WOW--what a commercial!

[12voltman59]

I honest to God did not do what most Americans probably did yesterday--watch the "Superbowl" so I also missed the commercials that come with it---many of which are pretty good---so I missed this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEM9dodyABo

Someone had posted the link to it on Facebook and I clicked on it to watch the vid on YouTube---OMG!!!!----it almost brought me to tears!! What a commercial---now--if only Clint Eastwood would run for president---maybe I could vote for him!!

Its getting time for me to buy a new or newer vehicle and I even though I am mostly a "GM man" for reasons such as having family and friends who worked for GM in some capacity from management to working on the assembly lines----I am surely duly impressed with some of the new Chrysler product out there even if the company is now owned by FIAT---(non-American ownership of a US automaker) not a new thing since the Germans and Daimler (Mercedes) had owned it previously. I am really looking hard at getting some sort of Chrysler product---since I like much of what they have from ranging a RAM pickup, to the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Challenger, several models from Jeep and the FIAT 500 is pretty cool for a small car.

Maybe I just might actually buy a Chrysler product, thanks to not only the quality products they are putting out to having done such a bad assed commercial like this one!!!

[rukiddingme]

To me, just didn't feel like any companies really put a lot of advertising monies or to much energy into this year's Super Bowl adds; Maybe it's the economy. I am a fan of the NFL and watch for the game, but also look forward to the wacky commercials we have come to expect and enjoy. I was completely disappointed. Not one had me texting friends: "omg!, did you see that"

[keefer10.7]

I agree, rukiddingme; the worse commercials I've seen for a Super Bowl ever.

[darkeyes]

Jeez.. bad enuff wotchin the bloody "sport" far less the adverts... wos on telly 'ere last nite an wot a waste of time.. nope.. didnt wotch it.. wen me wotches football, wich me dus quite frequently bein a Jam Tart, like 2 c guys play wiv a round ball at ther feet an not charge 'bout like bloody gr8 lummoxes all padded up 2 the eyeballs... dont mind Rugby League ifya wonna wotch guys playin wiv odd shaped balls, an Union at a push... but wot 'merica calls football? God... ratha eat snails... raw.. an adverts an all???? God... sounds agonisin' 2 me..:tong:

[keefer10.7]

Imagine a 265lb defensive tackle who can run the 40 yard dash in 4.6 seconds, Fran.....that's a freight train coming at you. As for Volties post; ahem. Buy a car that's 58% owned by Fiat, which is Italian and the car made in Ontario or Mexico; now that's American.

[drugstore cowboy]

The people who made that commercial would be very happy that you're now thinking about buying one of their products after you watched the commercial.

[darkeyes]

Imagine a 265lb defensive tackle who can run the 40 yard dash in 4.6 seconds, Fran.....that's a freight train coming at you. As for Volties post; ahem. Buy a car that's 58% owned by Fiat, which is Italian and the car made in Ontario or Mexico; now that's American.

Watching a footballer run 50 metres, dribbling skilfully past 4 men in the process, the ball at his feet, twist and turn 180 degrees and score from 20 metres all in the space of 6 seconds thats football... not macho garbage.. but human sporting genius.. and truly beautiful at that...

..and who cares about a car??? A car is a car is a car is a car.... it gets u from A to B or it doesn't...

[keefer10.7]

We have that kind of football here too, Fran, just that we call it soccer and it's mainly played by our children. OOOOOOOOOOSNAP! lol

[elian]

Hmm..the link was pulled due to copyright infringement - that's strange - you would think that they'd WANT as much free publicity as possible..

[elian]

..and yeah, my car is from one of the "big three" American automakers. At the time I purchased mine I believe their slogan was, "An American Revolución!" I guess "Central America" still qualifies as America, right?

[keefer10.7]

Not if it were put up without consent, Elian.

[æonpax]

I didn’t watch the superbowl as, outside of the Green Bay Packers, I have little or no interest in commercial sports. However, come Monday morning, I was hit by a cavalcade of posts regarding the Clint Eastwood commercial, on my favorite news and politics forum. I watched the Chrysler/Eastwood commercial first. I saw it as a “feel good”, let’s unite America, kind of message. Nothing wrong with that, or so I thought.

What I read next was a plethora of news articles about the pin-headed right wing, whining and crying that the commercial was pro-Obama. Some articles featured the ignominious Karl Rove, father of the political stealth lies and of course the obedient conservative thralls of party before country, complete with their handy “talking points;” “Detroit bailout” and “Chrysler is foreign owned”

Clint Eastwood’s own reaction to this;



"...There is no spin in that ad. On this I am certain," Eastwood said in a statement to Fox News late Monday night. "I am certainly not politically affiliated with Mr. Obama. It was meant to be a message about job growth and the spirit of America. I think all politicians will agree with it. ... If Obama or any other politician wants to run with the spirit of that ad, go for it." - http://www.wmur.com/r/30393425/detail.html

While I am tempted to post an extensive list of US companies that are foreign owned (like Budweiser) and another list of companies that are partly owned by foreign interests (like faux news) I’d just as soon let the dogs of hate and discontent vent themselves out. I was also opposed to ANY bailout but I’m pragmatic and if it helped keep US jobs here, so be it.

What fools these mortals be.

[elian]

OK, so I found another source for the video - it doesn't make me want to go run out and buy a car. I guess there are some people who will want or need to hear that message, myself I'm a little apathetic about it because I know that the same people who were in power when the economy tanked are still in power (except for maybe the US President). Other than that nothing has changed yet..these companies aren't fighting for American industrial workers, they are fighting to keep their companies alive for their shareholders.

Obama did come up with a good point, why do our best and brightest minds all gravitate toward the financial sector for jobs? Does that mean that all of the wealth in this country is as imaginary as the little paper notes it's written on? If we had some scientists, engineers, some industrial folks who were "retooled" to compete better then maybe we'd be a serious force for competition in the global marketplace. All of those things take hard work and money. It takes hard work and a whole heck of a lot of money to rebuild our public infrastructure too..

[Doggie_Wood]

I think I'm gonna buy a FORD - no bailout there

[darkeyes]

While I am tempted to post an extensive list of US companies that are foreign owned (like Budweiser) and another list of companies that are partly owned by foreign interests (like faux news) I’d just as soon let the dogs of hate and discontent vent themselves out. I was also opposed to ANY bailout but I’m pragmatic and if it helped keep US jobs here, so be it.

What fools these mortals be.

Fools indeed... it is interesting that those more of the right shout and scream loudest about foreign ownership of a nation's industry.. until of course they become the ruling party.. things seem to change then, at least superficially and foreign ownership continues down its merry way.. I have no objections and never have to foreign ownership in principle.. we are one world and one species, and we try and survive as best we can, hopefully in peace and harmony and share our prosperity.. what a silly thing is this national pride when people get all het up about some old rusting hulk being taken over and run from abroad.. it is the reality if such takeovers that one should object to not the principle of it.. where far distant boardrooms take decisions which rip the heart out of what remains, or lie through their teeth and transfer production lock, stock and barrel from one country to anothe in pursuit of cheaper labour... this too occurs with prosperous and efficent industries.. that I am afraid is what global capitalism does.. it is its business..it cares not one whit about people but of profit for the few..

.. but as America shouts about this foreign ownership.. think on this... compared to what is owned by foreign capital, America capitalism owns far more of the rest of the world's industry of all kinds... no shouting and screaming there I note.. think on this too.. it is not only foreign owned capitalism which transfers the jobs of America to other climes thus creating job loss and industrial desert.. American capital does it both at home and abroad... it cares nothing for people only profit.. it is its nature.. capital will alow production and jobs to remain in America as long as it is in its interest to do so and not one minute longer..

It is not the capitalism of any nation which is the problem it is capital itself, and those few around the world who run it.. soulless and heartless..

My car is German.. it goes and it suits.. are we all so well off that we can buy junk and often at a vastly inflated cost simply because it was produced in our own country by a manufacturer which is owned by capital of our own country? Or do we purchase something that suits and is well made from where ever it comes at a price we are prepared to pay and can afford?

..and Budweiser?? Isnt it a Czeck company founded in that country which has expanded to have operations abroad?

[æonpax]

Fools indeed... it is interesting that those more of the right shout and scream loudest about foreign ownership of a nation's industry.. until of course they become the ruling party.. things seem to change then, at least superficially and foreign ownership continues down its merry way.. {snipped for brevity}

Fran,

Corporations are by their very nature, “amoral” constructs with absolutely no loyalty to anything except their bottom line; Profits. At the drop of a hat and for as little as an 0.1% increase in profits, US corporations have shifted their entire operations overseas to the likes of China and India where laborers are paid at slave wages, no benefits and horrendous working conditions. The Apple Corp is currently facing criticism for the manufacture of their iPads in China - In China, Human Costs Are Built Into an iPad - http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/business/ieconomy-apples-ipad-and-the-human-costs-for-workers-in-china.html?pagewanted=all

The US rightwing paltry partisan protests in regards to Chrysler being foreign owned is nothing more than a red herring in the face of the reality that not only are US companies being bought out but so is America’s infrastructure and Real Property.



Source 1 - Foreign ownership of U.S. corporations - http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Foreign_ownership_of_U.S._corporat ions
Source 2 - Foreign companies buying U.S. roads, bridges - http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-07-15-u.s.-highways_x.htm
Source 3 – Foreign Ownership Of U.S. Real Property - http://www.charlesperkinscpa.com/blog/57-foreign-ownership-of-us-real-property



Most of this is due to the US trade imbalance which neither US parties have done anything to stop or curtail. In light of the SCOTUS decision on corporate contributions to elections, the real enemy is not the bought and paid for politicians on either side, it’s the corporations who are the enemy and the Oligarchy they are establishing.

btw; Anheuser-Busch, owners of Bud, are owned by the Belgian-Brazilian beer conglomerate, "InBev" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anheuser-Busch

[12voltman59]

Well Doggie---I for one think it was a very good thing that both GM and Chrysler got their "bailout" like the Wall Street crowd got their's and to me--it was at least as crucial if not more so that these US automakers were helped too because of the way that the auto industry is structured that it not only affects just that sector of the economy---but it is so integral to the rest of our manufacturing base.

Just like with our military when we go to war that for every soldier, sailor, airman, marine, etc out on the frontlines----the logistical supply chain of people behind the lines is huge--as the troops out on the lines in Vietnam would say about those who sat in offices---"the rear echelon fucks"---while I don't know what the exact number is---for every person who works in an auto plant actually assembling a car, those who design and engineer them, etc---the number of workers do other things that support each actual autoworker could run as high as one hundred, so if a bunch of auto workers go down and lose jobs----the ripple effect spreads out and takes out many more workers---and that is just the direct numbers who get hurt---many people who don't even have anything to do with the auto industry in a direct way get hurt too---people like owners and employees of restaurants, bars and such who serve auto workers and those in the supply chain. So do other businesses like dry cleaners, janitorial services you name it get hurt who are located in places that auto industry related plants that have closed.

What the Obama administration basically did was to be the "white knight" and the creditor of last resort who served to prop up both GM and Chrysler so they could go through what nearly every expert said needed to be done with those companies----to go through a structured bankruptcy and for each company to restructure itself to emerge "leaner and meaner."

Well--that has happened--both GM and Chrysler are now leaner more efficiently organized and the result is that both are prospering to a degree that almost seemed would ever be possible just a few short years ago.

Both companies are once again growing doing things like investing in upgrading existing facilities, re-opening some closed factories and even planning to build new plants.

They are bringing out some of the best cars they have made in years and are selling well with Chrysler just having announced that sales for January were up 44%!!!! GM was down a bit in Jan 012 in US sales but overall---they are kicking butt having regained the title as the world's biggest auto company and projections for car sales in 2012 in the US market alone are at big numbers.

The big fear that had GM and Chrysler both having gone down at the same time during a nasty recession---would have taken down the companies in the supply chain with the possible effect of that being that not only they went down---but so would have gone FORD--they were holding their own but not in great shape even though they didn't take the "bailout."

Even the big wigs at the Asian makers like HONDA, TOYOTA, HYUNDAI and the European makers like VW, Mercedes and BMW were concerned about the effects upon them had the interconnected web of auto suppliers had gone down thanks to a double simultaneous failure of GM and Chrysler---both companies really were that close to going out!

It would have hurt the entire worldwide auto industry. At any time such a thing would have been bad news for the world economy---but had that taken place in the midst of what was one of the severest recessions since The Great Depression----it could have been the tipping point that marked the beginning of another worldwide depression that would have made the last one look like a Sunday afternoon tea party.

I don't think that we could have taken the chance on a grand experiment on the glories of "the free market" by letting both companies "Sink."

I for one think it was a damn good thing and glad as hell that the Obama Administration did that---because I am willing to bet that had they not have done that---it would have been not only the death knell of the US auto industry---the Japan like tsunami effect would have pretty much taken down what is left of America's manufacturing capacity and things would be looking really dark right now for not only the US but the rest of the world's economy--even China would not have been able to escape that economic tsunami.

Thankfully----while it has already been well over a year since we officially came out of the recession---signs of recovery have been slow--but now we are seeing signs that recovery is coming.

For the most part, both GM and Chrysler have paid back a large amount of what money the government gave them---and some say that not all of that money will be repaid---but then again---so much of the money that was given to the Wall Streeters we won't get back---with a good chunk of that money dolled out to them went for bonuses to the top dogs in that industry---and no one is really bitching about that----well to me---the auto industry is much more vital overall to our economic well being since those who work in the auto industry actually make things that helps the entire economy thrive----not make their money by moving around the money of others and basically skimming off as much for themselves as they can to get "rich beyond all dreams of avarice."

I can tell ya--I am surely going to either buy another GM or make a move to a Chrysler product because I am glad they are still around!!

[darkeyes]

[FONT=Palatino Linotype][SIZE=4]Fran,

Corporations are by their very nature, “amoral” constructs with absolutely no loyalty to anything except their bottom line; Profits.

*laffs* I'm the last one that needs to be told 'bout corprorations and their loyalty.. I'm not laughing believe me, but what is happening in the US is but a symptom of a changing world.. after all, American companies and corporations have been doing just the same around the planet since at least the end of the second world war.. its similar in a way to the world catching up on british innovation and its dominance of manufacturing in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.. the world catches up and the once dominant party catches a heavy cold or worse he was anything but prepared for and doesn't like it very much.. then he blames everyone but himself and his own short sightedness.. by then once he becomes aware its a bit late though isnt it and so everything is thrown up in the air... especially hands... and there u have your right wing in a nutshell.. and often everyone else, cos they are sucked in by the simplistic emotive fallacies they peddle and it becomes doubly difficult to contain far less solve the problem...

[tenni]

I noticed that Chrysler has had the video removed from youtube. When I first saw the video my immediate reaction was that it was a con job to manipulate US people under some impression that they are suffering from foreign influences. It may have some truth to it but as darkeyes points out US companies have been doing this increasingly since 1950's.

Just as the ad was being shown, in London, Ontario, Canada a US based company Caterpillar was shutting down a Canadian firm that it had bought eighteen months ago. The workers of Electro-Motive had been locked out for over a month when they refused to accept a 50% cut in pay and benefits. The federal government had given a grant to Caterpillar for five million dollars since it took over Electro-Motive. Apparently, all of the equipment and technology invented at the London company was being shipped outside of Canada to some yet unknown location. Hundreds of workers are out of work. The technology invented by Electro-Motive apparently is unique in the business.

Foreign owned seems to mean little in the contemporary world. Loyalty to the North American car industry is not necessarily a good thing. Buy the product that best suits your own needs seems to be. Wrapping a company in a country's flag and emotion is just nonsense.

[12voltman59]

Tenni--I had read about CAT closing that plant and in the story about it---guess what--the production is moving to where the hell else??? CHINA!!

As far as my preferring to buy a car from either GM or Chrysler--it is not about some sort of blind patriotism---it is as much as anything that I do like the products they have and its also sort of a vested self interest---I do have family who either retired or still work in some capacity for a number of auto companies including GM, Ford and Chrysler and the company my dad owned was a vendor for parts for both Ford and GM---and I also a strong familial connection with International Harvester Trucks with a number of family members who worked for that company at one time----if I were in the market for a Semi-tractor cab--I would at least have to consider one---even though among big trucks--Volvos are probably one of the best big semi-tractors going.

I could also make a strong case for buying a Honda product since I myself worked for a short time on the line putting together Accords at the Marysville plant and sure as heck have tons of friends who do work for Honda at one of their plants.

The fact is with autos these days---there is really hardly any such thing as any vehicle that is actually totally "American," "Japanese" "German" or whatever since they are put together with parts ranging from transmissions, electronics, drive trains, etc from all over the world and any automaker of any size is truly a global operator with all auto markets being equally important for them.

My point being that when it comes time to make my next vehicle purchase at some point in the near future---I am very likely going to "reward" either GM or Chrysler with my buying decision based in part on the fact that they are making some pretty good product that interests me and that they are doing their part now to help "get this country back on track!" and it would be in some small way--my contribution to that effort--surely a case of "putting my money where my mouth is!"

[æonpax]

*laffs* I'm the last one that needs to be told 'bout corprorations and their loyalty....

True that. Great minds think alike.

[daldav]

aeonpax, you are a woman, after my own heart ,I think I love you. You said everything that I was thinking.
Well written

[darkeyes]

True that. Great minds think alike. Never a truer word sed, æon... an' as they say.. fools seldom differ.. u know as well as I to whom I refer.. tee hee:bigrin:

[darkeyes]

There has been a lil fun about intelligence in the British press of late... I dunno.. these Canadian poop stirrers.. now u may not think it has much 2 do with this thread but it has much more than u may think... all it needs is a lil imagination and opening of minds...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2095549/Right-wingers-intelligent-left-wingers-says-controversial-study--conservative-politics-lead-people-racist.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/feb/05/daily-mail-calls-rightwingers-stupid?INTCMP=SRCH
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/feb/06/right-stupidity-spreads-enabled-polite-left

Now I am sure many of you will take issue and have your own opinions, but thats as it should be.. for me.. well.. I have heard such things before, and read studies about such things before, and giggled about such things before.. far be it for me to have the gall agree with such claims...