Friday, Feb. 17, 2006
MEGAN ERWIN/PHOTO STAFF
Ford is now feeling the effects of its competition with foreign car companies by developing its Way Forward plan which will eliminate 30,000 jobs and 14 manufacturing plants.
Ford cutting thousands of jobs MELISSA STEVEN PERSPECTIVES EDITOR MS727@CABRINI.EDU
NEWS | 5
www.theloquitur.com
failed to find the right formulas to satisfy the American car buyer.” Metz said that Ford was not The American car industry has forward looking enough to see been in competition with foreign the problems that would arise car companies for years now, but with building trucks and rising it has now become clear that the gas prices, and that they did not foreign companies are winning react fast enough to that change with the recent downsizing of to build more cars that people Ford Motor Company as well as needed. General Motors. On Jan. 23, Ford has not commented yet Ford announced its Way Forward on the speculation that they will plan, which be eliminating includes cutsome product ting 30,000 lines when the jobs and closWay Forward “I think they have the wrong product, and I ing 14 of its plan was think they thought that if they built it people manufacturing announced. would buy it.” plants. Metz said, The news “They are came after going to try to -Brian Metz, business administration professor G e n e r a l build cars Motors also Americans announced will need to downsizing buy.” plans about Loquitur welcomes your two months ago. one third of their workers in comments on this story. Please Foreign car companies now North America by 2012. Ford send your comments to: dominated more than 40 percent said that they are determined to Loquitur@yahoogroups.com . of the American car market. In become more innovative and The editors will review your 2005, Ford only held approxi- design more cars that are in points each week and make cormately 17 percent of the car mar- demand like small-hybrid vehirections if warranted. ket, down from 2000 when it held cles. about 25 percent. According to the New York “The big mistake in the ‘80s Times, “Both companies have was that the imports built better quality cars. Then the big mistake in the ‘90s was that the imports listened to the consumers needs, and the domestics didn’t,” Jim Quinn, former vice president of Toyota in the United States and Europe, said. Ford’s decline in dominating the American car market stems from their focus on sport utility vehicles that once fueled their popularity in the ‘90s. Now with rising gas and steel prices, sport utility vehicles have declined in popularity. Quinn, who has been in the automotive industry now for 32 years, said that back in the ‘80s imports began to become more popular to younger people because they needed a reliable car. He explained that foreign car companies did not employ union MEGAN ERWIN/PHOTO STAFF laborers, so it made it cheaper to pay their employees and build Foreign car companies hold 40 percent of the car market, with Ford holding 17 perbetter quality cars. American car companies had to employ unions that drove costs up to pay employees which resulted in the quality of the cars going down. Brian Metz, business administration professor, said, “I think they have the wrong product and I think they thought that if they built it people would buy it.” The Way Forward plan is Ford’s new attempt at restoring its company. They are cutting
cent of the car market ownership.
Iraqi Prime Minister Jafari wins nomination battle ELIZABETH BRACHELLI ASST. A & E EDITOR EAB722@CABRINI.EDU
Iraq’s first permanent government is now in the hands of Ibrahim Jafari, a Shiite Muslim doctor and Iraq’s current interim leader who was nominated as Prime Minister on Sunday. Jafari narrowly beat out economist Adel Abdul Mahdi, a favorite among the Sunnis and Kurds, by one vote after weeks of trying to decide on a unanimous candidate. Since Jafari has become the candidate for United Iraqi Alliance, he will be facing the many upcoming challenges in Iraq.
Cheney accidentally shoots hunting companion Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot his companion, 78-yearold Harry Whittington, during a quail hunting trip. Cheney and Whittington were hunting in South Texas on Saturday afternoon when the incident occurred. Although Whittington was hit by a spray of pellets, he’s recovering and is said to be in stable condition. Cheney accidentally hit Whittington as he picked out a bird and did not see Whittington in the path of his shot.
Iran moves forward with atomic production Iran is moving forward with atomic production as it continues to postpone talks over their nuclear ambitions. Feb. 16, a halt could have been put on Iran’s atomic production since meetings were going to be held to move Iran’s uranium enrichment to Russia that is used in nuclear reactors and atomic bombs. Yet, Iranian presidential spokesman Gholamhossein Elham said Iran has a “new situation.” Iran’s “new situation” describes the International Atomic Energy Agency’s decision to report the country to the U.N. Council because Iran does not have convincing proof they’re not seeking nuclear weapons.
Cartoons cause protests around the world Violent protests have sprung worldwide as the cartoons of the prophet Muhammad, that relates Islams to terrorism, have been printed. The first publishing of the cartoon was in September in Denmark and was later followed by reprints in Europe and the rest of the world. The outrage of the cartoons left police officers in Pakistan to fire tear gas and chase several thousand students with batons on Mon., Feb. 13. Also, the outrage was seen earlier in the week as 25 Muslim graves were vandalized.