Friday Stories: GM's Doomed Future; The Coming Tax Hike; Grading Your Congressperson

Anyone who says that the UAW is not at fault for GM and Chrslers problems is an idiot, but I can say this as the reverand said "the chickens have come home to roost" goodbye jobs. Guess when you think more of getting all the cash you can and all the union bonuses that you can the company will eventually go out of business. I will never buy a Government Motors Company car, ever! Ford is the only one that will servive.

I was fasinated by GM,and Chryler's fatality! Great reads, Brian. Thanks

The UAW is not to blame for any of the automakers problems. The top five guys at GM made more money every year than all the hourly employees combined. We only make 55k a year and have so-so health insurance. We dont get a free 60k dollar car to drive around in or a free company gas card to fill up those cars. We don't get to go to lavish resorts for meetings. We sweat are butts off chasing cars down an assembly line, while enduring carpal tunnel, arthritis and umpteen other body pains. We have not seen a raise in over 8 years, while the big wigs get millions in bonuses and preferred stock. We gave up are bonuses so are retiree's can enjoy what time they have left in their broken and battered bodies. So quit your uneducated whining and start supporting your last manufacturing industry in this country and buy an American car or truck. The shady CEO's and these crooks we call congressman and senators have had their pockets padded for years by the same banks that caused all this mess in the first place, but who gets billions thrown at them without even a question or contract. But the auto industry gets grilled like we are the little red headed step children of this country. Who only took a low interest loan NOT A HANDOUT!

Interesting article on GM, he is right they can come out of this only with a new management team and direction. I disagree though on the point of not trying to offer a good gas mileage vehicle. I feel that the key to GM's future is to offer as much as they can on the Malibu platform. While pushing back developement of the Volt. New technology is risky and cost prohibitive to turning a profit. With the fuidity of the market today, what looked good in 2008 may be all wrong in late 2010. Stick with what you know GM. High mileage cars will sell well for years to come. With the Malibu you have a proven design, that is selling well and is a good product reliability wise. Last year I was selling cars, and the easiest car to blow out as competition for ours was a hybrid.(our line did not have one to offer). Higher initial price, added hassle of two fuel sources and limited range to name a few and not to mention as gas went down the time to pay off the higher price went up. I truly believe that one thing to come out of all of this is going to be the types of batteries needed to be a viable alternative to gas engines for cars. I.E. short charge time, horsepower output, vehicle range, and cell life. Now is just not the time to bet the house on it, or our money.

Brian, Lots of questions surrounding the special treatment of Chrysler and GM vs Ford doing the right things and paying their bills. Ultimately once again the company who does the RIGHT thing gets forced into a disadvantage vs the ones who fail and get propped up. Does that sound like a familiar sub-prime situation? I for one will never buy a GM or Chrysler product as long as the government owns one share of either. Tim Triplett