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Bailout Nation 2: General Motors


Subdude

  

50 members have voted

  1. 1. What should be GM's fate?

    • Bailout
      15
    • Bankrupt
      35


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Given that we are spending $2 Trillion on propping up banks and AIG, it seems almost cheap in comparison to pump $50 Billion into GM. The collapse of GM would cause calamity in far more places than just Detroit, and as far as useful government spending during a recession, this seems a better investment in terms of saving jobs. That said, it disgusts me to spend tax dollars on a management team that ignored so many warning signs that they were heading for disaster. You can only heap so much blame on the unions. Unions did not make the poor decisions that management has.

Then again, I suppose it also disgusts me that we are giving money to financial management teams that ignored the warnings as well. I guess I am just a disgusted taxpayer all around.

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We bailed out Chrysler before... and it paid off. We cannot let GM or Ford go under. We either help them stay in business... and give them the cash (a loan) they need... OR... we payout that same money in unemployment checks for all those people. Either way, we're paying. One other option may be bankruptcy whereby they can restructure their company (chapter 13). Basically, that is the airline approach. So I guess that would be my approach: bankruptcy reorganization first, then federal bailout, if needed. Under no circumstances should any American car company stop making cars (chapter 7) - because even if you do not like American cars - people still buy them, especially American trucks.

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We bailed out Chrysler before... and it paid off.

Correct me if I'm wrong (I only have a very general knowledge of the automotive business), but my recollection is...

  1. American taxpayers bail out Chrysler.
  2. Chrysler continues making sucky cars that can't go uphill.
  3. Chrysler continues losing money.
  4. Chrysler gets bought out by DaimerBenz.
  5. Chrysler becomes a burden on DaimlerBenz.
  6. DaimlerBenz jettisons its dysfunctional stepchild.
  7. Chrysler continues making sucky cars.
  8. Chrysler hints that it will ask for another bailout if GM gets one.

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If GM made better cars I'd be more willing to bail them out. I can't justify propping up a company that has shown that it can't compete in the world market just because it's a US company.

Are any other car makers interested in buying GM? Tata, maybe?

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If GM made better cars I'd be more willing to bail them out. I can't justify propping up a company that has shown that it can't compete in the world market just because it's a US company.

Which brings up an interesting point -- if it was the French government bailing out Peugot or South Korea bailing out Hyundai, you know that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce would be lodging a complaint over unfair trade practices or something; similar to the Airbus complaints.

I think like you in this regard. If GM was making fantastic cars that everyone wanted, I'd feel a bit sentimental and lean towards bailout. But the fact is that we don't need GM or Ford or Chrysler anymore. 95% of what we have in our houses is manufactured overseas because it's either better, cheaper, or both. Why should our driveways be any different? Sentiment?

Take the money requested for the bailout and put it into retraining programs for the workers and let them built windmills or something that American companies actually excel at that there's a real demand for.

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Which brings up an interesting point -- if it was the French government bailing out Peugot or South Korea bailing out Hyundai, you know that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce would be lodging a complaint over unfair trade practices or something; similar to the Airbus complaints.

I think like you in this regard. If GM was making fantastic cars that everyone wanted, I'd feel a bit sentimental and lean towards bailout. But the fact is that we don't need GM or Ford or Chrysler anymore. 95% of what we have in our houses is manufactured overseas because it's either better, cheaper, or both. Why should our driveways be any different? Sentiment?

Take the money requested for the bailout and put it into retraining programs for the workers and let them built windmills or something that American companies actually excel at that there's a real demand for.

Therein lies the rub. If GM was making cars that everyone wanted, they would not NEED a bailout.

This very issue was brought up at the HAIF Happy Hour (and you thought all we did was drink). The US very much needs to come to grips with the fact that not everyone is cut out for college. Vocational training is important, and should be encouraged. However, if put money into vocational training and retraining autoworkers, while at the same time giving tax breaks to companies that send manufacturing jobs overseas, where will the retrained workers work? And, frankly, it is in our national security interest to have heavy manufacturing and auto and truck assembly plants within our borders. A nation of accountants, lawyers, bankers and computer programmers is defenseless if it has no capacity for building military hardware.

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Therein lies the rub. If GM was making cars that everyone wanted, they would not NEED a bailout.

This very issue was brought up at the HAIF Happy Hour (and you thought all we did was drink). The US very much needs to come to grips with the fact that not everyone is cut out for college. Vocational training is important, and should be encouraged. However, if put money into vocational training and retraining autoworkers, while at the same time giving tax breaks to companies that send manufacturing jobs overseas, where will the retrained workers work? And, frankly, it is in our national security interest to have heavy manufacturing and auto and truck assembly plants within our borders. A nation of accountants, lawyers, bankers and computer programmers is defenseless if it has no capacity for building military hardware.

So retrain them to build military hardware. Or something else. Anything other than bad cars.

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So retrain them to build military hardware. Or something else. Anything other than bad cars.

That is such a 1980's type of "buy Japanese" mindset... I would argue that back then, a Japanese car was superior to any make around the world. I don't think that's true today; many car manufactures have caught up to the Japanese.

From a 2005 survey...

http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/23/Autos/american_cars/

Lincoln, Buick, and Cadillac beat Toyota.

In fact, Lincoln, Cadillac and Buick all out-scored Toyota's Toyota-branded and Honda's Honda-branded vehicles in the same 2005 J.D. Powers survey.

The nature of the problems reported has also changed markedly over the years, said John Tews, a spokesman for J.D. Power. Major problems, things that would actually make a vehicle not drivable, are rare today, he said. "Problem" now usually means a squeak, a rattle or a stuck knob or switch.

...and in 2000 I had the privilege... err... slight misfortune... of owning a Honda Accord that was nothing but a nightmare in terms of trying to get the thing to pass inspection, due to flawed emission controls.

Lack of producing quality vehicles is not the problem. Even in 1970's - the pinnacle of the US auto industry's worst years in terms of producing junk - people were still buying crappy American cars, and have been for decades.

There are probably a good number of people out there would like to buy a new GM or Ford pickup, or economy car, but can't get a loan. Or maybe they lost their job and can't afford to buy a car or truck. That's not GM's fault. In terms of their efficiency and quality control on their products... it is probably as good as any global car manufacture; however, the weight of their pension obligations and benefits to retirees is just killing them. If GM and Ford could jettison those obligations in bankruptcy - the way virtually every airline has done - they would be competitive.

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Correct me if I'm wrong (I only have a very general knowledge of the automotive business), but my recollection is...

  1. American taxpayers bail out Chrysler.
  2. Chrysler continues making sucky cars that can't go uphill.
  3. Chrysler continues losing money.
  4. Chrysler gets bought out by DaimerBenz.
  5. Chrysler becomes a burden on DaimlerBenz.
  6. DaimlerBenz jettisons its dysfunctional stepchild.
  7. Chrysler continues making sucky cars.
  8. Chrysler hints that it will ask for another bailout if GM gets one.

The late 1970's/early 80's Chrysler bailout (loan program) was a huge success. American tax payers didn't lose a dime in that deal.

You could argue that those K cars were crap. But boy, did Americans buy a lot of them. Not the best car, but it was better than what produced in the 1970's, and allowed Chrysler to climb its way out of a deep hole.

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Pension obligations did not cause GM sales to drop 45% in October over October 2007. And, if people cannot get a loan to buy a GM product, shouldn't GM management...you know, the same people who run GMAC...share some of that blame, too?

Foreign and domestic car companies have both been hammered. It's not just GM. The reason: the downturn in the economy. That, on top of the pension/retiree obligations, just makes them burn through cash faster, hastening their decline. To me, it is tragic, almost near criminal, that the only way for American companies to stay competitive nowadays is dump their pension/health care/retirement obligations/benefits. I would, in a heartbeat, trade my stock market retirement account for a guaranteed pension, indexed to inflation. It used to be that way. But that is not the America we live in anymore. Which sucks.

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2007 overall JD Powers ratings:

  1. Porsche
  2. Lexus
  3. Lincoln

  • .Best subcompact: Kia Rio
  • .Best compact: Honda Civic
  • .Midsize: Mercury Milan (based on the Mazda 6)
  • .Large: Pontiac Grand Prix
  • .Entry-level premium: Lincoln
  • .Mid-size premium: Mercedes E-class
  • .Large premium: Audi A8 and Mercedes S-class (tie)
  • .Sport compact: Mazda MX5
  • Sport compact premium: Porsche Boxter
  • .Sport mid-size premium: Ford Mustang
  • .Sport premium: Mercedes SL
  • .Midsize premium MAV: Lexus RX
  • .Large premium MAV: Lincoln Mark LT
  • .Midsize pickup: Toyota Tacoma
  • .Large pickup: Chevrolet Silverado

Score:

  • South Korea: 1
  • Japan: 4
  • Germany: 5
  • USA: 6

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That is such a 1980's type of "buy Japanese" mindset... I would argue that back then, a Japanese car was superior to any make around the world. I don't think that's true today; many car manufactures have caught up to the Japanese.

And I'll argue that Japanese cars are still a better value.

There are probably a good number of people out there would like to buy a new GM or Ford pickup, or economy car, but can't get a loan. Or maybe they lost their job and can't afford to buy a car or truck. That's not GM's fault. In terms of their efficiency and quality control on their products... it is probably as good as any global car manufacture; however, the weight of their pension obligations and benefits to retirees is just killing them.

Sorry, job losses and the credit squeeze hit foreign car makers, too. GM is hurting more than those companies because it never figured out how to make cars people around the world want to buy at a price they are willing to pay. It's a failure. Let it fail.

If GM and Ford could jettison those obligations in bankruptcy - the way virtually every airline has done - they would be competitive.

If a company is competitive only if it doesn't have to pay its bills, is that really what we mean by "competitive"?

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If a company is competitive only if it doesn't have to pay its bills, is that really what we mean by "competitive"?

That is what American chief executives say when they have screwed up, that it is nothing that they did wrong, but that something out of their control caused it. Recently, Wall Street execs testified on Capitol Hill that the financial crisis wasn't their fault, either. The fact is, GM builds the best trucks, and ignored autos, because trucks were more profitable. You never heard Toyota complain about a competitive disadvantage in trucks. When they finally decided to compete, they designed and built the Tundra. When gasoline prices spiked, GM and Ford were caught flatfooted. That is not a competitive disadvantage. That is a lack of foresight, foresight that the Japenese and Europeans had.

One could argue that the artificially high gasoline prices in Europe in Japan forced those automakers to adapt by building more fuel efficient vehicles, giving them an advantage today. This is true. However, who fought the issue tooth and nail here in the US? GM and Ford. They lobbied aggressively, not only against gas taxes, but also against increased CAFE standards, and FOR tax breaks for those who purchased oversized vehicles. GM and Ford CREATED their own competitive disadvantage.

How about labor costs? GM has said in private that it would like national health care. But, in public, GM, Ford and other corporate execs supported those politicians who opposed national health care. It is US policy that is creating this competitive disadvantage, if there is one. However, considering that virtually all of the big foreign manufacturers now have plants in the US, and play by US rules, even that is a weak argument.

Frankly, there are no free rides, contrary to US thinking of the last 20 years. Every policy has a consequence. If we want to be the ultimate "free market", GM and Ford are going to go under, as well as much of Wall Street. Every mountain has a valley on either side. Social policies smooth out the bumps, but they are not free. The only unsustainable policy is the one that we are on now, that privatizes profit and socializes loss. We can save GM, but if the citizens are going to give GM their tax dollars, GM should be expected to give the taxpayers something in return.

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We can save GM, but if the citizens are going to give GM their tax dollars, GM should be expected to give the taxpayers something in return.

Exactly. And that's why the Chrysler bailout was successful in the 1980's. Lee Iacocca knew that he had to fundamentally change Chrysler and put out a product that meet customer needs/expectations, acknowledging that he/Chrysler had been "kicked in the head." Thus, the mini-van was born... and they "couldn't build enough of them."

Same thing now with GM, Ford... it's about making not so many trucks/SUVs any more. They have to fundamentally change their focus/management behavior. In the past, their lobbying efforts don't surprise me (that is the "American way"). They were just "working the system" to keep the train going. Now the system is broke, and they have no choice but to change.

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Only reason I'm for the bailout is b/c I'd hate to see what happens to Detroit and it's surrounding ares if GM goes Bankrupt....It could possibly turn into a post Katrina New Orleans..

I see that as an unlikely scenario. Detroit is neither hurricane-prone, below sea level, surrounded by crappy levees, or within the State of Louisiana (which in and of itself is a disaster). New Orleans is also growing again.

Realistically, a bankruptcy of one of the big three is probably what is needed to preserve the other manufacturers. Allow other companies, including Ford and Chrysler, to pick apart GM's carcass, buying the successful divisions free of GM's financial legacy. Everyone's market share gets bigger. The crappiest product lines go away, their labor laid off, their plant, property, and equipment divested. Duplications of effort get eliminated.

Btw, divestment means that it gets sold to some other entrepreneur that puts it to a better use. Capital doesn't just vanish when there's a bankruptcy or a collapse of an industry.

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To let the domestic auto manufacturers fail would be tragic. These companies have pension obligations that the foreign manufacturers do not. That in itself is a reason to bail them out. How insensitive and criminal it would be to tell these retirees, "tuff luck buddy, hope you enjoy cat food".

ERISA would only pick up about 1/3rd of the pension obligations.

People claim US cars are not as good as foreign. I have 4 domestic vehicles, 00 Blazer, 02 F-150, 04 Cavalier, 06 Ford Freestyle. All are reliable and driven every day by family members.

I think it's more than reliablity that keeps buyers away. I think it's just people feel like they are making a wise decision by buying something foreign. They perceive the foreign product to be better made. Advertising and product image has made domestic autos seem old fashioned and out of step, or something our parents drove. It's an image thing.

It doesn't really matter what the domestic automakers produce, some people just won't even consider it because it is a Ford, or a Chrysler, or a Chevrolet. One brand that is the exception is "Jeep". I'm surprised Diamler let it go.

Studebaker was the last major automaker to quick producing automobiles in the United States. AMC, which purchased Kaiser Jeep in 1970 was absorbed by Chrysler in 1987. All retired auto workers, other than Studebaker retirees, are getting retirement funded by purchases made by us, every time we buy a domestic car. I myself see nothing wrong with keeping this cycle going. It makes economic sense. Plus it's patriotic.

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To let the domestic auto manufacturers fail would be tragic. These companies have pension obligations that the foreign manufacturers do not. That in itself is a reason to bail them out. How insensitive and criminal it would be to tell these retirees, "tuff luck buddy, hope you enjoy cat food".

ERISA would only pick up about 1/3rd of the pension obligations.

Nope. There are already bailout programs in place to cover that. You hit on one. The other is called social security. We don't need a third.

Besides which, from the perspective of someone who is going to be forced to sacrifice a left testicle for the retirement of my parents' generation, the bailout programs that we have in place seem criminal. A whole generation was basically discouraged from saving adequately for retirement, and I'm the one getting robbed.

People claim US cars are not as good as foreign. I have 4 domestic vehicles, 00 Blazer, 02 F-150, 04 Cavalier, 06 Ford Freestyle. All are reliable and driven every day by family members.

Who cares?

I think it's more than reliablity that keeps buyers away. I think it's just people feel like they are making a wise decision by buying something foreign. They perceive the foreign product to be better made. Advertising and product image has made domestic autos seem old fashioned and out of step, or something our parents drove. It's an image thing.

It doesn't really matter what the domestic automakers produce, some people just won't even consider it because it is a Ford, or a Chrysler, or a Chevrolet. One brand that is the exception is "Jeep". I'm surprised Diamler let it go.

Studebaker was the last major automaker to quick producing automobiles in the United States. AMC, which purchased Kaiser Jeep in 1970 was absorbed by Chrysler in 1987. All retired auto workers, other than Studebaker retirees, are getting retirement funded by purchases made by us, every time we buy a domestic car. I myself see nothing wrong with keeping this cycle going. It makes economic sense. Plus it's patriotic.

Your sentimentalism-based economic policy proposal has made me reconsider my earlier comments.

I now advocate letting GM fail, but not allowing Ford or Chrysler to purchase any part of it. By allowing only Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and other foreign manufacturers to buy GM's assets, we keep populist sentimentalists from pressuring elected officials to throw good money after bad in the future. We need to put an end to this cycle, and do it in this year or the next! It doesn't make any sense. It is an unpatriotic ploy by one greedy generation to rob their children.

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To let the domestic auto manufacturers fail would be tragic. These companies have pension obligations that the foreign manufacturers do not. That in itself is a reason to bail them out. How insensitive and criminal it would be to tell these retirees, "tuff luck buddy, hope you enjoy cat food".

Insensitive and criminal? Hardly. These retirees have a contract with a company. If there are no provisions for taking care of them when that company fails (and all companies eventually fail), why is that anyone else's responsibility? What crime are you talking about?

People claim US cars are not as good as foreign. I have 4 domestic vehicles, 00 Blazer, 02 F-150, 04 Cavalier, 06 Ford Freestyle. All are reliable and driven every day by family members.

I think it's more than reliablity that keeps buyers away. I think it's just people feel like they are making a wise decision by buying something foreign. They perceive the foreign product to be better made. Advertising and product image has made domestic autos seem old fashioned and out of step, or something our parents drove. It's an image thing.

It's also a numbers and facts thing. Study after study rank Honda and Toyota as the most reliable cars, not just vs US car makers, but in the world. Resale values reflect that. Why would you buy a domestic car when you can get an import that costs about the same, lasts longer and holds its value better?

It doesn't really matter what the domestic automakers produce, some people just won't even consider it because it is a Ford, or a Chrysler, or a Chevrolet.
Studebaker was the last major automaker to quick producing automobiles in the United States. AMC, which purchased Kaiser Jeep in 1970 was absorbed by Chrysler in 1987. All retired auto workers, other than Studebaker retirees, are getting retirement funded by purchases made by us, every time we buy a domestic car. I myself see nothing wrong with keeping this cycle going. It makes economic sense. Plus it's patriotic.

So you're saying we should individually bail them out. I remain unconvinced.

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We bail out financial instituitions and Las Vegas (oops I mean Wall Street). Why is it not reasonable to bail out our manufacturing sector. To borrow a phrase from the Republicans. "manufacture here, manufacture now."

It just seems ironic that most conservatives want the U.S. to be energy independent. How silly it will be, if we finally reach that point, only to be able to pump that domestic gasoline into the tanks of our foriegn made automobiles.

And why is it that when "Hollywood" is trying to portray a young independent rebel type in one of their recent movies, he's shown driving some hot 60's muscle car. Is it that you just can't look cool in a Honda?

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We bail out financial instituitions and Las Vegas (oops I mean Wall Street). Why is it not reasonable to bail out our manufacturing sector.

If the banks fail, there's no way to borrow money and everything else falls apart. If GM fails, it's huge, but it's just a car maker. There are plenty more where those came from.

GM and the other domestic car companies have been exporting jobs from the US for decades. Why should US taxpayers bail out Mexico's manufacturing sector?

Do you have some personal connection to US auto makers?

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If the banks fail, there's no way to borrow money and everything else falls apart. If GM fails, it's huge, but it's just a car maker. There are plenty more where those came from.

GM and the other domestic car companies have been exporting jobs from the US for decades. Why should US taxpayers bail out Mexico's manufacturing sector?

Do you have some personal connection to US auto makers?

No, just a consumer.

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We bail out financial instituitions and Las Vegas (oops I mean Wall Street). Why is it not reasonable to bail out our manufacturing sector.

Because a total failure of the financial sector would've wiped out our manufacturing sector--and more importantly, just about everything else.

Also, the financial sector seems to be much better at self-regulating, for instance by not continuing to insanely issue the same kinds of securities that got it into this mess; in contrast, the automotive manufacturing sector can't seem to get its act together and put out attractive products. And if we're no good at something, we should commit our resources to something we actually are good at.

To borrow a phrase from the Republicans. "manufacture here, manufacture now."

It just seems ironic that most conservatives want the U.S. to be energy independent. How silly it will be, if we finally reach that point, only to be able to pump that domestic gasoline into the tanks of our foriegn made automobiles.

And why is it that when "Hollywood" is trying to portray a young independent rebel type in one of their recent movies, he's shown driving some hot 60's muscle car. Is it that you just can't look cool in a Honda?

Judging from box office sales, I'm not sure that Hollywood is a particularly good arbiter of cool.

Similarly, now is probably not a very good time to be quoting Republicans. Even they don't like themselves.

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Also, the financial sector seems to be much better at self-regulating, for instance by not continuing to insanely issue the same kinds of securities that got it into this mess;

I'm not sure you would get much agreement on this statement right now.

Similarly, now is probably not a very good time to be quoting Republicans. Even they don't like themselves.

On this, though, we can probably all agree.

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