[WyoDutch]

The following wasn't considered to be important enough to be commented-on by McCain, Obama or the mass media. They thought hearing about 'Joe, the plumber' was something that could be understood by the pea-brain intellect of We, The People.

Jeep -

"In a few years time, your "All-American Jeep" may be manufactured in India if Chrysler LLC gets its way and finishes a deal with Indian contract auto manufacturing firm, Argentum Motors. But unlike this past weekend's reports about a possible merger between Chrysler LLC and GM that were never actually ratified , this story has been officially confirmed by the head of corporate communications for Argentum Motors, Colonel Bhagwati Prasad Suman. Suman told Just-Auto that Argentum Motors is currently in negotiations with the Chrysler Group about an outsourced manufacturing deal adding that the Indian firm is busy retooling its plant to assemble larger vehicles." http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2008/10/in ... -with.html



HumVee -

"Asia Times Online has learned that the U.S. government has given Pakistan's Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) an order for an undisclosed sum for 1,000 HumVees - high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles. HIT, located 35 kilometers to the west of the capital Islamabad, is the leading engineering and manufacturing center for the armed forces in Pakistan, with a workforce of over 6,000. Work on the Humvees has already begun, although the task is being undertaken in secret. HIT has the capabilities to build main battle tanks, armored recovery vehicles, armored personnel carriers and other military equipment. Humvees are currently produced by AM General, an American heavy vehicle manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana." http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JJ18Df01.html

[FoolYap]

HumVee -

"Asia Times Online has learned that the U.S. government has given Pakistan's Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) an order for an undisclosed sum for 1,000 HumVees - high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles. HIT, located 35 kilometers to the west of the capital Islamabad, is the leading engineering and manufacturing center for the armed forces in Pakistan, with a workforce of over 6,000. Work on the Humvees has already begun, although the task is being undertaken in secret. HIT has the capabilities to build main battle tanks, armored recovery vehicles, armored personnel carriers and other military equipment. Humvees are currently produced by AM General, an American heavy vehicle manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana." http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JJ18Df01.html

Pakistan?? To build our military vehicles? That seems insane.

--Steve

[Ferretlover]

HHHmmm... I am guessing that our military wants to make sure there is plenty of hardware available as they escalate activities in Pakistan.

[eastbay]

These vehicles will never make it to the USA. They're for use nearby. Building them where the wars are saves money on shipping.

[FoolYap]

Ah. I hadn't thought of that.

[eastbay]

Ah. I hadn't thought of that.

Oh.... and since BOTH major parties are pledging MORE wars for MORE peace (just like in that book written 60 years ago), this is one contract that will not be cancelled.

[Loki]

Giving Pakistan military contracts just goes to show how utterly insane our military-industrial complex has become.

Speaking of exporting what little remains of our industrial base, Freightliner, a manufacturer of heavy trucks, is closing their plant here in Portland and moving to Mexico. Thanks NAFTA!

[WyoDutch]

These vehicles will never make it to the USA. They're for use nearby. Building them where the wars are saves money on shipping.

Give me a break. Do you actually think the American taxpayer isn't going to take it in the shorts for this deal?

Hells fire... let's buy our planes from india... after all, they're closer to Iraq than the good old USofA is. And the russians can make our ammo for us... after all, they're closer to Afghanistan than we are... and shipping costs are all that matter, right?

[WyoDutch]

Speaking of exporting what little remains of our industrial base, Freightliner, a manufacturer of heavy trucks, is closing their plant here in Portland and moving to Mexico. Thanks NAFTA!

Yep.. and if you want a decent quality Vise-Grip... better get one now, as the owners are shutting down the factory in Nebraska (it's been making Vise-Grips since the 1920's)... firing all 300 American workers and sending the machinery to red china.

And we are idiot enough to think that people will actually be buying cars and homes if the banks would just ease up on the credit a bit????

[eastbay]

These vehicles will never make it to the USA. They're for use nearby. Building them where the wars are saves money on shipping.

Give me a break. Do you actually think the American taxpayer isn't going to take it in the shorts for this deal?

Hells fire... let's buy our planes from india... after all, they're closer to Iraq than the good old USofA is. And the russians can make our ammo for us... after all, they're closer to Afghanistan than we are... and shipping costs are all that matter, right?

Calm down... there's no need to shout. We're right here.

It's not just the shipping costs, it's other costs too. Labor, for example, is cheaper too. It just makes economic sense to build them in the AO if possible.

The taxpayer takes it in the shorts in all wars. It's just that these wars have no point to them so it's particularly annoying.

Note: Actually Russian ammo ain't bad.

[Loki]

Yep.. and if you want a decent quality Vise-Grip... better get one now, as the owners are shutting down the factory in Nebraska (it's been making Vise-Grips since the 1920's)... firing all 300 American workers and sending the machinery to red china.

That sucks. It's getting harder and harder to find US-made tools. I recently invested in some "vintage" woodworking tools rather than buy new crap made in China. Chinese tools blow.

Daimler's decision to export Freightliner jobs will result in the loss of thousands of manufacturing jobs in my area, not just Freightliner jobs, but also jobs at plants that contract with Freightliner. Globalist corporate trade is gutting our economy. The political and economic elite responsible for this travesty need to be hung by the neck until dead. Bunch of traitors as far as I'm concerned.

[beamofthewave]

How arrogant the Pentagon is to think that the Pakistanis see the USA as their friend after we put Musharraf into power for so long and we go into their territory to bomb and kill their citizens without asking first. Maybe some of the Pakistanis might want to sabatoge these weapons? How can they trust the Pakistanis when this stuff is obviously for use against the Pakistanis?

[smallpoxgirl]

It will actually save everyone a lot of trouble with shipping. Instead of having to build the IEDs in Pakistan and ship them all the way to Iraq, now Al Queda can just provide the IED's as a factory installed accessory.

[eXpat]

It will actually save everyone a lot of trouble with shipping. Instead of having to build the IEDs in Pakistan and ship them all the way to Iraq, now Al Queda can just provide the IED's as a factory installed accessory.

[Denny]

Speaking of exporting what little remains of our industrial base, Freightliner, a manufacturer of heavy trucks, is closing their plant here in Portland and moving to Mexico. Thanks NAFTA!

Daimler also owns Sterling Trucks in St. Thomas, ON, and has decided to pack it in there too and consolidate production in Mexico. So, bye bye to another 2,000 jobs since the place had its production peak in 2007.

I think there is about 100 labor hours to assemble a highway tractor, so even at a difference of $30 per hour, that would amount to a cost cut of $3,000 for the unit. Seems like a lot, but what will it cost them to ship or drive that highway tractor to the northeast states, the midwestern states or southern Canada? And, what of the cost of shipping all the large components of the drive train to Mexico in the first place? Or is that the second shoe, one which is still to drop?

[Snowrunner]

Seems like a lot, but what will it cost them to ship or drive that highway tractor to the northeast states, the midwestern states or southern Canada? And, what of the cost of shipping all the large components of the drive train to Mexico in the first place? Or is that the second shoe, one which is still to drop?

Less than $30/per hour that much is clear, besides, who says they won't move the rest of manufacturing down there as well?

The shipping of the truck back to Canada and the US will simply be put on the bill for the buyer.

[Consensi]

Jeeps were made, or assembled, in Mexico for years. Mexico even produced Jeep engines since at least the early 80's. This global economy crap is way out of control.

[eastbay]

Jeeps were made, or assembled, in Mexico for years. Mexico even produced Jeep engines since at least the early 80's. This global economy crap is way out of control.

No one has room to complain because, That's capitalism for you!

[idiom]

Building them in the war zone... From a warranty and servicing standpoint that is a brilliant idea.

Send it back to the factory for repairs with fresh blood still in it. They won't argue about it being out of warrantee.

[TheDude]

Companies in China make Humvee copies. Different parts of the world have functioned as your dirt cheap mass production sources before, such as the Vogtland in Germany, which supplied many items you see in those Sears and Roebuck 1905 catalog reprints.

My favorite mass production car would be the VW Thing, which was produced exclusively in Mexico I think, so gracias muchachoes ina de maquiladoras. Copy of the WWII Wehrmacht staff car; gotta love those boxes with wheels and engine.