I believe I speak for all of us when I say to the auto industry: "Fuck you."

I would give real money if I got to see the New York Post headline:

Bush to Detroit: Drop Dead!

I mean, if I buy a Toyota, it's got a higher U.S. Made content than a Chevrolet. If I buy a BMW, it's made in the USA (not Detroit, but still)

If the auto makers want to save themselves, they should file for chapter 11, get rid of the burden of paying for goodies for all their retirees, and agree to be bought by Toyota, Honda, or BMW.

At least then some competent management, and perhaps some inspired design would be infused and make GM cars worth buying again.

In other news, in the four years I've had it, my Honda Insight once needed a little oiling on the front window to make it go up and down more smoothly. My parents, who have always driven Detroit-built autos, have always had myriad problems with their cars.

In the words of Lee Iacocca, "If you can find a better car, buy it!"

Thanks, Lido...I did!

What we have to do is invest in retooling the auto industry to make our cars more efficient and make sure they're made not in Japan, not in South Korea, but right here in Michigan and right here in the United States of America," Obama said at a town hall-style event in Farmington, Mich.

They are being made here in the good ol' USofA. Just not in Detroit and not by Ford, Chrysler, and GMC. They're being made in Mississippi (Mercedes), South Carolina (BMW), Tennessee (Nissan), Ohio (Honda), and California (NUMMI/Toyota).

If my taxes are invested in a corperation will I recive any dividends once they turn a profit?

And where the fuck did all the free market capitalists disappear to? If my business were to fail the gov wouldnt be giving me a loan.

Its not my fault the forign business men were smart enough to build what people needed long term rather than what people wanted short term.

Let a few busniess fail and perhaps those that survive wont be so fucking stupid

what ever happened to good 'ol American ingenuity? It used to be called Compete or die!
Used to be that GM had a huge amount of cash on hand, plus tons of assets... why don't they do what is necessary to survive? Just like the rest of us dumb schmoes...

Swiss -

Because if they do what's needed to survive, knees will be broken in response.

Well, that 25 billion better get Ford the money it apparently needs to make enough diesel engines without wasting more money... you know because its cheaper to make a 65mpg Fiesta in Europe than it is to retool to factories to make the diesel engine in NA (likely Mexico not Detroit). I also don't want to hear all that crap about Americans dont like small cars or wont pay much for them or they hate diesel because the last time they were unmitigated disasters in the US (because detroit made even shittier cars back then).

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_37/b4099060491065.htm?chan=autos_autos+--+lifestyle+subindex+page_top+stories

In the end, I can guarantee Detroit that my next automobile will not be another of the Big 3, and I've been generally happy with my Ford truck. But despite some of their advancements I'm not buying any of their shitbox cars like that new "Flex". Ooh, 24mpg highway! 4 more than my 7 year old truck! Americans won't buy diesel they say. We'll see once the new VW, BMW, and Benz ones show up. Diesel averages 60-80 cents more here in OR than 87 grade unleaded. The math says, diesel wins out at 45-50mpg+ and a lot of that price is taxes.

Hell, GM probably makes more money now as a Bank/credit card company than they do making cars.

As Limbaugh once put it: "GM is not an auto maker. GM is a health insurance company that also makes cars".

And when making cars is your second priority, you shouldn't be surprised when nobody wants them.

Bland, bland, bland.

"And where the fuck did all the free market capitalists disappear to?"

No kidding - there must be a Galt's Gulch somewhere that I don't know about. This stuff makes me sick. Why does the government keep thinking it needs to bail out the failing sectors of the economy? There's a reason why they're failing - because they SHOULD!

You know, I can't afford a house or a car and haven't really complained about that. I sure as hell don't expect the taxpayers to get my unambitious ass these things.

So what I want to know is why the hell am I mugged so others can get toys they can't afford? Let them rent and ride the bus like I do. If that's not good enough, work harder to get those things for yourself. Don't think it's worth working harder to get, accept where that places you in the scheme of things.

That's a decision we all have to make -- how hard we're willing to work for the stuff we want. The more you want, the more you're willing to work. If you think free time more precious than things, work less have less. That's why I don't have a house or car. I value free time more.

"If you think free time more precious than things, work less have less. That's why I don't have a house or car. I value free time more."

I love that you simply state what your priorities are and leave it at that - you aren't getting all entitlement-minded or belligerent about other people having things you don't have.

In my view, it's a good thing there are smart business tycoons out there making the economy run, because if I got rich I'd probably just quit working altogether!

I'm with you Pirate Jo! I work for a company where the executive who used to drink with us in the local basement dive after work are now multi-millionaires. I'd have quit with all that cash in my pockets ages ago.

But we are all where we should be. They had the drive to put in all the time, risk, effort and politics to climb the ladder and have their reward. I climbed a bit, but was happy with the balance I found at a certain level. They didn't get why I didn't keep climbing and I didn't get why they didn't take the money and run. And that variation in human nature is what keeps capitalism working...when its left to!

Ah yes ... bribing the voters with their own tax dollars. So I guess now Ford can go back to building crappy cars no one wants with the full knowledge that taxpayers will be right there to bail them out. Funny ... I think there's a term for that ;)

I think there's a term for that

Is it "Warning may induce burst of homicidal rage"?

Thanks, PJ.

And, believe me, I do appreciate those rich guys that are willing to put in 60, 70 or more hours a week. All the stuff I do like having wouldn't exist if not for those guys. There wouldn't be a lawyer when you needed one. There wouldn't be much at all.

I am well aware that if everyone were as unambitious as myself, we'd have nothing and nothing would ever happen.

I'll support a cause I believe in with some of my spare cash. Have even joined a couple of protests. But I just do not have the get up and go or leadership ability to organize any kind of action. (Though if the city doesn't respond to the need to increase the number of buses now that no one wants to drive their car, I may be forced to take it upon myself to start a petition or something.)

But, yep, there are those of us who do lead and innovate and those of us content with less that get the necessary menial work done to earn a living and it makes capitalism work very well. To each their own and we balance each other out. Freedom's great!