Comments on: GM Says the Impossible is Possible

By: John

John — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:03:29 +0000

The Chevrolet car line is one of the strongest and most attractive in the industry. It is too bad that Chevrolet would not become a stand alone company and not be dragged down by the rest of the corporation.

By: mike

mike — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 16:25:07 +0000

I shouldn’t be saying this — after all, friends, family, neighbors, all will get some benefit out of the government further bailing out the automakers — Brian, you’re 100% right on target when it comes to trusting, or rather not trusting any of the big 3, and add the union in there too.

For one thing there’s history… If we hadn’t bailed out Chrysler all those years ago, you think they didn’t have a back-up plan? They had already been engaging in serious talks with German automakers, with meetings in South America to stay off the radar [according to sources with direct, peripheral involvement inside Chrysler that I talked to].

For another, the big 3 have been in trouble for almost 4 decades, and while they’ve made improvements, their leadership obviously has lacked the will to make the substantive changes necessary. Maybe their biggest attempt at emulating successful automakers outside the US, Saturn, hasn’t been a roaring success itself after decades of trying. It’s only prudent to ask why anyone could or should expect anything different from corporate structures that have institutionalized failure?

Third, while automotive suppliers are always mentioned, usually in support of threats of disaster, this brings up another issue too… Just as not all auto plants in the US are owned by American companies, suppliers are based around the world. The days of the 60’s are long gone, when the majority of business in the Detroit Metro area supplied the automakers. If our economy in the Detroit area suffers further disaster, it won’t be because area businesses lost sales to the big 3 — it’ll be because aside from the automakers & gambling, there just aren’t many sources of revenue.

Which brings up the question: If the big 3, Detroit, and the state itself have failed to leave the 60’s behind, suffering continually for 4 decades, where is the best place to look for a solution? If you’re going to inject funding, & hopefully reform, do you target just one, a combination, or all 3?

What is the popular saying?… Insanity is doing the same thing over & over, expecting the different results *this* time?

By: Angela Sipka

Angela Sipka — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:39:03 +0000

Instead of blaming the UAW workers for the plight of General Motors look to the GM Management.
While I agree the Auto Worker has had wonderful benefits in the past, they have lost, or given up a great deal over the years. They do not have an outrageous amount of time off or sick time as do some other employees, and their wages have not increased as they had in many years past. New employees do not have a structured pension plan, and their starting wages are less than many workers.
After UAW workers have given up raises and other benefits during union negotiations GM management has turned around and awarded millions of dollars to its executives as bonus payments and awards. Do not place this on the backs of working men and women, or retirees. If we allow GM to go bankrupt we will be in trouble.
Do not think that it will be less costly to taxpayers if we refuse to loan money to GM. If every retiree that currently receives a pension and health benefits from GM has to go the government for help it will cost us a great deal more, and many other Americans not just auto workers will lose their jobs. By the way while we are arguing as “taxpayers” remember that UAW auto workers are and have always been taxpayers.

By: bodo

bodo — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 08:59:51 +0000

Looks like we’ll have an Amtrak organization building cars forever that nobody wants to buy.

Say hello to AMCAR?

By: Mike from WI

Mike from WI — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 05:50:38 +0000

Bail Out GM because they are running out of Cash???? GM is paying current line workers 30K to transfer to another plant if the worker has enough seniority to “bump” a worker with less seniority out of a similar job. If the workers can do this after their current job ends at a plant that is shut down, they get between $75,000 and $90,000 just for moving to a plant where they can work. The UAW could buy all the outstanding common stock for less than 20% of the gm workers pension fund if they think the company should be saved. Why not let the union workers buy the company, fire Wagner and anyone else they don’t care for. If the UAW bought the company they would figure out real soon that ALL labor at the company is WAY overpaid. I as a tax payer don’t care to “save” them…. let them do it on their own.

By: BILL

BILL — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 23:40:23 +0000

CAN WAIT TILL WE CAN BOOT PELOSI OUT OF OFFICER WHAT A LOSER

By: toni

toni — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 23:39:18 +0000

NO BAIL OUT FOR GM

By: toni

toni — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 23:38:10 +0000

no bail for GM OR GMAC_______________________

NO BAIL OUT FOR ANY OF THESE WALL STREET FOOLS\\

BAIL OUT THE TAX PAYER BOYCOTT GM AND GMAC

By: steve noffsinger

steve noffsinger — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 23:26:13 +0000

Why in the world would are wonderful government bail out credit card companies who target bad credit people who they know can not pay back there dept, and not companies (MAJOR)companies that have employed this nation for years, and now need help.

By: Shawn

Shawn — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 14:53:39 +0000

These folks at GM are living in a fantasy world. They can’t sell cars and trucks,yet they are rolling them out the production line. Wake-up and smell the coffee. What should happen is file chapter 11 and start with a new game plan. The UAW will be the death of GM if it is allowed to continue in this same format. They say they can’t sell cars if they go bankrupt,BS. We have a Chevy truck and a Pontiac G6 both are great products. We would buy Chevy again and I’m sure a bunch of other folks would as well. People fly on bankrupt airlines and seem to do ok even if they might be skimping on the maintenance of the planes.