymore. Its about spinning the truth so it works for you, the media has gotten good at it. Somehow the Japaneese have been labled as “makers of green cars” since they weren’t building SUV’s and Trucks, the things people wanted. Now all you hear on the media is Detroit sucks, and gas is going to be 5 bucks a gallon next summer. Their a bunch of idiots, they do it for ratings because no one watches the news anymore and that dude that went to college for 4 years to tell you the weather for 3 minutes a day has gotta make a 150K a year somehow.

The media is not liberal, its getting corrupt. We may be able to thank the internet for that. All the news we now get comes from the old school media sources who pay good money to do real journalism. With more and more ppl moving to the net for free news those companies who pay to have the real thing done are loosing. As a result your left with news companies who now will settle for almost anything and its only a matter of time before Big Dollar companies start paying to have false news being reported to assist their agenda. Its a scary thought.

Who gives a xxxxing xxxx about this article – the rebuttal is crap and I’m sure the instigating piece was even worse. This is the xxxx you get from journalists.

These people aren’t scientists, they’re xxxxing morons who get PAID to do what we do on LLN day in day out – spout opinions laced with the occasional fact.

xxxx them. Why does anyone care in the first place?

Karkat, Muscle: Media is plural

Almost all are owned by giant faceless corporations, which skew conservative. Your local paper, owned by a local guy, is even more conservative.

Deantj: Watch who you call a “journalist.”

For once, I agree with you Deanster. The news in the US sucks. I have to tune in to a German station (DWTV) or BBC to get real international news nowadays that happen to be much larger than that IRAQ country. Even then I take everything with a grain of salt.

The rebuttal is nothing new. Blah blah blah support union worker… take 7 years to develop a new car that’ll meet the CAFE standard, but then one has to ask why not start designing car NOW rather than wasting precious time to produce a garbage letter?

The part about how much consumers will pay is down right comedy. Since WHEN do the big three care what USA consumers like to drive? Why are the US branch of GM and Ford so much suckier than Holden, Ford of Europe etc.? Is it that it takes too much to produce a nice car, or that US upper management refuses to make less money? Do they care more about fleet sales than taking care of their customers (like dealer service)?

At least Toyota keeps its car lineup refreshed and not insulting us with last generation technology, because they have decided that we are not good enough for the latest and greatest or that we are too cheap. Go to Hyundai if you want cheap (or inexpensive for you sales people) vehicles that still has better design, technology, features and quality than the domestic.

Toyota is doing a good job stealing the “green” customers, but Hyundai is also taking lots of sales from the domestic, many of whom couldn’t careless about pollution or resale value.

It’s funny you’re insulting this guy considering he represents an organization that consists of domestic and import companies

Toyota also makes great copies

Deanster—you’re a real charmer, aren’t you? And you have such an eloquent, objective way of getting across your point.

I can’t help wonder: why, since you so obviously hate the car makers and their business, do you bother to read, and make comments in, forums like LLN?

Anti-American Liberal Media. I don’t think it gets much more blatant than this. It’s disturbing. Thumbs up to LLN for being fair minded.

I don’t know anyone who reads USA Today anyway. I have seen the rag at my hotel door and promptly use it to clean the soles of my shoes, and otherwise I am vaguely aware of its existence. I thought it was a tabloid but not as extremely ridiculous as the Enquirer.

jackjimturkey, you wrote “Almost all are owned by giant faceless corporations, which skew conservative.” Did you intend to write “conservative”? If so, how could you possibly believe that? The reason the FEW conservative news sources (FNC, AM radio, etc.) are doing better than the rest is because of demand; certainly not because of some kind of government enforcement like the Dems are trying to impose on the American people!

And sharpie wrote “I have to tune in to a German station (DWTV) or BBC to get real international news nowadays.” Your version of real news comes from the BBC who has SELF-proclaimed mass internal liberal bias? I fear the left has moved so far left that anything right of them is considered extreme conservatism.

Syclone: what the hell are you talking about? Yes, GFCs have the most conservative-yet-corrupt agenda imaginable.

Sharpie: True, american news sources do an atrocious job of covering international news. They hire these companies to try to fight off ever-declining circulation, and the studies come back that readers don’t wnat international news.

I think the studies are bosh, but the world doesn’t revolve around me

jackjimturkey, care to elaborate on this “most conservative-yet-corrupt agenda imaginable” theory of yours? And who are your so-called giant faceless corporations; or “GFCs”? (am I missing out on new hip slang?) I’m curious what GFC you collect a paycheck from? (rhetorical question)

Last I checked, Ted Turner and Bill Gates aren’t exactly right-wingers, to name just a couple.

New York Times, CBS News, Associated Press, BBC, Reuters, etc., etc.

MSNBC, PBS, etc., etc.

the drive-by liberal media loves when the US fails, ignore this retarded article.

I did not read article in USA and can’t judge it. But this response is a defense of mediocrity. We all can blame liberal media on the fact that Toyota is #2 seller in the USA and Honda is #4. Ford is now #3 and Chrysler (or what left of it) is #5.
Chrysler merger with favorite Hitler mobile factory was not objected by the guys who run it now. BTW, the guys who run it now collected nice bonuses when merger was done and far from being destitute now when it will be undone. The workers whom they protecting so hard will be joining unemployment lines sooner or later (perhaps sooner). And remember Kirkorian? The guys is a billionaire and war ace and he predicted this crap happening. Do you think he is liberal?
Let’s look at losers at Ford. The biggest losers, of course, are investors. Second tier of losers are those who bought crap on wheels, that lost 50% of the value in 2 years (or one). Let’s pay attention to management: the vote is controlled by a family of inbreds by 2 clans of Nazi sympathizers (yes erudite public papa Henry did receive Iron Cross II from fuhrer himself for contribution to the third Reich and his buddy Firestone was not far behind). The family has 5% of the share and more then 50% of the vote. The family loves us and cares for us.
The US market leader GM: argued with everyone for everything and produced such beauties and ION (great seller) and Aztec. And bunch of other winners that gathering dust on dealer lots. What prevented them from building quality cars? They are competing with Honda and Toyota via Saturn brand and how well is this going? Saturn will turn into Opel and Pontiac into Holden. Accidentally the best quality GM car comes from Toyota: Vibe.
It is sad that the cars and trucks that will be on the road in 2014 are designed today. The market and taste will change in 7 years (surprise!).
Let’s look at Honda: 5 years ago they had no diesel engine. Last year their diesel was named best in Europe and in a year it will be here.
When Detroit will be able to match this ingenuity level, they will not need to defend their sorry asses from liberal media. Not before.

Ted Turner and bill gates are not dictators. They have boards of directors to “guide” them
autonutt” Hitler mobiles? Actually, i think hitler was behind VW. The war is over, we kicked their asses, and I married one.

Explain to me what “liberal media” are, and use specific examples that support youir case. Y’all are parrotting the brain-dead fecal matter that comes out of rush’s mouth.

I listen to michael savage; not beacause he know what the hell he’s talking about, but because he doesn’t. But i ain’t no hypocrite. When he makes a legitimate point, I recognize it as such.

Answer to jackjimturkey: Hitler was active in building “peoples car”, but he did not drive or was driven in one; except ceremony of factory opening. He was driven in M-B and most often in Maybach (name is owned by M-B now). Although VW was active in support of Hitler war effort, like any German concern, it was not actively involved in atrocities. M-B was: the first gas chamber was M-B truck with a hermetic structure on top. Exhaust from diesel engine could be redirected into the structure to slow kill occupants on the way to the disposal pit. This was precursor of cyclon-B gas chambers by Eichman. Some auto history for your amusement.

Jackjim – you never answered the question… What GFCs as you call them, carry big conservative agendas?

Greedy rich people come in two colors, greedy, and rich. There is no party line or political agenda. Whatever makes them more rich is what works for them. Labeling all rich corporate leaders as conservatives is simply ignorant. Warren Buffett? George Soros? Steve Jobs? Obviously there are plenty of “lib” corporate leaders.

“Giant-Faceless-Corporations” is the liberal mantra spewed out by the Starbucks crowd.

Anyone who relies on one source of information is a xxxxing idiot. One can’t get the entire story from watching Fox News just as they can’t from watching ABC just as they can’t from reading USAToday. Whomever said the internet is to blame for this lack of journalistic quality is full of xxxx. If anything the internet should push the established news outlets to strive even more for quality. Never before in the history of mankind has there been such a vast wealth of information available at this tips of our fingers. If a person does not have enough common sense to thoroughly research a subject from multiple sources and further weed out the crap from the substance then they have no reason to even attempt formulating an opinion. Then again many of these people are probably those who voted for the ‘dub a second time… so much for common sense.

American cars suck. We need a lot of new leaders in this country.

fox news bothers me.

NPR bothers me.

stridder sucks

USA today should win an award for “best investigative paragraph.”

I don’t read it because I think it’s a good news source. I just like the sports section.

That’s where the fewest lies are.

Piablo: Gannett, Owner of USA today
Scripps
Lee Enterprises

Outside media: all Insuranc companies, and of course Pfizer, Merck and those boys.

Its true that American auto makers have fallen behind, but the media isn’t helping their case as they should be. People dont wanna hear positive news, they wanna hear, GM lost a billion today, Fords CEO quit, and Chrysler has been sold! People wanna read the bad news, and their wouldn’t be any bad news if it weren’t for the leaders of the big3 being stuck in their ways since the 60’s, especially Fords. So basically…the media kept saying “Buy Toyotas and Hondas their eco friendly!!!” for years, and then the big3 slipped and fell from the weight of their SUVS and Trucks when gas prices sky rocketed, and the media was right there ” BUY PRIUS, BUY CIVIC!” I feel like the media has a Califronia state of mind, its cool right now to be a greenie weenie, and when that fad goes away it’ll be cool to have something else…

Muscle: “Media” is the pluraol form of the word “medium.”
California’s government sucks. The Big three were producing V-8 gass guzzlers that got awful milage, and produced less power than today’s small v6s in the ’60s (not 60’s).

They’re not struck in their ways. Toyota and honda make better commercials, but you can get a better car for less, and in the case of the civic, a bigger better car for less

Jackjim – but what makes them conservative? The guys I mentioned above have all come out with political speeches, some more than others, and have laid out their views. What makes insurance companies and drug companies conservative?

At some point, rich apparently became synonomous with conservative.

The haters and blamers are not interested in fact finding; it’s too easy to just accuse someone, something, anything. Even if it’s just an acronym, it’s actually easier that way.

muscle mustang you said it man

Comment by AMGoff:
……. Then again many of these people are probably those who
……. voted for the ‘dub a second time… so much for common sense.

AMG, my experience and knowledge of virtually every person I know who voted the “the ‘dub” a second time is that none of us thought he was a particularly good or strong candidate … only that he was better than the rest of the garbage we were offered (viable candidates only). It basically came down to “Dubya is weak, but Kerry is pathetically weaker” and as such I still today say the best candidate won.

Always when I am totally baffled at how politician X or Y can be in office, if I look back at the choices offered at the time of his/her election, it becomes obvious why the electorate choice that candidate. Looking thru history, when the American voter is offered a good candidate (which is not too often), they pick him/her, but when (as usual) they are offered two pieces of crap, they choose the one that stinks less. If you think Kerry would have been better, look objectively at the miserable performance of the Dem Congress this past year and you will see that nothing would have been better, and in fact it may have been worse.

R-Head, i think third-party candidates missed a huge opportunity in ‘04. Had a guy come forth with clear plans and demonstrated a sincerety in working them, he could’ve won. It looks like hillary will win in ‘08

GFCs are conservative by nature. They want to best position themselves to sell whatever they can to white folks in INK, mand evengelicals in the south. Offend those groups, and pocketbooks will be hurt.

Some may go thru the motions, donating money to “liberal causes,” but, believe me, they’ve already check which way the wind is blowing

Jackjim, Hillary is by no means a shoe-in for ‘08. Right now the best that can be said is that she is currently the LPT (Least Pungent Turd).

In the end, she’ll be close but no cigar.

R-Head: Hillary’s got the money, and the GOP will end up nominating some stiff. I’ll vote for Romney if he wins the nomination, otherwise, I’ll probably go off the ballot for the 3rd straight prez election.

Obama doesn’t have the experience (I consider that a plus) McCain is too old, Ron Paul will simply be shouted down. Hunter has no chance. Gore is off to better things, and “Breck Girl” edwards has already shown himself an also-ran.

LPT is quite accurate, though

The best way to show support for Detroit is to buy some of their iron next time you purchase a car. Anything less is just talk.

A lot of us would love to “Buy American” but car shopping is just not that easy. When I bought my 2004 SER Spec V, I looked at everything America had in that category, and there wasn’t much. There were some things I wanted on my new car (side airbags, Sunroof, Rockin’ stereo, ABS, manual Transmission, sporty handling, under $20,000) and there simply wasn’t a single American car that had all of that stuff. (the manual transmission and the Side Airbags are what was the hardest to find) I think packaging is what other countries do better than the American companies. All the American cars that had most of what I wanted were set up like luxury cars, that’s not what I wanted, so I didn’t by American.

I do think Detroit has gotten the message, because there are 1 or 2 American cars that could be a nice substitute for my Spec V.

R-Head… so you basically subscribe to the “take the devil you know over the devil you don’t” philosophy. Not me pal, by the time 2004 came around any alternative would have been the better alternative. I would have taken a different failure over the same ol’ “stay the course” failure. Anyone who thinks that history will look at this administration as anything other than a complete failure is a ****ing idiot. I’m a registered republican and I voted for him in 2000 because I was duped into thinking that he was in fact, a republican. I now know I was fooled, he is not a republican because he doesn’t hold a single republican value, he and all of his neo-con buddies are nothing but fascist bastards. In hindsight I believe Gore (whether I like or agree with him or not) was robbed of the election, that Bush used a horrible national tragedy to pursue his own skewed agenda, and that there was no way in hell that I would ever cast another vote for him ever again. If I’m going to constantly be raped up the ass, I’d like a different **** every now and then…

AMGoff: Michal savage says bush is a “liberal.”

I don’t trust the Dems or the GOP.