Why AIG Gets Billions, GM Gets Scorn

american auto industry

To the moron who wrote its a backlash!! Toyota has asked the japanese government for two billion dollars. But all you jap lovers probably wont find anything wrong with that.

gene bush of NY @ Mar 12, 2009 11:15:52 AM

It's a Backlash

For the past few years prior to the current recession the US automakers have been losing market to it's more fuel-efficient Japanese and European counterparts and have been receiving the scorn of environmentalists such as Al Gore. Their response up until their request for a bailout has been dismissive and arrogant. They have neither tried to develop new vehicles to match the growing need for fuel-efficiency nor have they shown much (if any) support for green planet idea. Now, after years of losing market share to foreign competition they get one last blow: Global Recession. They may not have triggered it, but hell, none of the foreign automakers are asking for a bailout. What makes US automakers that much bigger failures? Is it simply their proximity to the center of this recession or is it more of their past actions that have brought them to this point?

Beans @ Feb 09, 2009 09:16:04 AM

Republicans have been trying to break up unions for 3 decades now, since Reagan fired the air controllers! Look where it's gotten this country by defaming the very workers who built it! Jobs shipped overseas, wages down, many working 3 jobs to stay afloat...which Bush famously thought was "JUST SO AMERICAN"!!! We have unions to thank for all the good working conditions most of us enjoy today, but look where the last 3 decades of mostly Republican rule has taken this country! And these idiots are still trying to sell us their supply side economic theories...it's time we grew a brain!

BTW, Toyota is posting a loss, too!

liberalbias of CO @ Jan 28, 2009 17:37:06 PM

GM, Ford, Chrysler.....

Well lets turn back the page, the year is 1979.... Oil has gone throught the roof, gas prices are higher than evere..... The big 3 make the statement "we need to retool our facilities to compete with the competetion..." Well after the fall of gas prices... They fell back into old ways with old friends (oil Industry). They turned their backs on the American People in exchange for the all mighty dollar. Now the greed of the uaw and corporate earnings has befudded these companies? Time for America to put this industry behind us, learn from the mistakes we allowed to occur and begin a new age of economics. Time to allow these Dogs to be put down,,, Time to get a new puppy and this time,,,, Bring them to training classes until they get it right..... CALLL YOUR VET!

of CT @ Jan 03, 2009 10:07:14 AM

UAW

The unions were good when they worked for fair wages and good working conditions. But when they got into the insurance business, they were greedy and not concerned about the companies

survival. Unions have gotten too much control and need to be pulled back in line. All the auto unions need to wake up and see the whole picture. If the auto companies close shop, their members will be out of a job and then they can't pay those union dues. No need for union officers if plants are shut down.

Jerry A. Pugh of TX @ Dec 18, 2008 23:29:43 PM

For Trade: Chevy truck for a Wind Turbine

Boeing offers a great plane that can compete on the global market. GM does NOT offer such a product. However, their cars are built tough and well assembled. Maybe we don't need the US to build cars so much as we would rather have them build something else. Maybe build wind turbines? The USA has a great design, a need for tons of them, and not to mention a nation of motivated workers. I say let Japan build our cars, we'll build the next great revolution!

Landon of WA @ Dec 18, 2008 23:20:49 PM

UAW wages killng automakers - NOT!

I don't know how many times I've heard this argument but it's simply not true. It's not the UAW wages that are uncompetitive. They are only slightly higher than the foreign transplants now, and the new contract actually UNDERCUTS the transplant labor rates. Labor is only 5-10% of a vehicle's cost anyway so the wage differences mean NOTHING.

It is the LEGACY costs that are killing the Big 3. Each working employee supports something like 5 retirees. The foreign transplants have only been here 20-30 years so are only now starting to have a few retirees, and they done't have very good pensions anyway. So everyone needs to get off their high horse and stop ripping the UAW for being prima donnas. How to deal with the legacy costs is the issue at hand. Go ahead and hope for bankrptcy but remember if it happens, the PBGC and therefore you and me, will pick up the legacy tab! Not to mention the Unemployment tab.

todd of KY @ Dec 18, 2008 17:46:21 PM

Union Busting

The American Auto Industry is the last great Union refuge and the GOP will finally finish its war on America by destroying the last bastion of workers who have a say in their jobs.

Thanks Ronald Reagan, thanks GOP for helping send whats left of our industry overseas or to foreign auto plants. Ironic that the same Republicans that are firmly against domestic auto bailouts have Volkswagen, Toyota plants in their home states. Sounds like a conflict of interest to me.

The one thing the GOP doesn't want you to know is that other nations protect their workers, give them nationalized health care, retirement and benefits as well as ensure their wages are fair.

Rick Cain of OK @ Dec 18, 2008 16:50:53 PM