The US Auto Manufacturers

Do we cry for GM and Chrysler?  I think not.  During the recent sales boom of cars these manufacturers never learned their lesson.  They didn't invest in the automobile, they ignored the people so they could make trucks.  This allowed Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and BMW to make significant headway into the US market, more so it allowed these car makers to build factories and build a work force.

What did GM, Chrysler and Ford do wrong- they avoided making cars that we wanted to drive.  The Taurus was the only success and that was due to the leasing market.  It wasn't a reliable, well built and enduring vehicle.  We failed to continue to support the consumer that supported the Mustang which had millions in sales.  Design and quality eluded the US car makers in the mid 70-s to the present.

The other problem is money management.  None of these companies should have had a cash flow problem like they have presently.  It is a lack of budgeting the coincided with poor manufacturing.

Shame on them and shame on us.  Neither party has done what is right.

Pirates

It is sad that in a modern society that Captain Jack can still sail the seas in a little speed boat and a few automatic rifles.  Modern technology and lack of ingenuity are shameful.  We have satellites, we have Navies, but we let a little country torment the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.  What has happened to world's Navy's that this is a continual problem?  The unfortunate aspect of this is that many other impoverished and poorly governed countries decide that this is a fair means of making money?  

I believe the world's governments should take a position on this individually, in a colaition, or through the UN (if they ever would do something).  But to let shipping companies or merchants pay the ransom is just a pavlovian method of rewarding the pirates.  

This is just insane.

War Funding

I am totally amazed that our country and president have to keep presenting a war budget.  What is the problem?  We know we are at war and will be at war, so what is the problem, can't we pass a fiscal budget that includes war funding?

We then have Congress complain about it.  Whatever happened to war bonds?  Our Congress has ignored the American people and the spirit that made this country great.

Our President and Congress need to get in tune and understand budgeting.  Budgeting that is totally another story.