Post by anthonyb on Nov 30, 2008 22:42:36 GMT -5
Bob Englehart, The Hartford Courant, 11/26/08
This cartoon depicts a large automobile pulling up to a gas station and the driver telling the gas station attendant to fill his tank and the word "Detroit" written along the side. The automobile is painted the same shade of pink that is similar to that of cartoon pigs. Also, the car's radiator grille has two slots that seem to be elongated ovals, much like a pigs nostrils, and a curled tail associated with pigs. Instead of the gas stations sign being an advertisement for a large oil company, it reads "Taxpayer Funded Bailout," referring to the $700 billion bailout plan passed by Congress.
Pigs are normally animals associated with the characteristics of greed and gluttony, and by displaying the word "Detroit" on the side of the "pig-mobile" the cartoonist seems to refer to the "Big Three" (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler) whose largest plants are in Detroit, Michigan, as greedy. I do not agree with this argument that the "Big Three" are greedy, they truly need the money that they asked for. Other companies such as AIG took the money and spent it arbitrarily, however I'm convinced none of the large car manufacturers will follow suit. The $25 billion of the $700 billion bail out plan that was asked by the Big Three would actually be put to use and help these struggling companies which are tied to their financial fates by the large Corporate Worker's Unions which are ultimately responsible. The money being given to them truly wouldn't even be given to them because the three companies have agreed to pay back the government, as Ford did in the 1970s with interest. It's been proven that these companies need the money, their interests are the interests of the people, they don't wish to downsize, nor do they wish to be sued for neglecting the bonds they have to their workers by legal contract. They are not greedy, saying they are greedy is basically saying that the American government should let almost half a million people go unemployed, something that nobody wants.
