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Thread: What happened to America's auto industry?

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  1. #1 | Top
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    Default What happened to America's auto industry?

    Will the last person to leave Detroit please turn out the lights?

    "Census data on Tuesday showed that Detroit’s population had plunged by 25 percent over the last decade. It was dramatic testimony to the crumbling industrial base of the Midwest"

    http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/23/us...roit.html?_r=1

    http://www.census.gov/regions/detroit/

    Mayor Bing has been reduced to begging for a recount in hopes of qualifying for state and federal aid.

    http://abcnews.go.com/US/detroits-ma...ry?id=13203061

    Once the dynamic hub of a thriving industrial nation, Detroit is now a crumbling slum.

    What happened?


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    Unions mostly. Not that the picture they paint of Detroit is anywhere close to accurate. It's also unfair to say that this happened to Americas auto industry, because it's still in America. It's located in the south where the UAW doesn't have as much control.
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    Quote Originally Posted by King of Proles View Post
    Unions mostly. Not that the picture they paint of Detroit is anywhere close to accurate. It's also unfair to say that this happened to Americas auto industry, because it's still in America. It's located in the south where the UAW doesn't have as much control.
    Oh like hell. Ya'll believe about any political rhetoric that's thrown your way and ya'll believe it. In 2004 US Companies produced nearly 14 million vehicles. In 2009 they produced nearly 12 million vehicles. Unions impact on auto production has had about as much impact as outsourcing. These are substantial increases in automotive manufacturing in the US over what was produced in the 70 or 80's. So why has the labor market that supported millions of peoples working in the automotive industry declined so substantially and which is also the major cause of decline for employment in the industrialized midwest? AUTOMATION!

    Superior manufacturing methods, such as JIT and superior manufacturing methods involving automation and robotics has substantially reduced the volume of labor required to manufacture an automobile. in 1970 a Detroit assembly plant required a small army of welders to assemble the frame of a car, now that is done almost entirely by robots. Like wise with parts production. Armies of skilled machinist were needed to make the parts required to produce autos. Now the vast majority of those parts are made by automated CNC machines where one programer/machinist can make more parts in a day then 20 machinist could do in a month in 1970.

    Another example. It took nearly 50 integrated steel plants in 1950 to produce the quantity of iron that one modern blast furnace on the south shore of lake Michigan produces today. Why so few plants and a fraction of the labor today? Superior technology and automation. A few thousand workers can now produce more steel then what used to take 100,000 workers and more steel in being made now in the US then was made in the 50's, 60's or 70's!

    So trying to lay the blame on the decline of manufacturing jobs in the industrial midwest on unions shows an almost complete ignorance of what has actually happened. So you want to blame the real culprits for the decline of jobs in heavy industry in the midwest? Blame our engineers and their production genius.
    Last edited by Mott the Hoople; 04-03-2011 at 03:48 PM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mott the Hoople View Post
    Blah blah blah AUTOMATION!

    blah blah blah
    Yes, autmation had a significant role in production. But basically the UAW DEMANDED maintaining the same benefits/wages that they had prior to being useless. In effect this made them unable to compete. Plus Detriot has notoriously high taxes to pay for it's social entitlement programs. This has driven businesses out of MI. And the new smoking laws certainly don't help. Overall Detroit represents the ultimate failure of the lefts policies.
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    Quote Originally Posted by King of Proles View Post
    Yes, autmation had a significant role in production. But basically the UAW DEMANDED maintaining the same benefits/wages that they had prior to being useless. In effect this made them unable to compete. Plus Detriot has notoriously high taxes to pay for it's social entitlement programs. This has driven businesses out of MI. And the new smoking laws certainly don't help. Overall Detroit represents the ultimate failure of the lefts policies.
    Dude, that is so fucking lame. How could an industry that sold 12 million vehicles in 2004 not be competitive? The problem with US auto industry right now is there's little demand for gas guzzling SUV's and light trucks and the US industry has had to switch models, design and production to where the demand is, cars!
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    Your NYT article states that the city was once 83% black. Today it's between 90 and 95%.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Epic Win View Post

    Once the dynamic hub of a thriving industrial nation, Detroit is now a crumbling slum.

    What happened?
    Quote Originally Posted by King of Guns View Post
    Your NYT article states that the city was once 83% black. Today it's between 90 and 95%.
    more significantly, it's 100% Democrat....

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    Quote Originally Posted by Epic Win View Post
    Will the last person to leave Detroit please turn out the lights?

    "Census data on Tuesday showed that Detroit’s population had plunged by 25 percent over the last decade. It was dramatic testimony to the crumbling industrial base of the Midwest"

    http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/23/us...roit.html?_r=1

    http://www.census.gov/regions/detroit/

    Mayor Bing has been reduced to begging for a recount in hopes of qualifying for state and federal aid.

    http://abcnews.go.com/US/detroits-ma...ry?id=13203061

    Once the dynamic hub of a thriving industrial nation, Detroit is now a crumbling slum.

    What happened?

    I don't know. My classic 50's Pontiac is still on the road. The good, old 6-cylinder stove bolt cranks out a whooping 115 HP! 0 - 60 in just under 2.6 minutes!.
    "May your reality be as pleasant as mine."

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    Quote Originally Posted by apple0154 View Post
    I don't know. My classic 50's Pontiac is still on the road. The good, old 6-cylinder stove bolt cranks out a whooping 115 HP! 0 - 60 in just under 2.6 minutes!.
    How is this relevant? You seem to be making light of a heartbreaking situation. America's industrial heartland is in ruins, and you make jokes?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Epic Win View Post
    How is this relevant? You seem to be making light of a heartbreaking situation. America's industrial heartland is in ruins, and you make jokes?
    Just thought I'd lighten things up. Besides, it shows GM did and does make good cars. Both the Mrs. and I own GM products.
    "May your reality be as pleasant as mine."

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    Quote Originally Posted by Epic Win View Post
    How is this relevant? You seem to be making light of a heartbreaking situation. America's industrial heartland is in ruins, and you make jokes?
    It's relevant because the car is over fifty years old and still runs. Think, then type.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Holden Caulfield View Post
    It's relevant because the car is over fifty years old and still runs. Think, then type.
    Please explain the relevance of a car running after 50 years to Detroit's current situation.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Epic Win View Post
    Please explain the relevance of a car running after 50 years to Detroit's current situation.
    It is not about quality, it is about mismanagement.
    It is the responsibility of every American citizen to own a modern military rifle.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Epic Win View Post
    How is this relevant? You seem to be making light of a heartbreaking situation. America's industrial heartland is in ruins, and you make jokes?
    You don't know what you're talking about. Our Heavy industry has been set back due to the impact of the recesion and it well on it's way to climbing back to pre 2007 levels. The big problem in the industrial midwest is that modern factories no longer need a zillion employees to manufacture their products. This has left large numbers on unskilled workers unemployed. If you think our industrial base is in shambles then my guess is not only do you not know anything about manufacturing you have probably never ever worked in a factory and probably have never been in one, at least a modern one. The volume of goods manufactured in our nation still exceeds that of any other nation on the planet. We just aint making low margin products like bicycles and washing machines. The fact is, a modern factory can produce it's goods with about 1/10 of the labor that was required in 1980.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mott the Hoople View Post
    You don't know what you're talking about. Our Heavy industry has been set back due to the impact of the recesion and it well on it's way to climbing back to pre 2007 levels. The big problem in the industrial midwest is that modern factories no longer need a zillion employees to manufacture their products. This has left large numbers on unskilled workers unemployed. If you think our industrial base is in shambles then my guess is not only do you not know anything about manufacturing you have probably never ever worked in a factory and probably have never been in one, at least a modern one. The volume of goods manufactured in our nation still exceeds that of any other nation on the planet. We just aint making low margin products like bicycles and washing machines. The fact is, a modern factory can produce it's goods with about 1/10 of the labor that was required in 1980.
    So the layoffs, blight, and devastation in Detroit aren't a problem for you?

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