acolddark0

It all comes down to the fact that you have the big people who have driven these companies and banks into the ground making all this money and slowly getting rid of the average working person who kept them afloat. The ceos of gm dont build the cars and obviously dont do their jobs of running the corporation. So instead of firing the working man who puts these cars together, work on the machines, and break their backs trying to make a living why not fire the dumbass ceos and big heads that have been driving the company into the ground making more than enough to be considered a living. Hell, gm can hire me for 100,000 a year and i'll be happy to drive the company into the ground for them and save them a hell of alot of money while doing it. I mean seriously, why should the factory workers be fired for doing their jobs? Dont make much sense to me, but who am I besides a high school graduate from a noname town in maryland? Also, when I bought my SS back in august it had a paper in it saying where it was made. Over 90% was made in mexico! I thought I was buying an american car that a legal american employee put together. Ha! Was I wrong or what. Which leads to my next point. Yes gm needs some help to stay afloat. But if my tax money is going to gm to pay some mexican in mexico to put together my car then I say hell no. The U.S. government needs to put some kind of stipulations on the bail out or the loan, whatever the hell you want to call it, saying that part of the money is to CLOSE the plants in mexico or other countries and bring them back to the United States of America and employ hard working Americans to do the jobs. I mean hell, why should my hard earned money go to mexico? Hmm.. If americans had jobs maybe they would be able to afford to buy gm products, in return, maybe gm wouldnt be in the situation they are in. Oh wait, I guess that makes no sense at all does it? I also agree with those on here who have said that they need to "get rid of" gm names such as saturn, hummer, and saab. However doing that would close the plants in the U.S. Instead they need to change the plants to chevy and pontiac producing smarter, more eco friendly cars that compete with toyotas and hondas over seas, but are made in america by americans. Change needs to happen, but I have a feeling that its going to be half assed.

catdaddy137

i thought the gov already gave gm OUR $$ , yet the dealerships are still closing left and right. Kia is opening a new dealership ,strange , but true. i don't understand the whole economy thing , i really believe it is a huge bunch of bs. if the news keeps saying we are in a recesion then it we will continue to be , unless we quit living beond our means , and start spend any extra $ we have.

Kingfrog

I totally and completely Blame MANAGEMENT for running the US auto companies into the ground as well, ONLY Because they consistently bowed to UAW demands, signed terrible contracts for GM and its income sheet, and in essence gave away the farm. They should not have signed those contracts knowing fully well Americans are buying less and less of their vehicles because they have to then pay for the additional costs and save more and more putting cheap parts on them cutting corners everywhere to pay the for the Pensions and benefits of retired workers who contribute nothing to the bottom line AND the current workforce who does albeit themselves first. Management is the problem indeed. They let the UAW extort them.

Yeah I put the blame surely on the Management. they should have let the UAW go on strike for years. Hire some grade school kids to work after school, train them for a week and pay them $25 an hour . Yeah thats an exageration but there are hundreds of thousands of people all over the country who would take $25 an hour to build cars in a place where the cost of living is very low. Who cannot live well on $1000 a week in Michigan? Hell they can even afford to pay $600 a month for medical coverage and still have $3500 left over!!! They can save $1000 a month for retirement and have $2500 left over........LOL. I never earned more than that and am retired working PT at 55 pay for my own benefits, a paid off home cars and have zero debt.
I cannot understand how someone earning $70K a year cannot do the same.
Save 12K a year for 20 years and do the math at just 4% in MUNIbonds compounded $366K.

Start even at 30, Save $800 a month for 20 years at only 4% and you have $300K which in todays world can draws $12k a year risk free. With zero debt and a 20K part time job thats a lot of money. Sorry if these high paid autoworkers did not save its not the US Taxpayers problem to pay for their pensions, They have a hard enough time saving for their own. All of a sudden people are saving. Thats a GOOD thing. Bad for the short term economy but the strong will survive and buy the weak.



Happy workers build quality cars. Where there is no DIVIDE between management and The workers there are QUALITY products.

Yes indeed the MANAGEMENT are to blame. They should have off shored their manufacturing years ago or pay what US based foreign autoworkers are paid. Management consistently bowing to UAW demands is what put GM where it is. Ignorant autoworkers believing everything told them by their bosses who are not GM employees but UAW management screwed the pooch

The same type of American Idol mentality that voted for the best singer in November. Even Obama cannot force Americans to buy American crap.

No matter what kind of tax credit he allows or tariff he places on imports I'm buying them from here on out because I know in the long run I still will be better off when workers and management are on the same page the products are reliable and built well. Divided we fail. GM is a prime example of that. Thank you Management and sheeple workers.

Kingfrog

There are TOO many dealerships. We have like FOUR Chevy dealerships and ONE Honda, one KIA and ONE Toyota dealership. Economics 101

Sell a good reliable product at a fair price made by a company who prides themselves and will pay more for a more reliable part rather then save a dime for an inferior one. A company that is not divided by outside forces and actually survive downturns to play another day. Where IF the government subsidized them they are sure to get all the money back.

Or sell products where corner cutting is routine built bu workers who are divided against management and extorted by outside forces and then beg for Taxpayer help during economic downturns without a reliable plan for success and no reliable plan to pay the US Taxpayer back.

I don;t want to use the word "government" help because the government produces nothing. It only takes from producers.

Cokeybill

Exactly!! That is why the Canadian Govt. is putting up Billions for GM Canada. The U.S. Govt. for the GM in the states. Is Mexico putting up Billions for GM in Mexico? Has anyone heard if Mexico is getting into the act?

Kingfrog

Canada can afford to throw away Billions. They tax the crap out of their population!! Kudos to GM.....GM is spending a Billion in Brazil. I don't blame them for spending money where they are successful. In fact that is a good use of taxpayer money.
Not paying for juicy pensions and benefits for workers who stopped producing years ago. They are putting taxpayer money will it will actually recieve a return.

Cokeybill

Kingfrog, you should really do some serious research into how and where and how much GM pays into these pension plans for retirees. Then you might be able to intelligently comment on the subject. Knowledge is a wonderful thing. Your statements have no depth to them.

Snoopy

To assist in the discussion regarding GM pension contributions....


http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...TO01/902180440

Cokeybill

Good article...Pensions thru GM in Canada were different in respects to the companies top ups. Only GM was allowed to not give as others had to. Can. Govt allowed them this option.

Kingfrog

What did I miss? This is money paid to non producers. How can a company compete with companies that do not pay this kind of money to retirees?

This is the kind of crap I blame management for. Agreeing to throw that kind of money to non producers. They were paid enough their whole working careers to save for retirement. I can understand if workers were not already well paid/

People complain about CEOS making 20 million who have achieved that pinnacle of success few reach. Yet no one complains about the 45% illiteracy rate in Detroit where a HS dropout and unskilled "workers" were paid $30 an hour to turn wheel bolts. Plus $40K for life and medical benefits. I find that just as ridiculous. And THAT adds up to far far more then 20 million to a CEO who's BOD decided what he was worth. Shame on the CEO for signing contracts that gave the farm away to the UAW. FOr that alone he should be fired for incompetence.