GM, like Chrysler, refutes Romney's auto industry ad


For the third time in a week, GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney and the auto industry are at loggerheads, this time over a Romney radio ad implying that GM and Chrysler are expanding production in China at the cost of American jobs.

The ad claimed that "Under President Obama, GM cut 15,000 American jobs, but they are planning to double the number of cars built in China, which means 15,000 more jobs for China."

The accusation drew a dismissive response from a GM spokesman, who explained, "We've clearly entered some parallel universe during these last few days. No amount of campaign politics at its cynical worst will diminish our record of creating jobs in the U.S. and repatriating profits back to this country."

The ad further claimed that "Chrysler plans to start making Jeeps in, you guessed it, China."

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne refuted Romney's comments in an email sent yesterday to Chrysler employees: "Jeep production will not be moved from the United States to China," Marchionne wrote, touting Chrysler's recent production expansions in America.

It was not the first time Romney claimed that Chrysler was shifting production to China, nor was it the first time Chrysler rebuked Romney's charge.

When Romney told an Ohio audience last week that "Jeep, now owned by the Italians, is thinking of moving all production to China," Chrysler colorfully waved away the charge.

"It is a leap that would be difficult even for professional circus acrobats," wrote Chrysler spokesman Gualberto Ranieri in a blog post. "Let's set the record straight: Jeep has no intention of shifting production of its Jeep models out of North America to China."

Chrysler's wry dismissal did not stop Romney from repeating the claim in an ad warning that "Obama took GM and Chrysler into bankruptcy and sold Chrysler to Italians who are going to build Jeeps in China. Mitt Romney will fight for every American job."

FactCheck.org called Romney's claims "flat wrong," explaining, "It's misleading to suggest that Chrysler's decision to expand into China will cost U.S. jobs -- especially after the company has said it would have no impact on its U.S. operations."

The fact-checking website cited a report from Bloomberg that Chrysler was mulling "adding Jeep production sites rather than shifting output from North America to China."

Romney's incentive to tarnish the credibility of President Obama's auto bailout is clear - his electoral fortunes largely depend on his showing in midwestern manufacturing states like Ohio and Michigan with a large auto industry presence. If he can convince voters there that the auto bailout did more harm than good, he will stand to benefit.

But that doesn't mean the automakers have to play along.

Auto Bombshell: Fiat Likely Moving Chrysler-Jeep Production to Italy
By Dr. Johnny Nesman Yesterday
Fiat moving Chrysler to Italy? (getty images)

Fiat has been overseeing production of Jeep and it could now be moving overseas! Bloomberg financial news reported this week that in an effort to stem poor sales in Europe, Fiat may move production of Chrysler vehicles (that it received after the General Motors bailout) including Jeep, to Europe — namely Italy. This is prompted by unrealized sales projections and excessive losses.

European car sales have slumped badly and the move, some experts say, would maximize use of factories to curb losses. How ironic would that be if Chrysler and Jeep — iconic members of America auto history — were built in Europe and imported to America?

The National Legal and Policy Center published a scathing assessment of the idea, saying the bailout was not well thought out. It was done more to preserve the political support and power of the UAW for the Obama administration than for the long-term health of the automotive industry, it said. Initially, the U.S. courts in 2009 had sought to block the sale of Chrysler to the Italian car maker. Maybe they knew something.

What could happen now if Fiat does move Chrysler across the ocean will be more lost American jobs, and fewer opportunities once they are gone.

As the NPLC pointed out:

    “Mitt Romney has rightfully criticized the Obama Administration for handing over Chrysler to the Italians and now leaving the fate of American workers in the hands of Fiat management. Fiat is not a healthy company and the auto industry is in as great a risk as ever. The insistence that all is well by those with political motivations does not mask the danger. More jobs are at risk of being lost and more taxpayer money may be lost as well.”

You remember the avalanche of Chrysler ads touting the cars were “imported from Detroit?” If Fiat moves Chrysler, those will become yet another sadly humorous footnote to one of the most controversial, and perhaps disastrous ,moves for the U.S. auto industry.

Quoted from Shadow

Auto Bombshell: Fiat Likely Moving Chrysler-Jeep Production to Italy
By Dr. Johnny Nesman Yesterday
Fiat moving Chrysler to Italy? (getty images)

Fiat has been overseeing production of Jeep and it could now be moving overseas! Bloomberg financial news reported this week that in an effort to stem poor sales in Europe, Fiat may move production of Chrysler vehicles (that it received after the General Motors bailout) including Jeep, to Europe — namely Italy. This is prompted by unrealized sales projections and excessive losses.

European car sales have slumped badly and the move, some experts say, would maximize use of factories to curb losses. How ironic would that be if Chrysler and Jeep — iconic members of America auto history — were built in Europe and imported to America?

The National Legal and Policy Center published a scathing assessment of the idea, saying the bailout was not well thought out. It was done more to preserve the political support and power of the UAW for the Obama administration than for the long-term health of the automotive industry, it said. Initially, the U.S. courts in 2009 had sought to block the sale of Chrysler to the Italian car maker. Maybe they knew something.

What could happen now if Fiat does move Chrysler across the ocean will be more lost American jobs, and fewer opportunities once they are gone.

As the NPLC pointed out:

    “Mitt Romney has rightfully criticized the Obama Administration for handing over Chrysler to the Italians and now leaving the fate of American workers in the hands of Fiat management. Fiat is not a healthy company and the auto industry is in as great a risk as ever. The insistence that all is well by those with political motivations does not mask the danger. More jobs are at risk of being lost and more taxpayer money may be lost as well.”

You remember the avalanche of Chrysler ads touting the cars were “imported from Detroit?” If Fiat moves Chrysler, those will become yet another sadly humorous footnote to one of the most controversial, and perhaps disastrous ,moves for the U.S. auto industry.

Having a question mark means it is not a fact, genius.

It's a hyped up accomplice to Romney's lies.

Romney is not lying.  The FACT is that Chrysler received a bailout from the U.S. government but is now choosing to expand operations in China and, possibly, Italy and NOT in the United States.  So in FACT those operations will be employing Chinese and Italians instead of Americans --- thus it is taking potential jobs away from Americans.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Romney is not lying.  The FACT is that Chrysler received a bailout from the U.S. government but is now choosing to expand operations in China and, possibly, Italy and NOT in the United States.  So in FACT those operations will be employing Chinese and Italians instead of Americans --- thus it is taking potential jobs away from Americans.

WRONG AGAIN GENIUS KNOW IT ALL...read the facts or talk with people that actually understand business. American cars are not competitive in China....many products made in Europe are not competitive in China...the only success for these products is to build them in China. So in other words, building them in America is not an options for trying to expand Asian market...so no American jobs are at risk. Look at the Japanese and Korean car makers...they have moved production of their vehicles to US because that makes them more competitive and provides greater margins. You are so biased that you can't see reality, you just want to jump on the bandwagon to support your twisted views.

Here's an example for you:
A component we use in our product that is built in US, Europe and China, is made in Poland and costs $157 at current fx if used in China, $128 in Europe and $142 in US
We now source it for the Asian market from China and cost is $112 for China, but with VAT, duties and export taxes, it is more expensive for us to use it in Europe and US.

Those are the kind of facts business is dealing with, not the distortions people like you and Romney prescribe to.

And while we're at it, Romney is the last person to talk about moving jobs overseas...how many American jobs were lost when he moved production to China for those companies he bouught/managed under BAIN leadership!!  FRIGGIN HYPOCRITE!!!!!