From The Detroit News:
A pair of right-wing radio hosts says there's only one choice for conservatives angry about government involvement in the auto industry: Boycott GM.
"Nobody wants to support an Obama company," Rush Limbaugh told his audience Friday, citing a poll showing that 17 percent of Americans backed a boycott of GM.
"Every dollar spent with GM is a dollar spent against free enterprise," conservative talker Hugh Hewitt wrote online last week.
Rush Limbaugh
Conservatives in Congress and elsewhere have criticized the federally sponsored restructuring plan GM will seek to execute in bankruptcy court.
The plan would give the federal government a 60 percent ownership stake in the company; lawmakers such as Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., have labeled that socialism.
The popular, controversial Limbaugh didn't outright call for a boycott, but said he understood why people would want to avoid GM vehicles. "They don't want to patronize Obama. They don't want to do anything to make Obama's policies work."
A GM spokesman declined to comment Monday.
But the Democratic National Committee, which has spent plenty of time in recent months cataloging Limbaugh's calls for the failure of President Barack Obama's economic policies, leapt at the chance to do so again.
Sen. Richard Shelby
"While it's not surprising that Rush Limbaugh would root for the failure of a national institution for partisan political gain, it is surprising that the other so-called leaders of the Republican party are silently going along with him given how many hard working Americans rely on GM for a living," said DNC spokesman Hari Sevugan.
So far, there is little evidence that the government's involvement is turning off buyers. In bankruptcy for the entire month of May, Chrysler had its best sales month of the year.
Most economists believe that failure of the GM reinvention would cause GM to collapse, taking with it thousands of suppliers and dealers. The economic shock would be substantial. So if you are rooting for less government involvement in the economy, you should be rooting for the new GM to get it right, and for the government to sell it shares back into private hands as soon as possible.
I know most Americans are rooting for the United States, its people, and its president to succeed. However it's fun to read the posts from all sides. And anger is OK as long as you don't really hurt anyone. Limberger is safe because he only rants instead of shooting. But I think he is stirring up those who will shoot. Potentially dangerous people can no longer be committed for serious psychiatric evaluation and treatment at state mental hospitals. Just imagine, 20 years ago a person acting strangely could be committed and get excellent evaluation and treatment even in a small state like Maine. I know, I was training in one of Maine's state mental hospitals in l992.
Sadly, that same care is not available for the average person any more.
1. cheerlead for America to fail
2. domestic terrorism
Rush never did pass math. Hey Rush, enjoy your 17%.
I'm so sick of these stupid people! They're not very patriotic, are they? Remember when the republican mantra was: Buy American?
Now they root for America to fail!
Next?
It truly is amazing these guys ever won elections.
Your dad got treated exactly how large companies treat non-union workers. It's not the UAW's fault they didn't get screwed right along with the others.