Clint Eastwood - Chrysler "Half Time" Ad

[Julie]

Interesting thread!
I think it was a pretty good "feel good" ad that wasn't too far off base (as ads go ... it was an ad, after all).

Yes, there was a bailout for the auto industry, that's not at question but a lot of jobs (families) were and are at stake and the auto industry is a model candidate for industry and the rebuilding of industry to keep it alive ... which represents much of what we all are going through in this country, these were loans and I believe Chrystler has paid back more than $7.6 B of that loan (in record time). Now Wall Street and the big banks is an entirely different story, they were bailed out bigtime (have they even made a single payment to repay?) and, of course, they revert right back to the same old fun and games.
IMO, we need more industry, renewable energy is one that clearly comes to mind that could not only put more people back to work but could reduce our dependance on fossil fuels. I would hope as much money that bailed out the auto industry and wall street is put into loans for research and development of new technologies ... I think we need to wean ourselves of our dependency on foreign innovation and do some innovation of our own.
I liked the ad.

thank you for this post, I totally agree.

 

[JordanPond]

Interesting thread!
I think it was a pretty good "feel good" ad that wasn't too far off base (as ads go ... it was an ad, after all).

Yes, there was a bailout for the auto industry, that's not at question but a lot of jobs (families) were and are at stake and the auto industry is a model candidate for industry and the rebuilding of industry to keep it alive ... which represents much of what we all are going through in this country, these were loans and I believe Chrystler has paid back more than $7.6 B of that loan (in record time). Now Wall Street and the big banks is an entirely different story, they were bailed out bigtime (have they even made a single payment to repay?) and, of course, they revert right back to the same old fun and games.
IMO, we need more industry, renewable energy is one that clearly comes to mind that could not only put more people back to work but could reduce our dependance on fossil fuels. I would hope as much money that bailed out the auto industry and wall street is put into loans for research and development of new technologies ... I think we need to wean ourselves of our dependency on foreign innovation and do some innovation of our own.
I liked the ad.

Well said.

 

[Midwest Vintner]

To me, the gov't is NOT who innovates. I mean, there have been innovations by the gov't (thinking NASA/military), but it's more important that the gov't create a stable place for business to flock to. Innovation will be where taxes are low/reasonable, regulations are reasonable and workers are educated/productive.

I'd rather not get political and that's where this seems to be going.

I do agree we need to find renewable resources, but at the same time, it has to be realistic and affordable. Example, many forget that when you charge an electric car, that power is probably coming from coal or oil and then there is the production of batteries. The main savings in that is not shipping the gas to each station, while power lines become the transit and the ability to refuel without driving to a station at all.

Answers to this stuff are over my head. lol. I'll stick to wine!!

 

[timber]

I'd rather not get political and that's where this seems to be going.

I agree and was purposely avoiding (or trying to avoid) drawing political distinctions (if, in fact, you were even referring to my post). Just the vision of the word politics, in my mind, paints a picture of divisions, fences and polarization, NOT IMHO, what this country needs to survive and sustain itself.
Working together, reaching across those fences and resisting attempts from others to build walls instead of bridges seems the only way for us to move forward.

Perhaps making wine IS the answer, enjoying, sitting down at the same table, sharing our secrets of success and relaxing ... these all conjure images of hope and cooperation.

Enjoy,