The New Poll Porn: Automotive Sales Aren't What You Think They Are
Crazy facts you may not have realized about November's automotive sales.
It's Not Alberto Gonzales' Fault that Rachel Paulose Is an Authoritarian Nut, Really
The Office of Special Counsel wants you to know that, in spite of the fact that a hand-picked loyal Bushie was using her US Attorney position as a personal feifdom, Alberto Gonzales' DOJ bears no responsibility for that fact.
Did Bob Corker Just Cause GM to Lose 10% of Its Value on Inaccurate Information?
Bob Corker mouths off, falsely insinuating that the Big 2.5 weren't going to get DOE money they're counting on because they're not viable companies. And GM loses 10% of its stock value. I thought it was considered bad form to make a company lose 10% of its stock value just to prove an ideological point.
Hold Lifted on Barofsky Nomination
The chances that Jim Bunning is the one who put the hold on Barofsky's nomination to be Inspector General on TARP just went up. But whoever it was has also apparently lifted the hold.
Senate Auto Hearing: "Russian Roulette with the Economy"
The auto execs are before Senate Banking today--go here for the hearing.
Dodd is up, arguing that not helping the Big Two and a Half is like playing Russian Roulette with the American economy. He's also beating up on Paulson for his irresponsibility with our TARP funds.
In my view of we're going to insist on reforms from the auto industry, we ought to also require reforms from the finance industry.
Supplier Shock: Explained in Simple Terms for Matt Yglesias
A hopefully simple explanation of why a GM bankruptcy would hurt Ford and Toyota and Honda, too.
Would George Bush Consider a PatFitzPack of Pardons?
So far, every single high profile figure that Patrick Fitzgerald has prosecuted in the last eight years has been mentioned for a pardon. Is someone somewhere packaging this into a 3-for-1 deal?
GM Financed 50% of Car Purchases Last Year; Can Only Finance 6% Now
GM's description of its inability to give consumers credits cuts to the heart of its problem right now.
GM's Beg: The Waiting Is Making It Worse
The longer we discuss whether to bail out or bankrupt GM, the worse it gets.
Shorter Terwilliger: Don't Extend the Investigation Past January 20
Alberto Gonzales' lawyer, George Terwilliger, wants the investigation into the US Attorney firings to end now. You think he's worried about what happens when President Obama stops shielding the Administration's actions with bogus executive privilege claims?
Chrysler: DIPs versus Begs
Chrysler's beg is an unspoken plea for help selling itself away, with a business case for why the government should pay for what amounts to bankruptcy rather than a loan.
Fredo's Fredo and Ford
Guess who wrote Ford's Beg of Congress? Fredo's Fredo, David Leitch.
Ford to Richard Shelby: Suck. On. This.
Ford points out that the manufacturers in Richard Shelby's state all hopped on the SUV gravy train, too.
Throughout the 1990s and into this decade, we became increasingly dependent in the U.S. market on trucks and large SUVs, which were in heavy demand by consumers and generated large profits. Many of our competitors, both foreign and domestic, likewise followed market demand and added more truck and SUV products to their lineups.
The Begs: Ford's Political Requests
First in a series on the Big Two and a Half's Begs: Ford's political requests.
Robert Ficano to Richard Shelby: Suck. On. This.
Wayne County's Executive, Robert Ficano, is taking it directly to Richard Shelby for his opposition to the Big Two and a Half auto makers.
Good Question
Judge Vaughn Walker seems unwilling to abdicate his Article III function to give the telecoms immunity for breaking the law.
Two and a Half Paths Diverged in the Woods
The Big 2.5's fates have now diverged.
Soft Power
David Sanger confirms our earlier suspicions: part of the logic behind Obama's foreign policy team is to have people in place who can shift our security strategy to a greater emphasis on soft power.
Acorns
Both Susie and Joe linked to this story saying there are no acorns this year.
As the story points out, though, that's true for just some parts of the country.
Simmons has a theory about the wet and dry cycles. But many skeptics say oaks in other regions are producing plenty of acorns, and the acorn bust here is nothing more than the extreme of a natural boom-and-bust cycle.
We've got 5 mature oaks
RIP Tanta
"Tanta" from Calculated Risk passed away today. Thanks to her for helping us through this troubled time.
