Democrats, Big Labor, and the auto industry ... a winning combo?

[Stinky The Clown]

Consider this: our domestic auto industry may well in its death throes.

If "The Big Three" was intended as shorthand for US-owned auto manufacturers, then it really needs to be changed to "The Big Two". And with the troubles afflicting both GM and Ford, it is only a matter of time until it is "The Big One" or even "The Big None".

The UAW is always a leader in labor. And generally has been Democratic in its support. But if the auto industry is allowed to die, so does the UAW. The Republicans have shown already they're perfectly willing to kill our bedrock industries for their own purposes. Steel's long gone. The airlines are dying a slow death. In each case, labor's fortunes follow the industries who's labor they represent. Reagan had PATCO. Will Bushco have cars?

Maybe its time for the Dems to step up and take the side of *both* labor and management. Preserve the jobs and we preserve the workers. As but one issue where this could be worked to our advantage is health care. The price of each car sold today (as I recall reading somewhere) includes over $1000 to pay for health care benefits for workers. Universal, single payer health care would shift that burden. Imagine if, for each car GM or Ford sold, they could invest $1000 into non-petro-fueled vehicles of the future. New jobs, new technology, renewed world class car manufacturing.

I'm neither a labor nor an automaker expert; I just work for a living and drive a car. But it seems to me this kind of alliance would help our country, help a bedrock industry, help organized labor, establish a model for a new means of labor-management cooperation, and help the Democratic Party regain preeminence. I should also think similar efforts could be made in the airline industry. And I can even see some hope, however faint, for some revival in domestic steel.

I invite those more familiar with labor, especially, to weigh in on this.

[havocmom]

1. There's an Auto Industry?

:shrug:

[Stinky The Clown]

2. If we don't do something soon, we surely won't

have an auto industry anymore. At least not one that's American owned.

[havocmom]

7. The American owned ones don't seem interested in employing Americans

The foreign owned ones will hire US workers, just not union workers. Isn't that how it is going?

You'd think some of the high paid CEOs would notice that when workers make a real living, they sell more big ticket items. Workers barely able to stay alive are not big consumers. They don't get it.

[Fierce]

3. Labor is slowly turning

and realizing that universal health care would solve many of its problems One thing that would greatly help would be to get doctors groups on board. The majority of doctors think single-payer health care is what is needed to fix the health-care system; if they would drop their nonpartisan stance, that would help greatly.

[Stinky The Clown]

4. Docs are a harder group ......

..... some are Marcus Welby and some are Jack Welch wannabes, with their nursing homes and MRI clinics and real estate investments. I agree, however, that it would be good to court them. The healthcare crisis is hurting everyone. Maybe we can somehow appeal on malpractice insurance reform ..... ?

[Fierce]

5. You're absolutely right; they're a much harder group.

But then, no one ever thought going against a brazillion-dollar industry would be easy.

[acmejack]

6. Doctors are mostly in it for the money now, I believe.

I know that is a broad brush generalization, but look at the medicare situation. They simply won't see them. If you can't pay-Die. The medical Doctor field needs to be like Cuba lots of people and send them all over the world. That's diplomacy.

[NCarolinawoman]

8. Many doctors I have spoken to are angry at insurance companies.

They hate having to hire someone just to deal with the paper work. They are also well-aware of patients being turned down for coverage or reimbursements. Sometimes they feel like their hands are tied when it comes to offering the treatments and tests they know would be helpful.

I am talking about the specialists here; not just the General Practitioners. Many doctors now think that universal health care is a good idea.