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Sad and unfortunate to see so many people lose their jobs. But the writing has been on the wall for a while and can't say I'm very surprised.
No matter who the president is in the White House, they will be blamed. Trump will be specifically though due to his MAGA stance, and platform of definitely going all out with "keeping jobs in US".
But Trump can't control GM making a marginal product, discontinuing certain lines of vehicles, and people not wanting to buy GM products (don't blame 'em--Honda/Toyota for me LOL).
It's unfortunate to see, but expansion and closure of underperforming areas are definitely a typical product of business.
That's what happens when greenies get their way. GM is focusing on electric cars which are still considered a novelty market, though it is expanding.
GM was making plans to close while Obama was in office and was a reaction to obamanomics and theoretical goals based on theoretical strategy.
corporations do make knee jerk responses, they had been planning to close factories beginning in the 8 years of Obama.
The Economy General Motors to Close Australian Plants by 2017
CEO Dan Akerson said the decision reflected a "perfect storm of negative influences the automotive industry faces in the country. This includes the sustained strength of the Australian dollar, high cost of production, small domestic market and arguably the most competitive and fragmented auto market in the world."
I'm sure the trump haters will find a way to spin this as a negative for Trump.
The plants that will cease production next year are Detroit-Hamtramck, Warren Transmission, Lordstown Assembly in Ohio, Oshawa Assembly in Ontario, Canada and Baltimore Operations in Maryland. Work will stop, but plants will not officially close. The future of those facilities will be determined during 2019 negotiations with the United Auto Workers.
We got to check if the UAW will give some concessions? As for Detroit-Hamtramck, to think they'll probably demolish that plant after almost 40 years they destroyed a part of Poletown for that plant.
GM use to employ nearly 90,000 people in Flint, it is now under 9,000.
This twin process of automation and outsourcing coupled with increased foreign competition has been reducing auto jobs for about 4 or 5 decades now.
Yes, Trump made promises he should have known he couldn't keep to get votes. However, if we want to point political fingers at people we could also point out that Obama foolishly didn't make GM undergo significant restructuring during their special bankruptcy and the (democratic) auto workers union has put severe inefficiencies on GM that Toyota doesn't experience.
I know Obama was coming. He can share the blame on the economy, but can't be given any credit for it either.
You may be right, however, the current situation (thus far) could only be based on the anticipated future impact, not on ongoing changes already caused by tariffs. I'm likewise, not sure the government is trying to control the U.S. markets ... or the behavior of our international trading partners, who have been giving the U.S. the 'short end of the stick' for years.
Whether ongoing changes make things worse or not remains to be seen. I believe NAFTA changes with Canada and Mexico will benefit the U.S. - and I believe Trump believes Tariff's will change the behavior of China and others.
For the first time in several administrations, we are seeing companies moving offshore operations back to the U.S., major tax incentives for small businesses and significant job growth. I say, let's give things a chance, rather than automatically siding with the nay-sayers.
The government imposing massive tariffs on imports is government control of the markets. It never ends well, as we are seeing right now.
NAFTA doesn't get better by changing the name and tweaking minor details. It is still the same 'free trade' deal.
Job growth is down, well below the average of past years, so that's not much to celebrate. I can't speak for all small businesses, but I closed my own down because the tax bill was a kick in the teeth. It ended up costing be thousands more in new taxes.
I am glad you are optimistic about long term, but it seems the government meddling is hurting us, and I think it will only get worse. The tariffs were supposed to reduce trade deficits, but the deficits went UP, not down, because other countries are importing even less from US now.
what kind of guarantees did hilldawg offer against GM factories closing?
Clinton didn't make promises she couldn't keep, she was honest with the coal miners and those in the rust belt. Trump ran on bringing back manufacturing jobs, he lied.
Where are we getting all those new factories from the corporate investments from the tax breaks.
That's what happens when greenies get their way. GM is focusing on electric cars which are still considered a novelty market, though it is expanding.
GM was making plans to close while Obama was in office and was a reaction to obamanomics and theoretical goals based on theoretical strategy.
corporations do make knee jerk responses, they had been planning to close factories beginning in the 8 years of Obama.
The Economy General Motors to Close Australian Plants by 2017
CEO Dan Akerson said the decision reflected a "perfect storm of negative influences the automotive industry faces in the country. This includes the sustained strength of the Australian dollar, high cost of production, small domestic market and arguably the most competitive and fragmented auto market in the world."
I'm sure the trump haters will find a way to spin this as a negative for Trump.
And what if this had happen under Obama, what would you be saying about him?
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