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Steve Rattner —
Steve Rattner Resigning As "Car Czar" To Spend More Time With His Money
GM CEO Fritz Henderson Confirms Former Boss Asked To Step Down By Obama
Car Czar Steve Rattner Is All About "Chooch"

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Futrell
10/21/09

In reply to Steve Rattner —
"I was stunned by the suggestion that the government, GM's only source of fresh capital, was somehow out of bounds for asking for the resignation of a CEO who had lost $13 billion of taxpayer money in three months and was now asking for more."

No f'ing shit. #steverattner
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nadnarb
10/21/09

In reply to Steve Rattner —
Why all the hate for what this guy had to say. After reading the article it gave me the idea that there were no good options.
He wasnt a car guy.......so what. Have you seen the crap that those 2 companies produced? If there are many car guys there in management I'd be amazed. So the guy also pointed out that besides having no car guys they also had no businessmen.

Big surprise there. #steverattner
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AmishJohn
10/21/09

In reply to Steve Rattner —
It's even more accurate when you replace 'Detroit' and 'GM' with 'Washington' and 'Congress'. #steverattner
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theeastbaykid
10/21/09

@AmishJohn: I think they already did that, yeah? #steverattner
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lilwillie
10/21/09

In reply to Steve Rattner —
Suuuuuurrrre, because everything the Guberment does comes in on time, on budget and works perfect... #steverattner
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pauljones
10/21/09

In reply to Steve Rattner —
Steve Rattner is an idiot, and I really don't think that it is a coincidence that he has the word "rat" in his name.

"Steve" is short for "Steven", which is an adaptation of the spelling of "Stephen". Depending on the source, the name "Stephen" roughly translates into "crowned one" or "crowned king".

So what should be the source of our QOTD? None other than the crowned king of rats.

I'm not going to sit here and defend the poltroonery of previous generations of GM management or the UAW. But, by the same token, I'm not going to place any faith in Steve Rattner.

I realize that he makes a few fair points, and I will give him that. But his gross hyperbole, utter failure to understand simple economic realities, utter lack of marketing perception, blatant bias fed by ignorance, and other tomfoolery reveal him to be the moron that he is.

He has no place being the "car czar". Being able to mouth off and point out flaws will only get you so far. At some point, someone has to start pointing out solution, and Rattner is not the man for that job. He needs to take his shenanigans and hyperbole and shove it where the sun don't shine.
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Edited by pauljones at 10/21/09 4:32 PM pauljones was starred pauljones was unstarred

Ford Tempo Fanatic
10/21/09

@pauljones: This might all be true, but it is undeniable that even the most uninformed of all blondes will recognize there is something seriously fucking wrong when you're re-branding the same minivan over four different brands. Minivans that have worst-in-class fuel economy figures, safety ratings, and are built on decade+ behind technology that wasn't even worth a damn when it was new. Oh the glorious 4spd./3.1/FWD combo that underpinned all of General Motor's compacts from the days of Aerostar to the days of Freestar. In case you didn't notice, that's a good 3 to 1 on Ford's part. Not that Ford wasn't making BFMs too, but it just puts into perspective how bad GM product management was and is.

In case you didn't catch it, I've had some bad experiences with the Chevrolet Venture. That single car made known everything that was wrong with GM, and the world.
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Edited by Ford Tempo Fanatic at 10/21/09 7:04 PM Ford Tempo Fanatic was starred

that ain't the way to have fun, son
10/21/09

In reply to Steve Rattner —
This describes pretty much every corporate environment, regardless of how new and improved they claim to be.

"We're a forward-thinking company..."

Yeah, thinking about how to maximize profit...indefinitely...and at any cost.

The shortest university course ever constructed? Corporate Ethics.

There are none...class over.

/bitter about the never-ending bullshit generator which is the American Corporate Machine
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Edited by that ain't the way to have fun, son at 10/21/09 4:07 PM

Neener
10/21/09

@send lawyers, guns, and money: Don't blame the operators of the beast...blame the ticket buyers. #steverattner
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that ain't the way to have fun, son
10/21/09

@nataku8_e30: @Fletch Lives:

Oh, I'm saying they stick with one thing, and one thing only on the indefinite goal scale. Profit.

Other than maximizing profit, which includes minimizing cost, there is little which concerns how a corporation is operated. Yes, there is a balance, but it can be quite difficult to balance individual greed with corporate greed, as we've seen of late.

How this is done is typically quite variable and in many cases, inventive. Most of it is legal...some of it is questionable...and a percentage of it deserves its own special level of Hell.

Obviously, there comes a point at which short-term greed overcomes that whole lame-ass going concern thing...like with Bear Stearns, AIG, and the rest of the crooks.

/going concern sarcasm

@Neener:

When you are presented with "X" number of items, none of which may be particularly good, the prevailing logic is to pick the least-sucky of what is available. Sure, not all of these items are necessary, but many make life easier enough to warrant purchase.

What we have is a very limited number of carnivals in town. I do my best to buy tickets wisely. Price is not the ultimate determiner in my choices. Hence, Bosch/Beck/Moog parts for my aging Benzo rather than Üro/Whamco. #steverattner
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that ain't the way to have fun, son
07/13/09

In reply to Steve Rattner Resigning As "Car Czar" To Spend More Time With His Money
Being he was a Wall Street "financier", his sole talent is screwing others out of the maximum amount of money theoretically possible...forget how much they actually have, he has a bud who can lobby to have more printed. If nothing else, credit is always an option.

Problem solved!

GM/Chrysler got dump trucks full of federal funding, so he's done his job...got maximum amount of money out of taxpayers and as a bonus, the treasury's printing presses are not only working around the clock, they've had to go larger denominations just to keep up.

So...when do we get the head of the drug "czar". I mean, that's worked out so well....
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junkman
07/13/09

In reply to Steve Rattner Resigning As "Car Czar" To Spend More Time With His Money
If public opinion could get the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame to Cleveland, we, with the power of Jalopnik can surely get George Barris appointed to this position. He originally is from Chicago, after all.
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DoctorNine
07/13/09

@junkman: George Barris?

How about Chuck Barris?

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Edited by DoctorNine at 07/13/09 7:24 PM DoctorNine was starred DoctorNine was unstarred

junkman
07/14/09

@DoctorNine's D9 Cat: Interesting thought. He already claimed to be on the government payroll as a CIA hitman. Probably the best qualifications someone could have for this job.
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DoctorNine
07/13/09

In reply to Steve Rattner Resigning As "Car Czar" To Spend More Time With His Money
The truth is, Rattner is just as tired as everybody else of the endless parade of czars. Czars of this, tsars of that... Eventually, you just have to say enough is enough, and go home and have stiff one.
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clinto
07/13/09

In reply to Steve Rattner Resigning As "Car Czar" To Spend More Time With His Money
Man, him and Palin both!

Govt. is losing all of it's whiz kids!
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FormerEnglishMajor
07/13/09

In reply to Steve Rattner Resigning As "Car Czar" To Spend More Time With His Money
There is a story here - this guy lobbied and lobbied HARD for the job. He boots out Wagoner - and now, when the government majority-owns GM, decides to "spend more time with his family" - the time-honed, classic BS excuse? Watch - there will be something major coming out about him. Can't figure out if it's insider trading or mistress/rentboy - but someone's got something on him.
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ChillbearLatrigue
07/13/09

In reply to Steve Rattner Resigning As "Car Czar" To Spend More Time With His Money
Now to whom will Peter Faberge present his exquisitely cut auto themed Easter eggs?
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Edited by ChillbearLatrigue at 07/13/09 5:19 PM ChillbearLatrigue was starred

TRexstasy
07/13/09

In reply to Steve Rattner Resigning As "Car Czar" To Spend More Time With His Money
I guess he lost that New Czar smell.
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ChillbearLatrigue
07/13/09

In reply to Steve Rattner Resigning As "Car Czar" To Spend More Time With His Money
Due to a typo in the job description, Rattner thought that he was applying for the position of "Cat Czar." As it turns out fixing the US Automotive industry is a lot harder than coming up with lol cat ideas.
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Superfast
07/13/09

In reply to Steve Rattner Resigning As "Car Czar" To Spend More Time With His Money
"I'm the Car Czar" just doesn't sound as glamorous as "I have a shitload of money"
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