This is from Michael Moore's appearance on Keith Olberman last night. Moore cited the Roosevelt administration's orders to the auto industry during World War II requiring the auto companies to suspend auto production and produce war material, tanks, motorized armored vehicles, jeeps,etc. He used this as an example of how Washington could order the auto industry to produce green autos, railroad cars, subway cars, buses and other means of mass transportation.

Moore's point was that this would not only save jobs, but create jobs. He pointed out the auto bosses' plan is to take $34 billion from Washington in return for destroying jobs. Destroying jobs "has been their plan for 30 years."

This concept could be taken up by the United Auto Workers, the steel workers, the rubber workers, glass workers, etc and turned into a demand that the government use whatever bailout money is required, including the money that is being handed to the banks, to keep open the auto industry and keep the auto workers working. This should apply across the board to the millions of workers affected by the current crisis in the auto industry.

Moore called for all the management to be fired and for Washington to take over the companies. But Washington is still run by big business and the workers would be subject to the capitalist state as their boss. The surest way for the workers' to protect their interests, would be for the workers themselves to take control of the industry!

Labels: auto industry, bailout, economic crisis, Keith Olberman, Michael moore, United Auto Workers