Remember Lee Iacocca, the man who rescued Chrysler Corporation from it's death throes? He has a new book, and here are some excerpts.

Lee Iacocca Says:

'Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hel_l is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, 'Stay the course'

Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. This is America, not the damned 'Titanic' I'll give you a sound bite: 'Throw all the bums out!'

You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore.

The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we're fiddling in Iraq , the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving 'pom-poms' instead of asking hard questions. That's not the promise of the 'America' my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I've had enough. How about you?

I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have.

The Biggest 'C' is Crisis !

Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It's easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory. Or send someone else's kids off to war when you've never seen a battlefield yourself. It's another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down.

On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. A hel_l of a Mess. So here's where we stand. We're immersed in a bloody war with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving. We're running the biggest deficit in the history of the country. We're losing the manufacturing edge to Asia, while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs. Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has a coherent energy policy. Our schools are in trouble. Our borders are like sieves. The middle class is being squeezed every which way. These are times that cry out for leadership.

But when you look around, you've got to ask: 'Where have all the leaders gone?' Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, omnipotence, and common sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point.

Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo? We've spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened.

Name me one leader who emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the hurricane, or demanding accountability for the decisions that were made in the crucial hours after the storm. Everyone's hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping it doesn't happen again. Now, that's just crazy. Storms happen. Deal with it. Make a plan. Figure out what you're going to do the next time.

Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when 'The Big Three' referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen, and more important, what are we going to do about it?

Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debt, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry.

I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn't elect you to sit on your asses and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity. What is everybody so afraid of? That some bonehead on Fox News will call them a name? Give me a break. Why don't you guys show some spine for a change?

Had Enough?

Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I'm trying to light a fire. I'm speaking out because I have hope; I believe in America . In my lifetime I've had the privilege of living through some of America's greatest moments I've also experienced some of our worst crises: the 'Great Depression', 'World War II', the 'Korean War', the 'Kennedy Assassination', the 'Vietnam War', the 1970's oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years culminating with 9/11. If I've learned one thing, it's this:

'You don't get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it's building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play. That's the challenge I'm raising in this book. It's a call to 'Action' for people who, like me, believe in America . It's not too late, but it's getting pretty close. So let's shake off the crap and go to work. Let's tell 'em all we've had 'enough.'

Lee Iacocca

Lee Iacocca is an interesting guy and a lot of what he has written is correct however like many others of his ilk he doesn't offer alternatives just criticism. It is much easier to stand on the sidelines and tell everyone what the guys doing the actual job are doing wrong. Iacocca was only one member albeit an important one of the Chrysler rescue - he got a lot of help from the US government as well as within the company. He has traded off the innovative design of the old Mustang when he was at Ford throughout his career. The original model combined a good engine within a cheap package that became popular with a new market - his other combinations within the model group sank without a trace. Yes the Mustang went on to become an institution but as an engineering exercise it has never been anything remarkable. The Japanese who he criticises loudly and frequently do much more with much less than the whole of Detroit combined. The power output per cc of even the current crop of US muscle cars is pitiful compared to a comparable vehicle from Europe and Japan.

The US is in trouble and many of his comments are relevant. The US is still a major influence on the rest of the world but it will take a lot more than the writings of Lee Iacocca to change. Perhaps he could take his own leadership challenge and step up to the plate and lead from the front not the sidelines.

CB

Agree with CB there. It is always easy to stand on the sidelines slagging off all and sundry but you seldom hear these people come up with any credible alternatives.

As for moving manufacturing bases to Asia this is happening all over the western world. It is called gaining a competitive edge and avoiding going bust. Hurts like hel_l if you are in one of the businesses and find you are out on your ear while they move the operation to India but sh1t happens.

The way I take it is that the people IN government should be the one's to come up with credible alternatives.

Big Lee's had enough of the US, eh ? So when's he moving to LOS ? Plenty of people who've had enough of their own countries already here.

LOS: hub of fed up people.

Agree with all comments here, however, he does have a point about lack of leadership. When we look back at all the crises of history there's always been a great leader (okay, maybe a mixture of myth and reality) where's the leadership today? In both UK and USA there is nothing to inspire either in power or in opposition! Things look bleak!

We're waiting for the messiah to return and lead us to the promised land.

Anyone seen Brian lately ? He's been a very naughty boy.

We're waiting for the messiah to return...

Not wanting to get heavy sibeymai, but that's exactly what I am waiting for...

We're waiting for the messiah to return...

Not wanting to get heavy sibeymai, but that's exactly what I am waiting for...

Got a few millenia up your sleeve then ? Must be related to Wolfie. Or is that suiging ? I get confused easily...

I think Lee Iacocca is right by shaking things up.

It's not so much about criticizing him for what he 'shouts' because that's kicking the ball back and too darned easy.

Wasn't it Kennedy who said:

"Don't ask your country what it can do for you.....ask YOURSELF what YOU can do for your country" ?

And, that's exactly what Iacocca means.

LaoPo

Lee Iacocca is right.

I have read a lot about Lee's accomplishments, he talks sense.

If America votes in Obana, they will sink deeper into Iraqi quicksands.

The best bet in coming elections MUST be, Hillary.

Then US will have back input from the best US president since Kennedy.

Bet ya bottom Euro,(US$ useless) Hillary will no doubt use Bill as a sounding board.

Maybe, Lee, should send her a copy of his book.

At least Bill can give advice on the choice of White House interns...and cigar brands.

I have read a lot about Lee's accomplishments, he talks sense.

If America votes in Obana, they will sink deeper into Iraqi quicksands.

The best bet in coming elections MUST be, Hillary.

Then US will have back input from the best US president since Kennedy.

Oooooh Noooooooooo,

A direct reference to U.S politics, I can see Boon Mee and Spee already on deathcon 4 and Robbo getting his retaliation in first

Moss

I think Lee's just having an ironic laugh. The people LOVE the <deleted> they've elected. Just as Lee sucked deeply at the government teat, so do most of the rest of the people. Sure their neighbor lost his job when they closed the factory and sent it to China, but profits were up this quarter and they can flip the stock for a nice profit. Self cannibalization doesn't hurt too much if you do it slow enough.

Self cannibalization doesn't hurt too much if you do it slow enough.

And you aren't at the bottom of the food chain.

Self cannibalization doesn't hurt too much if you do it slow enough.

And you aren't at the bottom of the food chain.

Ain't that the truth.

Dear old Lee is just bitchin' about the fact there's now less opportunities to make the easy money in the US. Rescue Chrysler he may have done, but for how long ? in a decade or so the US car industry will be sucking on the government teat permanently, until it dies completely.

Strange, you'd think with all the money at their disposal the US car industry would have forseen the oil price hike, climate change etc. and be leading the world into a new automobile era. What happened ? Wonder if Lee's got an answer to that.

Seems the only corporate strategy the US auto industry has had over the last 20 years is to buy up as many key players in the world they can find and make them as much like their US parent companies as they can.

Sorry Lee, but you've done nothing to boast about and you're now sounding like a "has been" who's trying for another 15 minutes of fame.

I don't hear Lou Gerstner bleating from the bleachers, and he arguably engineered an even more impressive corporate rescue.

EDIT: Replaced John Akers name with Lou Gerstner

Mr Iaccoca is correct, kick out all the bums, that would be a good start

Mr Iaccoca is correct, kick out all the bums, that would be a good start

Unfortunately all that achieves is a vacant government unless you have credible alternatives and, as suegha said, the alternatives are none too inspiring.

Politicians are all but impotent nowadays, the big corporations run the show and take their slice of the cake. Politicians are just there to take the heat and the brickbats from the general public and then take up lucrative positions as consultants when they quit government. People think Blair is stupid but I think he's pretty smart. He stayed in power achieving the record as longest serving PM then stepped down to let others clear the sh1t up after him. Okay he won't go down in history as a great leader or statesman but he will pick up some nice pay checks so in the end does he care how history portrays him?

Mr Iaccoca is correct, kick out all the bums, that would be a good start

Unfortunately all that achieves is a vacant government unless you have credible alternatives and, as suegha said, the alternatives are none too inspiring.

Politicians are all but impotent nowadays, the big corporations run the show and take their slice of the cake. Politicians are just there to take the heat and the brickbats from the general public and then take up lucrative positions as consultants when they quit government. People think Blair is stupid but I think he's pretty smart. He stayed in power achieving the record as longest serving PM then stepped down to let others clear the sh1t up after him. Okay he won't go down in history as a great leader or statesman but he will pick up some nice pay checks so in the end does he care how history portrays him?

I kind of agree with that. I would say the people still run the show. Unfortunately, the way retirement schemes have evolved, their interests are aligned with those of big corporations. As always, the people suffer from themselves.

Tend to agree with a lot of the posts. First there are no quick or easy answers. Good leadership is essential and good leaders have to listen to those under them (Bill did)!

Congress is a big committee and thus, they are unable to do much of anything--except--at their best, prevent really bad things from happening.

Good leadership also means letting things progress and develop at a rate and in a way that works for a lot of people.

Innovation comes from individuals and companies. Gov't doesn't really produce much of anything, but they can pave the way for those that do. A case in point is stem cell research, which isn't making a whole lot of progress (in the US) because of the presidents lack of foresight and leadership.

Wonder how Barak Mugabe will get on if he wins.