GM can survive if it can get a monthly 2 billion dollar taxpayer cash infusion.

[texdav]

Originally Posted by Dexterguy

I know that every American just loves to slam the American Automakers, but the thing that many Americans don't know is that many more than just the direct automaker employees are supported by the automakers (GM, Ford, Chrysler).

I can't even begin to say how much these companies need this bailout, it would probably be the most important bailout that would ever be put into affect. If one, or two, or all of the Detroit 3 would go bankrupt thousands of retirees would lose their pensions, meaning they would most likely loose their house, car, etc. And this would mean no income or property taxes for the government, because the retirees would loose everything and so would all of the 100's of thousands of current employees with the Detroit 3.

If we can bailout big banks then why can't we bailout our automakers?

The reason why the automakers cannot build new fuel efficient cars that they would like is because they do not have the money to re-tool the aging factories that are not set up to build the cars of the 21st Century.

Everybody knows it but it looks like the automakers and the unions have done so little to help themselves really. We already bailed ouit Chrysler once with a loan . Even looking at what GM and Ford have said several months ago;that they were well on the way to reorganizing and expected to turn aound in the near future. Now they basically turn and say we can't make it without a huge loan.Of course this is after they see that the feds are giving out money;so what do you expect. But they have no plan they have talked about and GM recently announced 20 new models to be released here and in europe. They have had since the 70's when they loss sales of cars to be come mostly SUV makers and still can't get their act together.I am afraid we will just be throwing money at a failing industry that will go bankrupt in the end.

[ANewDay2008]

Originally Posted by Dexterguy

I know that every American just loves to slam the American Automakers, but the thing that many Americans don't know is that many more than just the direct automaker employees are supported by the automakers (GM, Ford, Chrysler).

I can't even begin to say how much these companies need this bailout, it would probably be the most important bailout that would ever be put into affect. If one, or two, or all of the Detroit 3 would go bankrupt thousands of retirees would lose their pensions, meaning they would most likely loose their house, car, etc. And this would mean no income or property taxes for the government, because the retirees would loose everything and so would all of the 100's of thousands of current employees with the Detroit 3.

If we can bailout big banks then why can't we bailout our automakers?

The reason why the automakers cannot build new fuel efficient cars that they would like is because they do not have the money to re-tool the aging factories that are not set up to build the cars of the 21st Century.

Please.



The Big Three knew that this day was coming. For well over two decades. Oil experts all over the world had been predicting the inevitable end of cheap oil since the 1970s. The "3" had the time, the power, and the resources to phase out gas guzzlers & phase in fuel efficient automobiles gradually. They simply REFUSED to out of greed, arrogance, pride and short-sightedness.

[Lincolnian]

Originally Posted by 5chevin5

The Asian and European car makers have been making smaller efficient cars since the 70s, so to say that the "Big 3" didnt have the money to change their factors is false, they just lacked the vision and honestly the American car consumer didnt want that product yet. So they got caught behind the 8 ball...
My capitalist side says let them fail, serves them right and they have made fortunes for years, if they didnt plan ahead...F 'em, why should taxpayers bail them out? Maybe they can give a discount back to the consumer...a rebate or lower priced car?

But the human side also agrees with Dexterguy, the ripple trickle down reverb of that many workers losing their jobs/homes/pensions would be horrible. The worst part is that the CEOs are well covered while the plant worker gets nailed...Thats the worst part..

Tough one here...
5

Ford and GM offer many smaller fuel efficient products outside the US. They are numbers 3 and 4 in Europe ahead of number 7 Toyota and number 10 Honda. Many of their clean diesel models are prohibited from being sold in the US do to regulatory issues.

Ford recently introduced the 65 mpg turbo diesel Ford Fiesta in Europe and it already is among the top 10 sellers in Europe.

Ford plans to introduce the car to North America and is tooling up a plant in Mexico to produce it. Whether or not they will be ALLOWED to sell the car here is dependent on US regulations. The fact that they can't sell it here certainly played a part in their decision to produce it in Mexico. Surely they will find a strong market for it in Mexico and Canada. Ford to build Fiesta subcompact in Mexico - Autos

[Philip T]

Originally Posted by ANewDay2008

Please.



The Big Three knew that this day was coming. For well over two decades. Oil experts all over the world had been predicting the inevitable end of cheap oil since the 1970s. The "3" had the time, the power, and the resources to phase out gas guzzlers & phase in fuel efficient automobiles gradually. They simply REFUSED to out of greed, arrogance, pride and short-sightedness.

That is certainly the bottom line.

Bad part is now, as they are STILL totally unrepentant, they would go right back into the ditch, even if they were pulled out for a while at everyone's expense.

So how do you fix a messed up mindset?

[Philip T]

Originally Posted by Lincolnian

Ford and GM offer many smaller fuel efficient products outside the US. They are numbers 3 and 4 in Europe ahead of number 7 Toyota and number 10 Honda. Many of their clean diesel models are prohibited from being sold in the US do to regulatory issues.

Ford recently introduced the 65 mpg turbo diesel Ford Fiesta in Europe and it already is among the top 10 sellers in Europe.

Ford plans to introduce the car to North America and is tooling up a plant in Mexico to produce it. Whether or not they will be ALLOWED to sell the car here is dependent on US regulations. The fact that they can't sell it here certainly played a part in their decision to produce it in Mexico. Surely they will find a strong market for it in Mexico and Canada. Ford to build Fiesta subcompact in Mexico - Autos

Even if they were totally built in the US, and sold in the US, and driven in the US . . . Doing something that sucks less still sucks.

We lose money on every drop oil imported and burned. Even if gas were back down to 99 cents a gallon -- we still lose money on it. It is an idea that come, been beat to death, and needs to be abandoned so that we can move on.