There’s a special place in my musical life for Arlo Guthrie. I used to have a gazillion bootlegs of his (there’s still a few floating around downstairs). I had an absolute wonderful time seeing him at the old Valley Forge Music Fair in the round. I find his music wonderful. A cross between Tom Lehrer and Dylan; a kinship with his dad Woody and his buddy Pete Seeger, Arlo is the present-day embodiment of American folk music.
While everyone enjoys Alice’s Restaurant (my folks actually owned this one), Ring-Around-a-Rosy Rag (I still say that is a good scavenger hunt . . . re-create playing it in Rittenhouse Square as Arlo had done), Coming Into Los Angeles, Steve Goodman’s City of New Orleans, etc., I always enjoyed the quirky tunes.
When the government bailed out Chrysler (the first time), Tom Paxton wrote the classic I’m Changing My Name To Chrysler. It was an Arlo staple for years. Funny song.
Anyhow, as I searched for Arlo’s version of Goodnight, Irene, I stumbled across this updated version of Paxton’s song. Arlo is always relevant.
But that isn’t the most galling thing Chrysler is doing. How could they screw us more?, you ask. They’re primed to asked for another $1.5 billion in June!
According to the filing, the company’s financial advisor also foresees the need for an additional $1.5 billion loan from the Treasury Department by June 30, 2010.
That’s chutzpah!
Back in September I called for letting these businesses file for bankruptcy. Bankruptcy does not mean that the business folds; it re-organizes! That is what all these companies need to do. Instead, our government decided to become a shareholder tossing mounds of cash at these failing corporate cheats. Now we stand in line with all the others trying to get pennies on the dollar back. And we won’t.
The entire bailout strategy is a failure. Chrysler is small compared to GM. That foot has yet fall but when it does you will be able to feel the vacuum of your tax dollars disappearing.
Corzine will be at the Cumberland County Improvement Authority, located at 2 High St., at 4 p.m. to make an announcement regarding the intersection of routes 49 and 55.
Gov. Jon S. Corzine revealed Thursday the 55 transportation projects that state officials chose to receive New Jersey’s $894 million share of federal transportation funding. Not one Cumberland County project was among them.
Why would Corzine sneak up on Millville tomorrow? To make political amends for the above. It is an election year after all. Millville government didn’t even know he was coming.
I suspect that Corzine will do the dance: talk about the importance of Cumberland County, talk about the need of expanding the roads here, talk about how government (and particularly, he) is concerned for the community here, and tell us that he will do all he can to help out. He’ll do all this without committing to anything. No money will be slated, just a promise that he’ll do something in the futre.
How could he possibly come up with cash now? He would be raked over the coals for spending if he produce dollars tomorrow.
I hope to make the meeting, although I will be late if I get there. I am not too concerned as the last time I went to see Corzine here in town, I waited more than an hour and a half before I left. My time is too valuable to wait.
