Chevy Volt a Failure - GM to Layoff 1,300

How nice it must be for you, given the diversity of perspectives you bring to discussions of political economy.

 

Yeah, what's with the personal attack?
Moderators, please moderate the moderator.

 

Nah, just make him give us timely financial advice in a Reader's Digest format.

 

But do it moderately.

 

This sounds a lot like the boilerplate argument that the general welfare clause is being interpreted too broadly. Which I agree with, to a certain extent. There are many things the private sector does well, and should do without interference from the government.

I'm talking specifically about renewable energy (well, and a segment of the medical industry, too) as compared to defense contracting.

If the baseline is vulnerability to "fraud, waste and abuse," well, that can be found anywhere, whether it is a "specifically enumerated" power or not. In fact, one might argue it's found MORE in the investments the government is uniquely positioned to make, which you seem to be defending. Therefore, it is not a strong argument against more discretionary investments like energy. It's an argument against grift of any kind. There's enough to fund quite a few things deemed to be in the public interest by BOTH sides, if/when the will is ever there to do it on the up-and-up.

 

Can you phrase that as a word problem so I can understand it better?

 

I've read this thread and the one on gold prices and various other ones that touch on the U.S. economy. So what I'm wondering is, what's the worst-case scenario for me, the average middle-class American, when the shit hits the fan? I don't own a home, but I do own several vehicles. Two kids and a wife. We have stable jobs, and together we make plenty of money to survive and even take the occasional vacation.

And on the other hand, what's the best-case scenario?

 

To make more money than LTL can dream of.

 

Oh no -- I'm LIVING the dream, man. True, my buddies and I aren't the currency manipulators who pulled off the "crime without criminals" by the banks, but I do OK.

I got enough into real estate a long time ago that Ragu won't be able to buy and sell me. Not for cheap, anyway.

 

Update: If Tesla is making money, it isn't doing it by selling electric cars.

Tesla burns cash, loses more than $4,000 on every car sold - Yahoo Finance

 

Ragu is going to love Musk's latest Barnum act. Order a car in March that you'll get in two years:

Tesla Motors chief executive Elon Musk on Wednesday teased the car that is expected to be the company's true revolution: A high-performance, all-electric sedan that will be priced for the middle class.

The Model 3, as it is called, has been long cast as the car that could truly alter the landscape of the car industry. At $35,000, it would be competing with gas-powered sedans that are at the heart of the lineup for nameplates such as Lexus, Acura and others.

Tesla's cars have been getting otherworldly reviews. The high-end version of the Model S literally broke Consumer Reports' rating system last month, scoring a 103 out of a possible 100. The influential magazine had to re-calibrate its evaluation system after remarking that the car achieved the rare feat of luxury sport car performance with an ultra-efficient engine.

That this technology could be priced within reach of middle class drivers has generated a lot of buzz. But there was a catch. The Model 3, Musk said on Twitter, will be unveiled in March, and pre-orders will start then. But the actual car won't be available for another two years. Musk said it will take that long to get its so-called "Gigafactory" running at full capacity.

A Tesla priced at $35,000? It’s coming.