Are you in favor of a bailout for the Auto industry ? Is this a bailout or

[who's sane]

an investment in our nations future? Do you think the long term out come will be?  Is this any different then around WW1-2 era government made sure to protect the nations future of the steel industry, I read this up north in someones old scrap books of old n ews clippings about 4yrs ago, and thought how it seems history is repeating itself with the economy etc. Do we need to look closer at the powerful impact this could have not just with the US, but other nations becoming more powerful then we are or once were?
   Is this a bailout or an investment?

[Al Gore is a Fraud]

Let them fail. German cars drive much better anyways.

[leavin#1]

NO!

Where is the money we signed over to the financial industry that was supposed to save us?

[Themis]

It's a bailout not an investment. The automobile industry in this nation has been broken for a long time. The bailout is to appease the unions and nothing else. Airlines are allowed to go bankrupt and reorganize their debt why not the auto industry?

[oboewan]

Let's see:

-The auto industry in America is going under because they're not selling enough cars.

-This is because American cars are expensive and don't get good gas mileage.

-European and Japanese cars, on the other hand, have no problem being cheap and fuel-efficient.

-Therefore, people are buying European and Japanese cars instead of American cars.

Does this spell "huge government bailout" to you?

I think it spells "shape up, auto industry, and make better cars!"

[TyranusXX]

Well here is the problem with the US automakers. There main problem is with the union UAW copntracts. A bailout of the auto makers would in effect just be giving unions members money. They can't compete with these un realistic union contracts. Give them money now and they will just need more in another 5-10 years.

UAW Contracts cost the big 3 ~ $75 per employee hour
Honda & Toyota plants in the US cost them ~ $45 per employee hour.

You do the math?

[Ben H]

 I think that we need to allow them to go into bankruptcy before there is any help for them.  Until they can break out of the union contracts that cause their labor costs to be almost TWICE as high as Toyota,($73/hr vs. $43/hr), they cannot ever be profitable.  Organized labor is just going to have to learn that workers cannot earn this much and still have their employer be able to compete in the world marketplace.

[DAR]

It is theft from the American people to fund special interests.

[Colanth]

If we break the unions there won't be any union members earning money, so they'll lose their houses to foreclosure (causing the current financial crisis to get worse), they won't be buying cars (causing the big 3 to sell fewer cars, causing them to need more "bail outs") and probably crashing the entire world's economy.  (Union auto workers, not just UAW, but those working for the firms that do business with the big 3, those doing business with them, etc., are a HUGE part of the economy.)  Maybe it's time we realized that the US economy isn't isolated.  If Japan can make better, cheaper, more fuel-efficient cars than we can, maybe we'll have to get into another business.  Maybe the big 3 should get into the fuel cell business.  That should keep them running for another generation or so.

[Confused ...]

I am in favor of bailout with 3 conditions:
a) fire all the big 3 top management teams
b) fire all the big 3 high and middle level management who does not have technical qualification
c) desolve  bit 3 UAW

[Myron]

They wouldn't need a bailout if they made cars people want.  

[Johns L]

after the first 25 billion dollar loaned to 3 companies one company gm just released a new performance sports car that doesnt show or make any profits. available in only limited numbers, the car cost 100,000+ to purchase and probably millions upon millions to develop and design, maybe even billions. why did gm develop this car that doesnt show any profit when they couldve design something for the everyday consumer a solid gas saving safe and reliable car. very irresponsible, very bad investments, and very poor decision making so no the govt should not bail them out with another 25 billion when they continue to make these decisions

[John K]

Neither.  Instead a temporary bandage which is part of a larger plot to place the USA in dire financial straits.

In days gone by when a company was financially strapped, due to bad management or for other reasons, reorganization under bankruptcy laws and/or private recapitalization would put salvageable businesses back on tract.

The fact that  investors are unwilling to make such investments in Detroit  needs no further elaboration here.

The Biggest Heist of Taxpayer Funds in the history of the USA is Taking Place!