If they decide to bail these people out, it should be with the condition that the CEO's resign(and probably ALL of upper management)...

Do you think they would be so quick to ask for a handout if it their jobs depended on it?

Someone should be auditing these companies? Actually the trickle up theory is at work here. The "I need a handout" mentality has trickled all the way to the top.

One (or all) of the big three needs to be gone. Their time
has passed, and keeping them on life support isn't doing anyone
any favors except for the unions.

Bankruptcy would be a perfect option and has worked wonders
for dozens if not hundreds of other large companies. The only
reason Democrats are so dead set against bankruptcy is because
the union contracts and pension obligations would get tossed
out in bankruptcy.

Democrats owe their debts to the unions for this last election
and they will not forget them.

As a result, we will all get stuck keeping these dinosaurs alive
for eternity...

Bankruptcy is not without massive collateral damage to the thousands of suppliers/vendors to the industry. In Chapter 11, only the top 20 creditors (i.e. banks) are factored into the restructuring plan. As usual, it is the many smaller businesses that supply the auto industry that will suffer the most. And those shops often are not unionized.

But the small shops that will be hurt is a small price to pay to break the unions. The unions have such a strong stranghold on this industry it is a crime. The unions don't offer any product or service or support to this industry. I feel sorry for the people that will loose their retirement.

Did you see what GM and Ford pays union members NOT to work? I say no bailout with this mindset.

True on the not working issue. It's incredible.

Interesting that the Nancy Pelosi types were silent about the
'essential' part of the auto business when the unions were
striking. Democrats viewed the labor relations then as a
private matter.

But now? Oh, now the business is essential to the very essence
of us all!

Let them fail. After all, it's just the chickens coming home
to roost, right?

The UAW members are being bought out and have been for the last 4 or 5 years as plants are shut down and consolidated.

UAW membership has been steadily decreasing. The UAW had 1.2 million members 20 years ago; it now has less than 600,000. Twenty percent of the United States work force was unionized in 1983. By 2005, union membership had dropped to 12.5 percent of the work force, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As far as the small shops that will fall due to bankruptcy - small shops are the backbone of our country and can least afford to suffer the consequences of others' bad decisions.

I'm not as familiar with GM but Ford is and has been revamping for success for quite some time now and if they had to, they can make it back to profitability on their own. The "bailout" money for the automakers is actually lower-cost loans that they need for operations because banks at this point in time are not loaning out money unless they charge exhorbitant rates to make up for the mortgage debt repercussions.

Hey Jeff,

Bankruptcy would be a perfect option and has worked wonders

for dozens if not hundreds of other large companies. The only

reason Democrats are so dead set against bankruptcy is because

the union contracts and pension obligations would get tossed

out in bankruptcy.


Wouldn't it be a shame if the employees were paid -market pay- not union pay.Many,many of the jobs are just repetitious and have less responsibility than a 16 year old at Burger King.But these jobs demand $28.00 per hour...plus extreme contract demands.

Dorfs brought something up I had forgotten about.Many union auto workers are never really laid off.They sit in a union hall surfing the Internet or working on college degrees while getting full pay.Because their contracts do not allow them to be laid off..even if there is no work.

Now the great Obama wants to increase Federal workers union power and expand it.Anyone who has dealt with government employees-local,state or federal know that 90% of them have the efficiency of a sloth and even worse customer service.But hey,why do they care..their job is protected.

"Obama Wrote Federal Staffers About His Goals"

"In wooing federal employee votes on the eve of the election, Barack Obama wrote a series of letters to workers that offer detailed de_script_ions of how he intends to add muscle to specific government programs, give new power to bureaucrats and roll back some Bush administration policies"

"The letters, sent to employees at seven agencies, describe Obama's intention to scale back on contracts to private firms doing government work, to remove censorship from scientific research, and to champion tougher industry regulation to protect workers and the environment"

And the most disgusting!

"In a letter to Labor Department employees, Obama wrote: "I believe that it's time we stopped talking about family values and start pursuing policies that truly value families, such as paid family leave, flexible work schedules, and telework, with the federal government leading by example."

How noble of HIM,It's always easy to set an example..when it's unlimited tax payer money.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/ 2008/11/17/ST2008111700199.html

Hey 101,

It's interesting to watch the issues that Obama steers clear
of for the time being. If GM still survives by the time
Hussein gets sworn in, expect a full press to give the
automaker SUV loads of cash.

Then again, we all may get lucky and Obama will be forced to
finally prove his 'citizenship' once and for all before he's
sworn in.

Seems the illegal aliens lock on jobs in this country isn't
just 'jobs Americans dont want.'

"Dorfs brought something up I had forgotten about.Many union auto workers are never really laid off.They sit in a union hall surfing the Internet or working on college degrees while getting full pay.Because their contracts do not allow them to be laid off..even if there is no work."

that's true, just like the Longshoreman years ago in Brooklyn were under the guaranteed wage. They didn't have to work, just hang out.

the government should bail out the smaller shops who are struggling and let the banks and the unions take a hike.

Please don't take me out Mr. Woehrle. Where would you buy your next truck?

From China?

Ah Jeff...

Now we can call you Senior...that's more like it!