What do you expect? -- They're following the government model. Rob Peter to pay Paul, then borrow from Paul to make restitution.

Well, couple this with the reports yesterday about GM spending U.S. bailout money to prop up its European division, and I think we can all see how this is going to go.

In the following clip the part of the US taxpayers will be played by eric cartman

http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/152563

An interesting bit of arithmetic here:

http://www.ntu.org/main/press_issuebriefs.php?PressID=1132&org_name=NTU

If you divide the size of the bailout by the number of cars GM & Chrysler are projected to sell in 2009 & 2010, it works out to over $ 10,000 per car.

The best thing GM could do with its money is buy Toyotas.

Their woes will continue every moment the unions have their hands on GM's neck.

Yes, "we" ARE drooling morons. Why else did this happen?

Here, PirateJo, have a droolbib...

Swiss ... HAH! No shit. Can I pick what gets applique'd on the front of it?

As Crid is always pointing out, we get government 'by the people, for the people' regardless of what form it takes. Whether it is what any individual expects, or not. In that way, isn't what we get for government a reflection upon what "people" are like? You start wondering, after a while, if you are really a lot different than everyone else.

There are a lot of people bumbling around with IQs of 80 or 90 ... my little dog's IQ is around 50. What did we THINK was going to happen?

I was discussing GM with a coworker today.

CW: "If the government hadn't bailed out GM, up to 500k jobs would have been lost."

Me: "GM is still losing money so aren't those same jobs still at risk? The root cause is GM's cost structure is not competitive. Had GM gone into bankruptcy, they would have been forced to change and improve their cost structure instead of propping it up. Instead of investing money in small business new job creation we are investing in existing business union job protection. In 2012, when GM runs out of cash again, will you believe we need to bail them out again?"

CW:

As a result of bankruptcy, GM has been able to significantly modify UAW contracts to its benefit.

Compare with Ford.

Since cars depreciate over time, the recession amounts to purchases deferred, not avoided. Contra Martin, time does not end at 2010 (even if the Mayans are right).

Despite being libertarian in outlook, I can't avoid the conclusion that demise deferred just might equal resurrection.

To: Amy Alkon
CC: America
From: General Motors
Subj: "We arent all morons!"

Ms Alkon,

Yes you are so.

Sincerely,

GM

Americans really have no reason to sit and complain that our fortune 500 CEO's are making a grand ol living off the sweat and early job terminations of us dirty commonors. We lost that right when the first batch went around, and we told the government "Dont bail out these morons!" and the goverment did anyway, and we all said "Well, shucks."

We allow the people in power to dictate to us what is going to happen, and the most severe response those people ever have to deal with, is our public "outcry". Whoopty doo. We therefore, deserve what we get. (Which is to keep certain people in mansions, while moving into lovely studio apartments in the southern part of town.)

GM is up to the same old games...shuttling cash around...paying high wages to a few stuck with a high cost structure....and have priced themselves out of the market....a new Buick at $36,700 with a pricey ad campaign...I'm guessing 25 Million or more. Instead you could from buy one of dozens of really good vehicles from Ford,Mazda,Hyundai,Kia,Toyota etc.for under $22K and save the rest. GM is an out of control company with a few good cars,all overpriced and way over marketed....where is the value. They have totally lost the plot!