How Detroit's Big Three Automakers Screwed Up

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THE BIG THREE SPENT 4 DECADES DISREGARDING THE FOREIGN AUTOMAKERS. AFTER ALL THEY WERE THE "BIG THREE". ALSO DISREGARDING THE AMERICAN PUBLIC, THEY FAILED THE COUNTRY BY BEING ARROGANT, ABOVE THE AVERAGE WORKING PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT THEIR OFTEN INFERIOR PRODUCT. STARTING IN THE 1960'S WHEN COLLEGE STUDENTS SWITCHED TO MORE GAS EFFECIENT, REPAIR FREE, AND BETTER BUILT VEHICLES THE "BIG THREE" IGNORED THE NEW UPSTARTS. AFTER ALL THEY WERE THE "BIG THREE". MARKET SHARE BEGAN ERRODING WAY BACK THEN. THEN THE UNIONS BEGAN GETTING REWARDED FOR NOT STRIKING WITH EXCESSIVE BENEFITS. SLOWLY THE "BIG THREE" NO LONGER RAN THE COMPANIES BUT WERE CO-MANAGERS WITH THE UNIONS. I AM A LOYAL AMERICAN, FORMER COMBAT MARINE AND LOVE MY COUNTRY. tHESE THREE COMPANIES HAVE BEEN SELFINDULGENT, LIVING THE HIGH LIFE, DISREGARDING THOSE THAT BUY THERE CARS AND FAILED TO BECOME GOOD AMERICANS. IF I HAD MY WAY I WOULD PUT THEM UP AGAINST A WALL AND SHOOT THEM. WHAT THE HELL IT WORKS IN CHINA.

CHARLES B. SALWEN of FL 8:27AM May 12, 2009

I cant find the article, only the first paragraph.

Bill of GA 10:34AM March 16, 2009

I love this satire from Iowahawk: http://iowahawk.typepad.com/iowahawk/2008/11/lemon.html

Mike Kelley of MT 9:11PM March 15, 2009

the only CEO who is an engineer/business man CEO of Ford ! the other CEO's /Chrysler & GM / are NOT engineers ! only business men. Ford has it RIGHT !..

annie of MI 7:57PM March 14, 2009

Here is a funny thing that the driveby media won't tell you. Internationally the big 3 are doing just fine. There main market is here in America but they do sell autos overseas and they make money. If the government wanted to do anything for the big 3, they would relax standards. Stop raising fuel standards, cafe standards, etc. The only reason why the liberal government is pushing so hard on them is because they are trying to convert to green. This would be because of the alleged global warming.
Besides that you can't bail out wall street and not bail out every other Tom. Capitalism is built on the idea that if a company is being mismanaged then they should be allowed to fail. The idea of the government injecting money like it is not going to revive the economy. We have been bailing out the big 3 since Novemeber, and the banks since September, with the exception of citigroup, why aren't the businesses rebounding?

joe of NY 9:22AM March 14, 2009

The problem with auto makers is a old problem. Where was the government at with a fistfull of cash when the buggywhip makers were eased out of business from the likes of Henry Ford and his other bretheren when they were driven out of business. They simply failed to act in a changing market. if you cant compete in a paticular type of business. the smart thing " I would think" would be to do something else and not depend on others to fix my mess with other peoples money, or loans. but I am a simple former laid off factory worker. devoted many years of my life to helping the company i worked for to enrich its stockholders so they could lay me off and keep profit margins high. I am sorry for the working man and little pity for those who continue to make millions on those who are breaking down employees by doubling their workload. snd not even compensating them, sometimes even decreasing the pay rate.

r revis of KY 6:40PM March 13, 2009

Ford has always been one of the "big 3" -- actually, the first. And Ford is handling business as usual with no outside help. Yes, sales are down now and have been at times before. But only GM and Chrysler have asked for government loans. LOANS, not bailouts like the insurance giants, huge banks and brokerages. They have borrowed before and paid it all back with interest. Blowhards that write crap like the article cited need to get the facts and -- oh well, guess they're just not capable of that. The ignorant have hope of learning. The stupid are beyond help.

HillbillyBill of TN 5:01PM March 13, 2009