Every Dog Has His Day!
By: Musafir

"The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool."
-William Shakespeare, "As You Like It", Act 5 scene 1

It is my firm belief that brilliance or mediocrity can be a matter of perception and it can vary widely under different circumstances. It is also possible to thrust mediocrity on someone who has achieved greatness on his own merit. Ironically both the condemnation and commendation can be brought upon on anyone by the most incompetent, insincere and insipid among us.

Take the case of Mr. Rick Wagoner, the CEO and Chairman of General Motors Corporation (GM). On becoming the CEO of GM, Mr. Wagoner inherited a bad labor contract including the infamous 'job banks.' He did not create those woes. As a matter of fact, he had almost streamlined the company by brilliantly negotiating with UAW that would relieve GM of pension and retiree health care obligations by the year 2011. He expanded GM's operations around the globe simultaneously improving quality and productivity. He reduced the U.S. hourly workforce by 52 percent, from 133,000 to 64,000. During the same period, he also cut U.S. salaried employment from 44,000 to fewer than 30,000, and reduced the U.S. executive ranks by 45 percent. He got rid of 51% stake in GMAC. Let us not forget his "Keep America Rolling" program after 9/11. We owe our gratitude to him for saving America from unprecedented economic ruin. Then came the credit crunch in the fourth quarter of 2008. That was not Mr. Wagoner's making. The car sales in the U.S. dropped to 11 million unit (annualized). When grilled in Congress, Mr. Wagoner aptly replied that the sudden deterioration was due to "the global financial crisis, which has severely restricted credit availability, and reduced industry sales to the lowest per-capita level since World War II."

Yes, Mr. Wagoner traveled to Washington in a company jet.

"It's almost like seeing a guy show up at the soup kitchen in a high hat and tuxedo," quipped Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y. "Couldn't you have downgraded to first class or something, or jet-pooled or something to get here?"

That was quite condescending, Congressman! Have you heard of 'competitive advantage?' It makes more economic sense for Mr. Wagoner to fly in a company jet than spend hours at the airport or spend 24 hours on road to come to a hearing. Mr. Ackerman, you represent New York's 5th Congressional District. The per capita income of your constituency is $24,296 per annum. Almost 5% of the people you represent live below poverty level. Why are you donning an expensive suit? Why don't you buy a tee shirt and a khaki from Wal-Mart instead like the rest of your people?

Moreover, Mr. Ackerman, you cannot match the work ethics of the man you are grilling (Mr. Wagoner). You have missed voting on 80 occasions pertaining to a variety of issues, including the Pension Protection Act, the Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act and many more. (Source: Washington Post). The man you are grilling has worked hard to assure pension to hundreds of thousands of retirees so that the American public does not have to worry about that.

"The firms continue to trail their major competitors in almost every category necessary to compete," said Richard Shelby, the Senator from Alabama.

Of course, you are quite ignorant Senator! GM had six of the 10 most improved assembly plants in North America, with plants in Orion Township, Mich.; Wilmington, Del.; and Detroit-Hamtramck, Mich., and Bowling Green, Ky (Source Harbour Report). New GM product programs launched earlier this decade have produced award-winning cars and crossovers like the Saturn Aura, Cadillac CTS and Buick Enclave. And that is just the beginning. The Malibu leads its segment in highway fuel economy at 33 mpg (2009 EPA figures), and was named best midsize car for initial quality in the most recent J.D. Power and Associates study. GM also has the largest fleet of vehicles in the industry producing an output of 30 mpg or better.

As for you, Mr. Shelby, you revealed classified information to the media when you were a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. This information had been given to you, Mr. Shelby only minutes before at a closed intelligence committee meeting. This information consisted of two messages intercepted by the National Security Agency on September 10, 2001, but translated only after the attacks the next day - "the match is about to begin" and "tomorrow is zero hour."

In your role as chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs, you opposed proposed bills that would have helped reform the title insurance industry and help reduce the costs homeowners pay, particularly when they refinance their mortgage. Was not that a conflict of interest, Senator, especially when you earn between $100,000 and $1,000,000 per year from Tuscaloosa Title Co. Inc., a title insurer you founded in 1974? Mr. Shelby, you did not oppose hundreds of millions in tax break to foreign transplants in your state.

I think the UAW President Mr. Ron Gettlefinger summed it up the best, "I think there is something we're missing here. Unfair trade agreements, supporting our competition to come in, not doing anything about health care in this country. … How can we compete when we subsidize the competition."

Never mind the rhetoric, today was not yours, but you'll have your day soon.