At the Crossroads : Middle America and the Battle to Save the Car Industry

The U.S. auto industry has struck a brick wall. Can it get back on the road to recovery? At the Crossroads: Middle America and the Battle to Save the Car Industry argues that the Obama administration missed an historic opportunity in 2009 to launch a Manhattan ProjectÂstyle effort to save not only Detroit, but the entire manufacturing base in Middle America. Abe Aamidor and Ted Evanoff explain how WashingtonÂ1s intervention fell short and how it is holding back American economic recovery. The authors take a thoughtful look at the root causes behind the auto industryÂ1s crash, including disastrous labor contracts such as the 1950sÂ1 Â3Treaty of Detroit,Â2 which set the stage for crushing legacy costs; Wall StreetÂ1s predatory financial practices ushered in under the Reagan administration; and a largely unregulated free trade regime that undermined the competitiveness of American manufacturing. At the Crossroads tells the story of DetroitÂ1s collapse and a failed national industrial policy from the point of view of those most affected by it ? the factory workers, small business owners, and mayors of small manufacturing towns like Kokomo, Marion, and Bedford in Indiana, the number two auto manufacturing state after Michigan and the number one manufacturing state overall based on a percentage of population. Washington could debate the pros and cons of a national industrial policy and an auto industry bailout ad nauseum, but it was the people in small towns in Middle America who would live or die by the policy decisions of their distant national leaders. Detailing what is at the center of the troubled American auto industry, this story is described by the people most affected by it as they confront 2009, which is bound to be their year of decision. It is not only Detroit’s fate that hangs in the balance but also dozens of places such as Kokomo, Indiana—home to three generations of auto workers, many of whom are descended from the original pioneers in the state. The exploration focuses on Chrysler in particular and the citizens of Kokomo: union leaders, salaried plant managers, and elected local officials, as well ordinary citizens who run small businesses in town, and the veterans who gather at the American Legion halls. Profiles of some of those affected by the decline of the industry are presented, including the stories of Robert Nardelli, the Chrysler chairman; Frank Ewasyshyn, a Chrysler manufacturing chief who grew up near Kokomo; Tom LaSorda, the talented Canadian engineer who remade Chrysler plants; Bob Jones, a tool maker who farms 700 acres of corn; and former steelworker—and mayor of Kokomo—Greg Goodnight. This examination explains how the Detroit auto industry stumbled, why the decline matters, and how its collapse would leave the factory cities filled with millions of citizens reliant on part-time or seasonal work or on welfare handouts. "Three hundred and fifty miles southwest of Detroit, the roads run straight to the horizon in between tall cornfields and past gothic farmhouses, but also through small towns with traditional courthouse squares, brick-walled factory buildings, and now-cold smokestacks that tell of a faded industrial splendor. This is the heartland, the center of the center, the middle of the industrial Middle West. Once the vibrant core of America, it is becoming the New Appalachia." "President Barack Obama's administration has shored up Chrysler Corporation and General Motors Corporation with $77 billion worth of federal loans, at least for the time being. But the 2009 bailout of Detroit failed to halt the "Rust Belt" deterioration afflicting Middle America." "At the Crossroads tells the story of Detroit's collapse and a failed national industrial policy from the point of view of those most affected by it - the factory workers, small business owners, and mayors of small manufacturing towns like Kokomo, Marion, and Bedford in Indiana, the number two auto manufacturing state after Michigan and the number one manufacturing state overall based on a percentage of population."--Jacket

Tim Moore's summer job in the moving business led to the creation of the largest, coast-to-coast moving company in Canada - AMJ Campbell Van Lines. With 48 offices, Tim's company generated $125 million in sales.

Today, as one of Canada's most successful businessmen, Tim is able to spot and mentor future entrepreneurs. Dozens of ordinary people were tutored by Tim to become successful business operators, and often, millionaires themselves. With his latest venture, Premiere Executive Suites, Tim has progressed from a single condo in Halifax to 400+ suites and townhouses in eight cities across Canada - in less than five years!

In this book, he provides practical advice on how to start and run a successful business. Some of the chapters include: "Creating a Second Successful Business," "Real Estate . . . Always a Good Investment," "Partners - and How to Choose Them," "Nice Guys Finish First," and "Making Your Business Stand Out from the Competition."