Barney Frank, Car Czar

The Wall Street Journal ^ | June 5, 2009 | Editorial

[St. Louis Conservative]

President Obama may have "no interest" in running General Motors, as he averred Monday. But even if that's true, we are already discovering that he shares Washington with 535 Members of Congress, many of whom have other ideas.

The latest self-appointed car czar is Massachusetts's own Barney Frank, who intervened this week to save a GM distribution center in Norton, Mass. The warehouse, which employs some 90 people, was slated for closure by the end of the year under GM's restructuring plan. But Mr. Frank put in a call to GM CEO Fritz Henderson and secured a new lease on life for the facility.

Mr. Frank's spokesman, Harry Gural, says the Congressman discussed, among other things, "the facility's value to GM." We'd have thought that would be something that GM might have considered when it decided to close the Norton center, but then a call from one of the most powerful Members of Congress can certainly cause a ward of the state to reconsider what qualifies as "value." A CEO who refuses the offer can soon find himself testifying under oath before Congress, or answering questions from the Government Accountability Office about his expense account. To that point, Mr. Henderson spent Wednesday with Chrysler President Jim Press being castigated by the Senate Commerce Committee for their plans to close 3,400 car dealerships. Every Senator wants dealerships closed in someone else's state.

[St. Louis Conservative]

[freebilly]

As Mr. Gural put it, Mr. Frank was "just doing what any other Congressman would do" in looking out for the interests of his constituents. And that's the problem with industrial policy and government control of American business. In Washington, every Member of Congress now thinks he's a czar who can call 'ol Fritz and tell him how to make cars.

This is why GM will never again be a viable business....

[null and void]

[South40]

What did Barney Frank say to his soon to be gay lover when he met him in a bar?

"Can I push your stool in for you?"

[ruination]

Hey, how do YOU know that GM won’t flourish under the oversight of a left-handed, sweaty pederast with a lisp. We’ve never tried that before!

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

He was hoping for an appointment to the federal railway commission.

Head of the caboose committee.

[Gator113]

Obama Motors is a laughing stock and will crash and burn to the ground. It’s a shame the dems had to screw it up.

[Cannoneer]

That goes right up with the proposed new PAY Czar as reported in the WSJ

"The Obama administration plans to appoint a "Special Master for Compensation" to ensure that companies receiving federal bailout funds are abiding by executive-pay guidelines, according to people familiar with the matter.

The administration is expected to name Kenneth Feinberg, who oversaw the federal government's compensation fund for victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, to act as a pay czar for the Treasury Department, these people said.?

The government teat is turning sour.

[elkfersupper]

First you wreck it, then you "save" it

How can I get a gig like that?

[PGR88]

He prefers the title “Car Czarina”

[Aria]

LOL....that’s so pertinent for an article about Elmer Fudd and cars... LOL

[dfwgator]

“I’m dwiving in my car....you turn on the wadio....”

[This_far]

Thanks for your help keeping the (closed) Framingham MA assembly plant open Barney, (you *&#%@!)

[null and void]

Did you mean Elmer Pudd?

[Hugin]

I like Mitt Romney’s idea of sending the shares of GM out to every American citizen. Let them keep them, sell them, whatever, and take control out of the hands of Washington.

[VeniVidiVici]

"Adolf, I tell you it will look stupid with the engine in the rear of the car." "Ferdinand. I won't tell you again. Put the engine in the rear. Don't make me bitch slap you in front of all these people."

[cliniclinical]

The sure is a funny picture! I wonder if that guy tensed up real quick when he felt Barney’s hand on his rear? Took in a thin gasp of air, paused his speech sightly... Probably intended to schmooze him a bit, and then was caught in a rather awkward power-play. Barney has a keen sense for weakness.

“Well, thank you again Congressman for gracing us with your presence... Now, I gotta run to the restroom and throw up...”

;)

[Hugin]

Ironically that undercuts the argument that government cannot make a good car.

[cliniclinical]

That picture makes me think if the VW bug in an entirely different manner... Fascinating history - say - what’s with the guy in blackface over Hitler’s left shoulder?

[usmcobra]

Ironically that undercuts the argument that government cannot make a good car.

Actually Volkswagen didn't make a good car until well after the war, the KDFWagen or Kraft durch Freude (Strength Through Joy) wagen never made it into mass production while Hitler was in power and by the time the first VW rolled off tthe line the KDF Wagen stamp books so many Germans bought stamps for to actually purchase their cars from the Nazis were worthless.

Fewer than 1000 beetles were built during the war and only used by the Nazi elites.