Closing Arguments: A Bailout for the Big Three?

Yes, absolutely. We can not let them fail!

I support the government providing loans to the auto industry if they can provide a plan to become profitable and the loans should be paid back by them.

I personally feel that we should not bail out the auto makers. They can make less cars and make them more efficent. They have a tendency to be over priced. NO! Do not bail them out. They can find a way to get out of this hole themselves.

I personally think that if these corporations need that much money to bail them out then they don’t need to be in business in the first place. Toyota is doing well. American car corporations pay thier CEO’s, engineers, and workers too much in the first place. This is why I personally think they have become desperate for money. If you would manage your money right in the first place and put it in the right places, this wouldn’t happen. I don’t think we should bail them out.

NO!!!

If the Big 3 go bankrupt, someone will buy the plants, etc., and produce cars for a much cheaper price.
The autoworkers and all suppliers will still have work with the new owners of the car factories.
Why doesn’t anyone report on this? All they report on is that everyone will be out of business – Yes, that is true, just the owners and stock holders.

No way should we bail them out. They have been the fat cats for how many years. The only fair way would be to tell all the upper managment that they get no fat checks and no bonus’s at all NOTHING!!

Let them get what they deserve… they have no foresight… they should file bankruptcy and recover thru that channel if they can!

no let them file bankruptsy they mismanaged the business.Ceo heads should roll.

Yes. General Motors is asking for a loan, not a bailout…regardless if we lose the auto makers and all the associated jobs we are headed for depression, not recession.

No. They don’t deserve a bailout or in better words a handout. The economy is not failing their business, their business is failing our economy. If they want a handout then they should expect regulation; if they don’t want regulation, they shouldn’t expect a handout. Americans are at fault and just because automakers or financial groups or even blue collar workers bet on them and were wrong doesn’t mean that the government is responsible to heal their pain. If a governement is failing its because the people are failing. No the automakers don’t deserve any rescue. If they receive a penny ‘we the people’ will never learn.

hell no we shouldn’t bail them out.
everyone envolved took profits/income without planning or investing for the changing auto markets/demands, and they want us to pay the price, ta hell with that. Let them send the money they took back and work at it differently for a few years.

NO! No Bail-outs period! These inflated paychecks, greedy CEO’s have mismanaged and overcharged us far too long to be looking for hand-outs. They blew it and they should pay for it. Let the people benefit from the $700 Billion of our money! SCREW THEM! Where’s the money they made when things were good? I’ll bet their families were living large. Too bad they weren’t smart enough to look ahead. They deserve to loose their jobs and don’t deserve one penny of our money. The entire government needs to be overhauled if they continue to pay criminals for misrepresentation, greed and fraud. We should start with congress. Get rid of them all and replce them with independents or someone that will actually work for the people. We have watched the greed and corruption for long enough!

No way! They fought all legislation for higher fuel economy. Now no one wants their products. Let the oil companies bail them out!

I can remember when I was raising two children back in the 60′s & 70′s. Inflation hit and it was difficult to make ends meet, but I was reading what wonderful things the automakers union was doing for the autoworkers. I was making $3.75 in a responsible position as a secretary, but men and women in the auto factories were making 4 times that because they could use a screw driver . Let’s be serious, the union and the execs living “high on the hog” w/hugh bonuses should NOT BE BAILED OUT.

I’m in debt so who is going to bail me out.I say hell no to the bailout.

No bailout! The greedy Big Three made this mess and they should live with it.

The Big Three didn’t have the smarts to keep up with the smart designers and stayed with antique land yaughts. They were non profitable before the recent economy problems. Simple answer – NO. Help the workers individually not the bonus grabbing executives.

Bail Out? No Way!
“Remember this your whole life through, tommorrow there will be more to do;
and failure waits for those who stay,
with success made yesterday.
Tomorrow you must try once more,
and even HARDER than before.”
No more bailouts for $71.00 high school graduates with ONE skill. FORGET IT.
Let’s look for a new young FORD/Crysler/GM who can make energy efficient cars, for those who use AND NEED less. WE CAN’T AFFORD YOU….we need to Change. NO BONUS’s for boneheads….Change!

Absolutely do not bail out the auto companies. Give them a chance to restructure and to re-negotiate the union wages and agreements that have led to some of their problems. Limits should be placed on executive salaries and packages to prompt a move away from the obscenely high pay they receive. They need to make the cars that people want and can afford and that get GOOD gas mileage, like the cars they make for foreign countries. They need to keep their work force employed so they are not added to the unemployment rolls. I am afraid that if we bail them out, they will abuse it just like AIG. If any more money is just handed out, it should have HEAVY strings attached.
We need to put more money in our citizens’ hands so we can afford to buy things, then more products will be sold and there will be a need for more to be manufactured. Where’s the common sense in Washington?????

Definitely not. When is this all going to end? Whatever happened to being responsible for our own actions. They keep making bad choices and expect us to pay the price. Deal with it the same way the public does when they screw up. No more bailouts.

Yes, I definitely feel those three automakers deserve share of the bailout money because job losses will affect thousands of americans. Retirees, families with children, parts suppliers, car dealers and many more will suffer. Also there will be a domino effect on other businesses. America can’t survive without any products made in America. It is no brainer.

frick no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Listening to C-Span today you realize how futile a bail-out is for the auto industry. You might as well pour money down a black hole, better still help homeowners. The return may be better. Listening to CEO of the big three, you realize their plants are sitting idle while they continue to pay salaries as usual. I believe in unions but this is ridiculous. Everyone from the top down is collecting as usual, unaware that their way of life has changed permanently. Putting money after it will not help. The industry is going doiwn anyway because a temporary bridge won’t help because the consumers are missing, not just can’t get credit but don’t want credit and aren’t going to buy because they can’t afford to buy. Pull the plug, reorganize and begin again with the court to help sort it out.

I don’t think that the government should bail out the Auto Industry. They have made their bed let them lye in it. Let them file BK and regroup together like the airlines have done. Get rid of the top management people they have gotten them in this position of despair – I’m sure there are some good employee w/o a job from Wall Street that could run the companies much better than what they have had.
They definetly don’t warrent a bailout. Out financial indurstry does.

If taxpayers could bail out the banks and insurance compananies, why should not they bail out car makes? It is not at all clear why is the hestation? 25 billion is way less than 700 billion. Those who in the Congress are saying that car makers did not plan properly and theeby should bepunished, forgot that the banks and insurance companies did the same and they were bailed. What congress was doing when speculators drove the oil price through the roof? We want car companies to receive the life line.

yes
i just don’t get the argument that wall street deserves a bail out and not the auto companies. They are asking for $25B while AIG alone has received $130B and it’s not enough.
And then there is the argument that $25B will not change their business model and make them solvent and they should have seen this coming. well, the feds should have seen this coming and put forth some controls 6-12 months ago. And if the feds and wall street didn’t see it coming how can they expect anyone else to have seen it coming.
my personal opinion is that the $700B has a much higher chance of being wasted on wall st than on any other industry

No loans at all. Do not give them one dime. Show them the door. It is time to let them sink or swim.
I am not buying if they do not get the money they are going to be gone next month. This Fear and Scare started 8 years ago and everyone saw it worked so well. Our new Terrorist are these Companies. Let them claim bankruptcy and get their business in line.
definitions of terrorism include only those acts which are intended to create fear (terror), are perpetrated for an ideological goal (as opposed to a lone attack), and deliberately target or disregard the safety of non-combatants.

It sounds easy enough to bail out the big 3 auto makers, but will we as taxpayers be shafted?? Will the automakers learn a lesson from this or just make the same mistakes? Maybe the top executives can for-go big bonuses or high salaries to help save their companies? Im sure they will not make any sacrifices and even possibly collect more compensation if they receive a government bail-out. That is one of the reasons they have gotten themselves into this mess–Greed and more greed! Why are the middle class and the poor always the ones to suffer when big corporations make huge blunders? Before throwing the automakers a lifesaver, at taxpayer expense, maybe we need to examine where and how they have been spending money over the past several years. This is a big decision and should NOT be decided over a few meetings with the CEOs begging for money!

Our government should not bailout the three automakers. I think it would be like sending our money down the drain. They are not willing to change to the production of cars that are needed today like other countries have already done. It would be better to give new US car makers a chance with financial help. They could give many laydoff people a new job.

Yes, we should give the Big Three the bridge loans they need. Without the Big Three our country’s economy will be devastated, as well as our 401′s and every other asset 99% of this country’s citizens have at this time. This is part of the chance we have to rescue our country from the mess it it is in due to the current White House administration.

I can’t imagine a healthy economy ever again without the big 3. Who would be left to buy anything?

I do not believe we should be bailing out these automakers. They have had plenty of time and opportunity to retool and curb the American appetite for gas-guzzling vehicles. Letting these giants fall will pave the way for new and environmentally conscious auto makers which will begin their efforts focussing on vehicles that are less dependant on fossil fuels. However catastrophic, the time has come for an end to irresponsible American manufacturing. We, as Americans need to be more environmentally responsible and must begin taking the lead for change in the world.

I definately think the auto industry should get the bail out. Millions depend on them to live.One in 10 American jobs depends on U.S. automakers. Nearly 3 million jobs are at immediate risk. U.S. personal income could be reduced by $150 billion. The tax revenue lost over 3 years would be more than $156 billion. If these companies go under it would be devastating.

yes the big 3 auto companies should be bailed out; because if they fall, we all fall. This is America, and we’re all in the together. We all know about dominoes.
That is what it well be. America will fall like a row of dominoes. We can’t afford such a thing at a time like this. We’re experiencing enough major crisis’. This just may take up over the top. Crime and poverty will triple, and a depression will occur in a state worse than the one we had in the last century.
If it’s ever a time to pull together, it’s now. ONE MORE THING> I think every American making less than $80,000 should be forgiven of all their debt and allowed to start fresh.

No, the american auto makers have had their chance time and time again to learn lesson which they have not. Maybe if they have to go under then start over without union. Who can afford their cars when the workers and CEO’s make so much money. Unions had their place and served a purpose years ago but they are not needed today. Lots of other people make it on less than these people are making and live great lives.
NO BAIL OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I for one don’t want to pay for the greed of the unions. And after all part of this money is money I paid in working for alot less than they get. And hey I am still out there making a living.

Isn’t it one of the principles of democracy that if you become too big and can’t adjust quickly enough to economic situation you will fail and you SHOULD FAIL. We the taxpayers can not be held responsible for bailing out private companies just because they are too big to fail. What happened to previous financial help provided by president Clinton to help BIG three build more fuel efficient cars. It was wasted. Japanese companies put their OWN money and were able to make profit paying CUSTOM fees for each car imported to US.

Not no…But hell no!!! The auto industry is rotten to the core. This is just another ploy by greedy industrialists to dip their hands into the taxpayer cookie jar. I think the american public will soon see what a HUGE mistake the congressional bailout of Wall Street is going to be in short order, and they have no one to blame but congress…It’s a crying shame that american politicians never learn from history. Let’s not make the same mistake twice !!!

Years ago the American people took to the streets and marched to show a united voice when it was time to demand change from our elected leaders. Now it appears we just bend over.

I ABSOLUTLY FEEL THE GOVERMENT HAS TO HELP THE BIG THREE, OR THE RESULTS WILL BE DEVASTATING…..IT WILL BE A DOMINOS EFFECT THOUGH THE NATION IN A MANY WAYS!…WE HAVE GIVEN OUR COUNTRY AWAY PIECE BY PIECE, AND NOW THE PILLAR OF MANUFACTURING IS ABOUT TO CRUMBLE..THE PROFITS MADE BY FORIEGN CAR COMPANIES, DOES NOT STAY IN THIS COUNTRY…NOR ARE THEY SURPORTIVE OF OUR NATION IN TIMES OF NEED…9/11 IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE..HOW CAN WE BE WILLING TO HELP AIG, THE CREDIT CARD COMPANIES, AND THE BANKS AND WE DON’T CARE ABOUT THE LITTLE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR THE BIG THREE? I TOO, BELIEVE THIS IS ALSO A DEFENSE ISSUE FOR THIS COUNTY..INTERESTING THAT NO ONE MENTIONED THE ARTICLE FORBES MAGZINE WROTE PRAISING FORD FOR THE OUTSTANDING JOB, THEY ARE DOING TO TURN THE COMPANY AROUND, OR CONSUMERS REPORT SAYING FORD IS COMPARABLE OF BETTER THAN TOYATA OR HONDA IN QUALITY AND RELIABITY…OR THAT FORD PUT 1,000 WORKERS BACK TO WORK, TO MEET THE DEMAND OF THE NEW F-150,….NEW MANAGERMENT ISN’T THE ANSWER FOR FORD, THEY GOT THAT TWO YEARS AGO, THEY JUST NEED TO TIME TO COMPLETE THE TURN AROUND..UNFORTUNATELY THE GOVERMENT DOESN’T UNDERSTAND THE CAR COMPANIES, PERCEPTION IS EVERYTHING!! AND BANKRUPTCY WOULD DESTORY ALL THE PROGRESS FORD HAS MADE.

DO NOT bail out the auto industry. Its time the greedy pay the price. They caved in to the unions, the workers made more than they should, as did the executives. If they didn’t save enough money, let them join those of us who have paid their exhorbitant prices for poor quality, and actually worked hard for what we have, and saved as best we could. Let’s buy from the foreign car makers building in the US who ARE making money because they are not saddled with union demands of unreasonable wages, excessive medical benefits and retirement contributions. Time for you to see how the other half lives. The stronger companies and individuals will fill the gap and hire people who are happy to have a good day’s pay for a good day’s work. I can’t believe the media and the politicians are so afraid to put the blame where it belongs. The unions served a very important function in the growth of our country, and now contribute to its demise.
And let those buyers who stepped ignorantly into the subprime mortgage market lose their homes and go back to renting. Especially let the greedy lenders fail.
We bailed out Amtrak and the airlines, how many times? and still no better. Let Darwinian Capitalism work.
Unfortunately, those who orchestrated the downfall will not suffer. But shame on us for letting them do it and get away with it. But let it stop here.

If a company, any company cannot sell their product, goes out of bussines, and stays out of bussines, and many companys do, and they don’t blame it on the economy beign weak, or beg for help from anyone, or at least at the scale o help that this companies are asking for, and if they do ask fo help, and if they do go out of bussines, let’s look at the way the company was ran by the CEO’s, very high bonuses, salary for worker’s at $70/hr, cheap made cars that guzzle down at the gas pump, and many are called back during an entire year, i personally own a small bussines and i know how hard it is to keep it, but it should not be anyone’s fault if i can’t run it, spoiling failure should not be an example in any situation, at least not in my lifetime, you fail you move on too new things, why try to do the same thing over again if you failed at it, maybe they should be in a different industry, or the government should help the companies names , but fire everybody at the top and start new, and fresh under new management

if toyota america, honda america, bmw america, can make a profit, without asking for handouts, then why can’t the supposed big three ????? they have a bad business model, overpriced labor, fat cat executives with humongous saleries, why should these people get
tax payers money to keep screwing up ???? they have had more than ample time. only the fat cat executives, overpriced labor, etc. will lose out.
supply and demand will take care of the rest. all the new and used car lots i see ore over flowing, there are no shortages, just a shortage of buyers whom can afford to purchase, it is called a shaking out, survival of the fittest.

GM and Ford should receive a “loan” under very strict guidelines. Those two have been bailed before.
chrysler…..SHOULD GET NO MONEY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!!! They were bailed out with taxpayers money before; then allowed a foreign entity (germany) to take control of the company. After the germans “ran the company into the ground” / gained automotive secrets and future innovations, they wiped their arses and lefted. The germans are/were receiving fanancial assistance from the United States for “reconstruction after WWII” until recently…..within the last 5 years. SO HELLS NAWL FOR CHYSLER getting any “bailout” from taxpayers/the government…..there are out rape the american people just george bush has done. The United States Federal Government should never allow the sale of a company to once it has recieved assistance/taxpayers hard-earned money from the US Federal Government….because it screws the US taxpayers!!!!

I was a staunch advocate for the US auto industry until the early 2000′s but time after time after time the US automakers get into trouble they improve their quality just enough to sucker in just enough people to stay afloat. They don’t deserve a bailout — they have sucked enough blood from US citizens and positively should not get our tax dollars as well. As history has proven, they will again abuse our good will and as for me and the thousands of other people ripped off and finally awoken we wont’ ever be suckered in by any of the big 3 again.

FOR ALL OF YOUR INFORMATION OUT THERE WHO THINK TOYOTA IS DOING SO WELL, TOYOTA STOCK WAS AT 120.00 A SHARE 4 MONTHS AGO. TODAY I THINK IT IS AT LIKE 60. IT HAS FALLEN 50% IN 4 MONTHS. JAPAN IS ENTERING A RECESSION AND TOYOTA IS WORRIED THAT THEY EXPANDED TO QUICKLY IN NORTH AMERICA. THEY TOO ARE WORRIED ABOUT GOING UNDER RIGHT NOW ALSO. SO DON’T THINK THINGS ARE SO ROSY THERE EITHER.

The very core of so many retired employees depending on pensions from
GM would be devastated if the company
should be dissolved. We do depend on
this for our livlihood. So I am praying
for a bailout. I do believe the Company
is the recipient of an economic meltdown
that is effected worldwide. Mistakes or
not without the bailout the trickle down
effect would be devastating. Who in
their right mind wants that to happen.
If the bailout does not happen, I fear
our country would be in a depression
instead of a recession.

No. The Big 4 (U.S. Govt. & The Big 3) have been partners in wrongdoing for way too long. The Big 3 are not “Good Americans”, for they are simply “Money Hungry”. Lobbyists & U. S. Senators have worked together to prolong and stifle progress in saving energy, creatng safer cars, and honoring their workers with jobs.
If they expect money from the taxpayers, then they should live up to drastic demands that will help the country today, not ten years from now. We were able to turn plants into producing whatever was needed during WWII in an efficiently swift manner. The Big 3 should have to live up to drastic demands if given any of the taxpayers money. Most importantly, there should be drastic penalties if they do not honour their committments. They have had it too easy and are given too much time in which to act. Does the government allow such leniency to any common taxpayer when the IRS wants to tax citizens for simple insurance reimbursement of casualty damages to their home as if they earned income?
Our family stopped buying U. S. made cars because there are other cars that are better, safer, and a better value. The Big 3 do not deserve to be rewarded one bit, for they have been scamming the citizens and our government for far too long.

No. We should not bail out the big three. I feel the 25 billion should be handed out to the taxpayers in the form of vouchers of $12,000.00 per household to purchase a car from one of the big three. It could be handled like the FCC has handled the analog to Digital TV conversions. You make an application for the vouchers and have a 90 day time frame to use them or they are not good. The money then would start with taxpayers and work up to the big three through their dealers producing sales. If they give them the money now and no one is buying cars because they don’t have the money to purchase them, then six months from now the big three will still be in the same position. They will crawl back for more money.

Both Ford and GM build and design cars that are wildly popular in Europe but will never sell them here because they think that Americans won’t buy them, all the while we continue to buy Honda’s, Toyota’s and cars built in Europe. This dilusional way of thinking is what got them in the situation they’re in now. The American car manufacturers continue to build cars that fail and break down while makers from Japan and Europe build cars that seem to be more dependable and reliable which may ensure the customer coming back to make a purchase when the time comes to replace or buy a another vehicle.

Why do people call it a bail out when it is a loan that will be paid back with interest? Helping the auto manufacturers is an investment in America’s future, an investment that will earn financial rewards for everyone involved: the government, the workers in the car plants, the suppliers, the car dealerships, the salesmen, all the support businesses where the workers shop and eat and are entertained. If some people never earned as much as a factory worker in a car plant, well, I was a teacher and I never earned as much as a doctor. But then, I probably wasn’t smart enuf to go to medical school. Is it jealousy that is causing some very selfish people to oppose this plan to secure stability to an important part of our national economy?

Bail out? Sure let’s bail out big oil! The airline industry! I think we should give all that bail out money to the citizens of america. The real citizens! Not the immigrants! Foreinors! The ones that were born and raised in the states deserve that money.

Absolutely Not!!!
Will they bail me out too? I could use a billion to help my economic situation. Where do I stand in line at?

Bail out? – no – bankruptcy is the best medicine for the entire auto industry. Ch 11 reorg. is the only way the big three can shead its dead weight, dead product lines, and over bloated union contracts. If they want to truly last then they need to file. The 25 billion will only prolong their slow death and in the end just take more of our money with them.

The bottom line is if we do nothing and let these companies fail, MILLIONS and MILLIONS of people will be out of work. We are screaming recession now the fall out of this type of financial failure will leave the auto industry and every other industry or business in failure also.
I don’t know who frustrates me more, these companies who are in trouble or people commenting about them. We do not need to bail out company CEO’s or the unions. We do need to look at the whole picture and make better decisions than the companies made. You cannot sit back and think you are punishing only the company heads and unions by not helping them out. It makes more sense to give the companies a hand and make sure they understand they must repay the people. We should demand a share of the company and repayment with interest of any money given to them. The unions should be required to get off their behinds and use some of their millions and to make as many reasonable sucessions to the company as possible. I would rather have a job payiny me $5 or more dollars less an hour (with no reduction in medical coverage) than no job paying me $0 and no medical benefits. We need to take our emotions out when making decisions on who to help and use our heads to clean up the mess and make sure it never happens again.

Toyota, Honda, and Nissan have proven that a better product can be built at less cost.
In my home state Nissan has a plant that builds trucks and they are adding more workers. Next year the Toyota Plant, being built in the Northeast corner of the state, will open production.
Honda has a plant in central Alabama. All three of these plants are away from the UAW.

yes we should let them fail, I’ll tell you why — I currently drive a ’98 Saturn wagon that gets 36mpg in the city and around 42mpg highway — GM/Saturn doesn’t even make a hybrid that gets this kind of gas mileage. My ’98 outperforms every 2009 model. Like a person in a bad relationship, America needs to see this industry for what it is and let it go. Put that money toward outplacement, retraining the workforce or at least to a company that has improved upon its own product in ten years. Anything less is gross irresponsibility and a waste of our money.

All of you that say no to the bail out, I have a question for you. Have you supported the car companies or are you driving one of the foreign jobs? When are we going to start supporting OUR companies instead of all the foreign ones. I think congress should give them the money because this is not a bailout, these are bridge loans to be paid back not a handout.

No! The greed of the car companies has finally caught up with them. This failure will be a learning lesson for the car companies as well as those who watch them fail.

Remember Lee Iacoca he set the example during the last Crysler Motors Gov’t loan, by cancelling his salary, I believe until the loan was repaid.
Maybe that is to harse, but I believe a 50% pay cut for all those executives in the companies involved should be mandatory,with salary restrictions for changing jobs and/or companies.

Having worked in both the steel and auto industries I know what just a downturn in the automotive sector can do to other industries. Failure of any one of the three auto companies will create economic consequences the country as a whole will be extremely hard pressed to deal with

Food for thought … Back when before the financial institutions started going under, after screwing American people in foreclosing on properties … where was the Big 3 automakers?
They were not making waves about the government bailing them out? They were still putting out all those gas guzzlers even when the price of gas was above $4 a gallon.
Back before the price of gas went up, I didn’t see where any of the Big 3 Automakers were working on higher gas milage cars … they were still putting out those gas guzzler vehicles.
One would think, they were in a partnership with the oil companies who better not come up next wanting a bail out for them, too.
I think that the average salary can return to what it might have been back in the Hoover era … LoL … I know I have a two week part time job with the GM company where at the time, I was getting $13.85 an hour, and I’ll I had to do was put in three bolts every time a vehicle came by my area.
The cost of employee’s are getting too ridiculous these days. Everything in the World, needs to come down in prices, without the service suffering.
Maybe this new “Change” we are about to get into … can improve on the price of things … without all these companies requesting bailouts.
Let the CEOs of these companies, give back to their company’s rather than receiving these golden parachutes … the employees who do the work, are not getting any silver parachutes …
Oh .. Bush !!! We don’t want you back in Texas .. try moving to Alaska !!!

No, don’t bail them out. Let them start fresh from the ground up. Those “dinosaur” executives/management need to be released and get some new blood with ingenuity and creativity.

“As goes GM, so goes the nation”
I think we should give the auto industry the “loan” they are asking for.

After reading some of these other articles, all I see is greed and mis-understanding of Global economy. The Big 3 are asking for a loan, not a hand-out. Do any of you that are against the bail-out, or I should say loan, understand how many people this will effect. This is really a trickle down effect that will impact all Auto workers, Car Dealerships, Auto Parts Shops, repair shops, tires shops, mom and pop stores, restaurants, gas stations and we could go on. This is imbedded in our economy just like oil is. If you think Toyota and Honda are going to pick up the slack from the big 3, you better think again. Lets face it, none of us like the idea of our money bailing out the Big 3 Automakers, but it has to be done if we, Americans, want to survive this tragic mess in our economy. The Big 3 were starting to get their act together when Wall Street created this mess we’re in, that has affected the entire world, not just our country. Just one more thing, I do agree that the Big 3 need to do some re-organizing and that should be part of the loan agreement. By the way, my husband and I are GM retirees.

Yes, by all means we should bail them out!!! Mr. Paulson did not hesitate to bail out Goldman Sachs where he took home over 140 million dollars, then he changed the rules for the bailout after congress approved 700 million or billions for the banks and others companies such as AIG and the like. If Americans would buy American cars instead of foreign cars, we would not be in this mess. We did it to the industry. I hope that you see the foreign car markets don’t buy our cars. Why should we help their economy. Charity begins at HOME-USA first. We always say we are proud to be Americans, but we buy from Japan, China, and everywhere other than home. Now we are suffering from lead poisoning in our toys, inferior products and the collapse of our industries here at home. We can’t trickle down economics when all of our monies are going overseas. we have sold our future to foreigners. Go figure, when will we learn to take care of home first???

If Americans had supported the Big 3 instead of buying foreign, they wouldn’t need a bail out but because of something that is not their fault–yes, they should get the help. However, I don’t think the help has to be from the federal government. In my small town in N.C. a small car mart had to close their doors just yesterday and declared bankruptcy. For this, I think it may be time for the state of N.C. to take a more active part in these bail outs. We also had several people from Georgia-Pacific layed off. They were given the bad news during an “appreciation dinner”. On of the employees said it was “The Last Supper”. Bail outs give people hope but they need to act urgently. It needs to be done yesterday! These people are hurting! Christmas is coming up and cold weather. No time to be homeless and without a job.

No bailout. If the workers and CEOs have overextended themselves because of their inflated wages, to bad. I’ve asked people I know that have higher than average income why they think they deserve those incomes, their responses were that they have a new home payment, a couple of new cars, a boat, a camper, etc. My question to them was “who signed their names to those purchases?”

No! Let the big Petroleum companies bail them out. After all the two are closely related and the big Petroleum companies have had a wonderful profit this year. With big car they will continue make profits and if the big three go under well they will be effected. So I only see it as a very important factor for the petroleum companies no me the over taxed, over worked us citizen.

Yes, they should be loaned the 25 billion they request. How many of you with American made cars are willing for your cars to suddenly become “white elephants” in the garage, with no availability of parts to keep them going? Are you really willing to let millions more people go on unemployment benefits at your expense? Think about what the loss of these industries means to you personally!!! E-mail your reps in Congress this very minute to support the loans to GM, Ford, and Chrysler!

its so fustrating that we can’t say what realy needs to be said. I ment shuv it up there ass’s G#%^$ dam$%^&^%$

ITS EASY TO ‘JUST SAY NO’ BUT WE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY DONE THAT … OOOPS I GUESS WE DID!!! BUT CONGRESS REFUSED TO LISTEN TO US & WENT AHEAD WITH THEIR BULL!@#$%^&* IDEA ANYWAY TO THE TUNE OF 700$BILLION+…. WHO BELIEVES THIS WILL END ANY DIFFERENTLY?? & THEN WHO WILL BE NEXT IN LINE, HAND OUT, WAITING FOR A PIECE OF THE ACTION?? (wheres the line form?) NEW AMERICAN REVOLUTION ANYONE??

NO NO NO ! This is out of control. They all need to be taking pay cuts to help save there company.
It is all out of control MY TAX DOLLARS Helped bail out insurance companies .. I just had surgery guess what
MY INSURANCE WONT PAY ME !!!!!!
Maybe all the car companies need to join together we will drive made in AMERICA cars with all the great minds behind its design.
Them people working on those production lines make 23 to god knows an hour.
I weld for 13.50.. I must be stupid.

No–no–no– what happened to the companies that put a percentage of their profits back into the company instead of their pockets like other companies do to improve their businesses and strive for improvements to stay ahead.

NO and HECK NO!!! They will keep our money and still go under with billions in their pockets and everyone else still out of work. Give us consumers the billions and maybe we will buy their cars – MAYBE. If they get bailed out every business in the country deserves to be bailed out also. The bailout has done nothing for the economy anyway and bailing out car manufacturers will not help but put the country more in debt. I don’t believe they really need help. I think they just want the free money to pocket.

The U.S. automakers and other big companies begging for and receiving “bailout” millions and billions are extorting money from American citizens. The dictionary defines “Extortion” as; “To obtain money by threat or abuse of authority.” Were any of these companies owned by Henry Ford, the Rockefellers and the Kennedys, to mention just a few. Have they lost their wealth? No!

For too many yrs the automakers did not face reality and has ignored what has been primarily a direction that was headed for making money without a thought about concentrating on building vehicles that make sense, there is no sense in the creation of Hummmers, Trucks, SUV’s, gas guzzlers all except for catering tp the road hogs, and for the profits that eminate from concentrating on their production. Their executives have been over compensated for jamming our roads. The scandinavian example should be MODEL for moderating the big three. They deserve to go down in flames for their contributing to the highway nightmare we find on our roads and to polution that is poisoning our environment. POASITIVELY NO BAILOUT!!!!

I don’t believe they really need help. I think they just want the free money. If the fools running this country had half a brain they would give the money to the middle class americans. That would stimulate the economy far better and faster than giving it all to the corrupt financial institutions and the poorly managed auto manufacturers. If the American auto manufacturers can’t design cars that people want it won’t do any good to throw money at them. They will still fail, just a little slower is all, and we will be out 25 billion dollars.

We bailed out Wall street, AIG and several other banks but I haven’t been helped by any of these bail-outs. I stil can’t get a loan for a house that is paid for. I have excellent credit. What are they doing to help the taxpayers? They got several billion more than the auto companys are asking for.
My daughter works for a company that makes parts for the big 3. She does not have a union job and is not making the big money that union workers do so she works two jobs. She and many others need to keep these jobs so she can buy grocerys, buy clothes and school supplies and utilize small business. She needs to pay her house payment and taxes all this helps the economy. Take away the millions of jobs from the manufacuturing industry and you will see that it will make a difference to almost every person or someone in their family in some way or another. This is for the taxpayers.
Make restrictions for the big 3. Make them hit the executives and the unions hard but don’t deny the workers. Make this a loan that has to be paid back. We help other countries lets help our own.

I find it amazing how many people here keep characterizing this situation as the American automakers asking for free money. They are asking for low interest loans from the government because there is no credit available to them. They have to repay the money. The government may ask for equity as collateral, but the money still is to be paid back, like Chrysler did – ahead of schedule- while facing bankruptcy in the early 80′s. Chrysler would probably be fine today if they were not bought out by Mercedes. Before they were bought, they were they most profitable car company on a per unit basis. Mercedes came in and sucked all their cash to fund their expansion, leaving a product starved carcus of a company when Cerebus bought them out.
We must extend help to the big 3 not for the sake of the unions or the CEO’s, but to maintain the intellectual capacity to manufacture complex products. Yeah, foreign companies can probably take the excess capacity, but all those profits will go elsewhere. I’m especially fearful that the Chinese will be the ones who come in to buy the remnants of the Big 3. Do we want to allow the Chinese to come into this market with impunity and fill their government’s coffers with money? The U.S. government is already doing thi in the form of interest payments on its debt.
Many people here chastise the Big 3 for making all these gas guzzlers, but who is buying them? Do you think they would be made if they did not sell? and until the recent gas spike, economy cars were not bought in sufficient numbers to fuel the expansion of those models. When the gas crunch hit, the Big three made provisions to shift there lineup accordingly. But some people act like you can change a line up with the snap of a finger. It takes several years lead time to approve a product and begin the long process of federal certification.
some people here also maintain that the Big 3 have have not demonstrated a plan to get profitable. First of all, I know at least GM and Ford are very profitable outside of North America. Second, they have downsized their workforce – white collar and blue collar – substantially through buyouts. They just signed historic contracts with the union that would put their costs on par with the foreign companies who have factories here. They were going to place the pension burden on the union and remove a huge debt from their books. The only problem is that contract doesn’t realize cost savings until 2010. Due to the credit markets and general economy, they do not have until then. Ford in particular seems to have the best plan moving forward, bringing over their highly acclaimed Euro models and speeding up the development of more fuel efficient vehicles.
People think that bankruptcy will allow the Big 3 to shed the unions and debt and come out as leaner companies. The problem is they will need to get financing to get through Chapter 11. Without the government loans, they will not be able to avoid Chapter 7 liquidation. Not only that, would you buy a vehicle from a company with that kind of uncertainty?
Unfortunately too many people have not forgiven Detroit for bad experiences they may have had in the 70′s, 80′s and 90′s. It’s too bad as Detroit is making the best cars they ever have from a quality standpoint and many have been praised as equal or better than the foreign competition. It will be too bad if these companies are not able to prove that to America.

NO NO NO …………The Big three
Auto Makers have failed themself’s
over and over again…..
The Untied States Needs to get rid of
Caveman Companies That depend on a
bailout as a normal means of operation.
THE UNITED STATES COULD GIVE THEM
THE WHOLE 700 BILLION AND STILL THEY
WOULD BE BACK FOR MORE …

Bail out ONLY IF THEY PRODUCE AUTOS THAT USE ETHANOL, BATTERY OR SOLAR POWER. NO MORE GAS GUZZLERS!!!! Let’s move into the 21st century like major South American countries have already done.

Hell no, all those mortgages that bombed out, homes loss, people losing their jobs, no one is bailing them out. Tell the Big 3 to join the club.

Let market forces prevail, it’s the American way. The automakers did nothing to give us the green technology we needed and are using the economy as an excuse for their own failure and as opportunity to rip off the American taxpayers. Let them be reorganized under existing bankruptcy law. Perhaps Toyota will purchase some of the better ones and make them profitable, finally.

No, let some rich dude come and buy them out…. so they will learn, that being greedy and not managing there financing will teach them a lesson….Note: when the big boom was making them money , why did they raise the bar!!!

Government support or bailout of the defunct auto conglomerates is unnecessary and harmful. The current motor transport system in our country causes 35% of all environmental damage. I am saddened and discouraged to see Congress continue to reward the most greedy and aggressive members of our society. Anything that will change the status quo should be pursued. There are many innovators across the country working on transport alternatives to make the country safer and cleaner, why rob them of resources to reward the greedy. In our little town of Creswell pop. 4000 one man lives in his shop so he can build a 100 mpg car, another has designed and sold sold 44 personal electric vehicle kits. I have helped the kit designer with supplies, tools, time and built one of the kits. I have worked on an electric pusher trailer for recumbent bicycles or velomobile commuters and am awaiting a velomobile kit. Use of large high speed fossil fueled motor vehicles has made our roads unsafe, drained small communities and neighborhoods of business and culture, ruined our health, increased our trade deficit, and funded terrorism. Let the car companies who have promoted large deadly vehicles die the death they have earned, let the workers and innovators salvage the factories from bankruptcy, I believe they will do a more responsible job even though they have not mastered lobbying or grantsmanship.

HELL no. Let the big oil companies bail them out. They have enjoyed 40 years of record profits. Where did the money go? No one is bailing out the little guy and the big 3 are making threats to the government…NO NO NO….Live in your budget and stop whining.

Absolutely not!
Going into bankrupcy will resolve some of the problems they’re facing now & have in the past…

If they can bail out the banks and financial inst. that have poorly invested they’re investors money that has been invested in and out of our own country then they should bail out the “Big 3″ its not just the manufac. of the autos its everyone affected by that. If they close, so will the suppliers to those plants, surrounding business that offer products and services to the employees of those plants, the dealers, the suppliers to those dealers, and surrounding business that provide services to them .. its a huge trickle down. 1 out of 10 people in the US would be affected by this…. including myself who works for a dealer in Silcon Valley. Oh and by the way do your research the carbon footprint on that little Prius everyone thinks is so great…. its not. As for fuel mileage my domestic large suv gets the same fuel mileage as a Honda Pilot, a Toyota Highlander, Sequoia, and the Nissan larger suv.

I’m Sorry about the auto indurstry. I truly am disappointed with the leadership of the auto industry who on one hand has lobbied for the CAFE levels to remain low while they were supersizing their autos and now are pleading poverty. Any executive who has the audacity to say they didn’t see this coming is out of touch with reality. The true fallout will be with the auto workers who need the handout directly to them as producers. Let’s keep them in their homes, pay their bills for a couple of years and retool the plants for more effective vehicles or other forms of emerging technologies

Hell No. They dug their own grave by not producing a product that sells. Period. Let the free market run its course without the Feds getting in the way. It’ll all work out as it has in the past.

WHEN AND NOT IF THE BIG THREE AUTO MAKERS
are shut down…. It will not mean that
they go off the face of the earth..
others will step in and buy up the plants
and setup a system to make money …
The jobs will not be lost in fact ..
we may overtake the foreign Auto makers
In sales of cars … parts ETC.

Well lets see mmmmmm NNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO Why allow thee companies to blow more money and refuse to build better cars. $60k for a hybred SUV is the idea of a green car to make it cheeper to have how is 60k cheeper? Why should men who bonus is like 100 times more than a middle class person makes okay to keep getting when they run the company into the ground. The car dealerships have add to this by the crazy loans and high price for the car. Where i a $600 a month car payment okay? Then trade in your car and get upside down on a car? The whole auto industry needs to be redone. Why not allow anyone to get a car with 10% intrest? payments in $250 to $300 a month. WOuld you be able to make money mmmmmmm yes. This is where the greed of the banks and finace people come in. With points hold back thru banks if you get someone a higher intrest rate to get more money on the back end. So no Mazda Toyota Honda Hyundai and Kia are doing just fine. Mazda is a division of Ford auto any way. I mean a B1500 and the Ranger are same truck just different name. The MAZDA Navajo was same a Ford explorer. So again those care companies have not a single problem. So again let them go bk and deal just like the rest of us are. OR here is an idea give part of the 700 billion to the people to buy a new car cash or credit and see how that would boost the economy. Screw giving Banks or anyone else and give to the people to spend and pay of debit or loans and this would jumpstart everything.But no everyone wants to give money to the same people that put us in the situation we are in. And we expect a different out come? How stupid can we be? Do the same thing over and over again why?

I say no! Let the big three suffer. If my son inherited money and then spent the money unwisely I would not give him any money unless it was a loan. Even if the big 3 borrowed loans from the government, the big 3 would still make lousy cars.
I purchased a dodge Caravan (1993) in 1993. When I parked my van on the slight hill that my driveway provided the van would roll back and lock into gear. The only way to unlock the gear box was to taken a hammer to it. I brought that problem to the dealer and his remark was I don’t care. The technology existence at that time to prevent that kind of problem. Honda and Toyota have that little Gadget in its cars and truck 7 years before 1993. America’s auto industries are not about making quality cars – it’s about money and now there isn’t any money. The auto industries want big daddy to come to the rescue. The big 3 should File for bankrupcty and stop crying to daddy.
I had a problem with my Honda’s account and I wrote to the CEO of Honda. Within nine days I had a respond and the problem was solved. Since that time I have purchased 2 Toyota and 2 Honda cars. If that were the big 3, I would have never heard from them. Again, let them crash and burn. I have no sympathy for the big 3. They have been ripping ‘Main Street’ off since the Ford T assembly line. The only reason the the Big 3 are crying is because the CEOs want the Golden Parachute’ – To walk away with 25 millions dollars or more for doing lousy ‘carmanship.’
Eric in Costa Mesa.

Yes, I think that helping the auto industry out is a much more direct way to help our economy than to give it to the financial sector and encouraging them to lend. It worked with Chrysler in the 80s.

The US government should absolutely not bail out the auto industry. The management of these companies, particularly GM, have given into union demands over and over again. This is the major reason why GM is now in serious financial difficulty. The AVERAGE union employee of General Motors now receives about $72.00 – $73.00 per hour working on an assembly line. I ask you, how many middle class Americans make over $150,000 per year? The answer is, only those who work for GM and they don’t even have a college degree. Teachers and college professors earn about half that amount. Something is definitely wrong here! I vote no on the bailout of the Big 3! If they go under, it is their own fault by giving in to the unions. Honda and Toyota make far superior cars anyway. If the government bails out the auto industry, it is the American tax payers that will bare the cost. Why should the all American taxpayers be required to share in the cost to pay for the incompetence of the management of the Big 3, particularly General Motors?

Yes, please bail these people out. The company that I work for is a supplier to these industries, and if they go under it is so true that it will be catastrophic to our economy,and millions of people will be laid off of their jobs. I do not condone their actions, but I do agree with assisting these industries as long as there are stipulations placed on the loans.

yikes- no way bail them out. Let them fall as they should- isn’t that what capitalism is all about? The workers in Detroit not only make alot/hour, but get over 95% of their pay when “laid-off”! Who else gets that?? Bring a Toyota and a Honda branch up to Detroit- Why would that not be an option to the people in Detroit? Because then they would make— what I make after 30 years as a nurse with my masters, contributing to the health care of my communities. This is about another group (besides Wall St) wanting more than is right. I don’t have one friend who has an American car- There is a reason- Our economy is based on capitalism. Let them fall-

No, we should NOT bail them out. They can sell assessts and retool and learn to value engineer like any company. We do NOT need 10+ models of each car company. A sedan, coupe, truck, SUV and minivan are enough. Make them bring back production of parts to this country and make them stop giving anything longer then a 36mo loan. If you can’t afford a car, you shouldn’t buy one! Aren’t they paying attention?

I see everyone’s point of view and arguments. What I am curious about is what role the the United Auto Workers Union will play in this deal. They have a major influence in this industry. I’m sure if the deal is approved, they stand to gain a significant amount, then the Big 3 will come back asking for more money. The government and all these big businesses tell us, “The Taxpayer,” that we should handle our finances in a more responsible manner. I personally would tell them to “Practice what you preach!” Furthermore, I wonder if there is any oversight yet of the persons put in charge of the BILLIONS of dollars already given out. I’m sure a year or two later we will have another Congressional investigation like the one involving the contractors in IRAQ and everyone says, “We had no idea this was happening.” These are supposedly college educated people but they sure as heck are not using one bit of common sence. Get You Act Together ! or “We The People” will have to take some drastic measures because many of us are sick and tired of flipping the bill and going without programs that benefit the health and welfare of us all. Thank You

I think its essential that the Big 3 automakers fail. Its better that they fail now and quickly and all at once rather than in a protracted slow long dragged out way that will cost the taxpayers and the country near limitless dollars and suffering. At least a well defined failure has limits and an end-point in sight.
The age of the automobile is over. It is essentially a failed technology based on old world small scale 18th century ideas and technology. There were autos before there was even a hint that radio was possible or that atoms had electrons and could fission, or that men could fly.
The only justifiable use for petroleum in any amount whatsoever is in aviation. Petroleum use should be banned everywhere else, sooner the better, and new ideas forced to come into being.
Until the Old dies, the New will not appear. Change is always somewhat painful.
The only other real world option is all out military global war, which historically is the usual remedy for deepseated Recessions and Depressions in the world at large. A failure to accept change intelligently usually forces change through violent revolutions and military upheavals.
Let the big 3 fail. In fact, lets help them die and find a newer better way. The solutions are there. And they start by wiping out that cesspool of corruption known as Wall Street and making a fresh start with honest men who are true patriots in every sense. And we can get rid of the ethics-free Harvard School of Business while we’re at it, where they breed these Wall Street monsters.
Its a Good Life. If we want to make it so.

It is not a bailout, it is a loan.
This is no different than a home owner taking out a second mortgage to cover some unexpected medical expenses or to pay for college tuition.
It is time we call this by the correct term. Loan that will be paid back with interest.

What gets me is instead of pushing their more efficent cars they are spending millions on TV commercials for people to buy their gas guzzlers. Scrape them & make small cars.
How about the jerks all flying to DC on private jets!!!
Fire them all and start from scratch.

In an effort to share the “other side of the domestic auto story,” here are just a few very good internet links that demonstrate the HUGE imbalance in automotive trade we have with just Japan and South Korea alone. I don’t know how in the world our elected officials ever allow our Country to tolerate such “Protectionist” trade practices, but extreme trade restrictions and currency manipulation like this place the domestic auto industry in a position of being unfairly accused of poor business practices while prevented from competing on a level playing field.
2007 Japanese auto exports to the US total 7 million vehicles, while U.S. auto exports to Japan total less than 14,000 vehicles.
2007 South Korea exports to the US total 773,000 vehicles, while US exports to South Korea total less than 6,200 vehicles.
The following are very good Articles worth reading, and will give a more fair and balanced view of the domestic auto industry.
http://waysandmeans.house.gov/hearings.asp?formmode=view&id=4514
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070713/AUTO01/707130388/1148
http://www.autoyensubsidy.org/
http://www.capacity-magazine.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=235
Having said all this though, I don’t want for a minute to suggest that the domestic auto industry is not partially to blame for its own ills. It’s true:
The domestic auto industry has relied too heavily on large vehicle, high profit margin, sales for too long and over looked the small car market. The very market where young and new customers are developed. This is definitely changing, albeit by necessity and no doubt a little late.
Domestic quality went down the toilet from 1970 to 1990. GM, Ford and Chrysler will pay for these sins for decades to come. This too, however, has changed dramatically, and I would argue that domestic vehicles today are built to the same quality standards as the Japanese.
The domestic auto industry is also saddled with a century of legacy and structural costs that have taken far too long to trim down. I can tell you from first hand experience though, that these costs have been pared back exponentially over the past few years. Just to name a few, GM alone shed 100,000 jobs over the past 3 years, made historic changes in the UAW labor agreement, reduced pension benefits, and eliminated pensions for new hires after 1999. Medical benefits are also no longer provided to retired salaried and hourly workers, and the wage rate for all new UAW workers has been reduced to $14.50 per hour.
In short, these are just a few huge and dramatic strides in the right direction that are simply not being fairly or properly portrayed in the media, and set the stage for a sustainable, and highly profitable organization in the very near future, given normal economic conditions. For this reason, please do your part to set any ill informed friends or political leaders straight on the facts as GM, Ford and Chrysler continue to make their plea for a Federal Loan (NOT Bailout). Share this note, and spread the facts if necessary. I think it’s fair to say that if this Country’s political leaders (Republicans and Democrats alike) had done their job in the first place, we would not be facing the most severe economic recession, and credit freeze since the Great Depression, and GM, Ford and Chrysler would not be in the situation they find themselves in today. The lock-up in the credit markets, the crash in real estate values, and the severe drop in consumer confidence as a result of this recession was not caused by the domestic auto industry. It is, however, the sole reason for the continued drop in monthly automotive sales, at times approaching 45%.
And for those who advocate Bankruptcy, that is simply not an option, and again another ill informed, simple minded, knee jerk, feel good, verbal quick fix. If the domestic auto industry didn’t already have problems, sales will drop to zero if a consumer products company, like GM, Ford or Chrysler goes into Bankruptcy. Would you buy a car from a Manufacturer who went into Bankruptcy, knowing you will need Warranty service for many years to come. The Airlines can get away with it because consumers have to fly, and their financial downside is limited to the price of one ticket if they stop flying tomorrow. Auto Parts makers get away with it because the consumer does not buy axles, steering wheels, and tie rods. And then, dare I say, there’s the aspect of corporate accountability and responsibility for managing or mitigating the agreements GM, Ford and Chrysler have made. Seems today, that doesn’t count for much when you listen to our politicians and the media suggest we just go BK. It’s almost enough to tarnish your pride to be American anymore.
So, let the world know there are two sides to this story, and there is SIGNIFICANT reason to help the domestic auto industry at a time like this, and recognize there are more than 10 million jobs to be lost if a deaf ear is turned on the industry for all the wrong reasons. You can bet that Japan backstops their auto industry… at all times, and at all costs!

Once they grab the 25 billion the party continues until they blow that on excessive wages and union restrictions. After some months how much of the taxpayers money will a company under chapter 11 pay back? Greed should stop sometime.

…a lifeline? No – a LEASH, yes.
This is a foil (sp?) for the root of the problem which is healthcare costs – the root of THAT problem being the % of every healthcare dollar that goes into execs pocket. THAT is the PRIMARY reason for this continuing problem.
Conditions I would support throwing a LEASH:
1. Get rid of exec leadership (with severance pkg of $1, PERIOD – no healthcare or retirement or stock, et al)
2. Reorg the company similar to Southwest Airlines model (i.e., worker-owned)
3. ANYthing manufactured by any of these companies from here on out MUST adhere to strict green-based requirements, PERIOD.
4. COMMIT to NO FURTHER LOBBYING WHATSOEVER of govt. for either $ or altering regulations re emissions, mileage, et al.
5. Filling any and all engineering and design slots ONLY from graduating students from American universities, PERIOD.
6. 50% of ANY profits made during first 6 months to go ENTIRELY to American public schools and all profits after this period to be distributed amongst the workers
7. All executives to work 1 day a week in the community in local hospital emergency rooms

If they really want to restructer their company, maybe they should start with theirselves. How can you take a PRIVATE JET to go ask for money? It seems to me they want the money to bail themselves out, not the workers that do all the work for them. Private jets, what a joke!

I don’t feel that the American taxpayers should have to bailout another industries because they have come on to hard times. It was enough that we are having to bailout the banks of this country. How about the rest of us small businesses that have fallen on hard times? What do we do we can’t just come before the government asking them to bail us out of our hardship. Enough is enough I say let them figuer out just like the rest of us what they are going to do fix the mess they are in. What about all those billions of dollars they have made in the past selling all these over priced automobiles and now they are crying broke GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!

Are there no other options than simply giving them money? I’m thinking that it could be a win-win situation for the auto industry and the struggling consumer if the government gave tokens to us US citizens could be used toward the purchase of new, American-made cars. The consumer is given much-needed relief and the auto industry gets a huge boost in revenue!

RIght now, the proposed limit on the exectives’ compensation PACKAGE (i.e., salary + percs) is way too high. Industry often justifies these idiotic and obscene amounts of $ by claiming “we won’t be competitive” and “won’t draw the level of leadership…” bla bla bla bla -
Excuse me, EXECS USING PRIVATE JETS to get to and from here and there – how does that demonstrate critical thinking skill and management smarts? Even if the govt. sets a limit that is adequate on these pay packages, these guys who are presently in these positions need to go and along with them needs to go this dried up BS excuse for paying people more than any American NEEDS to get along comfortably.
TIME FOR A CHANGE – YES WE CAN!

Yes with this condition: GET RID OF HANK PAULSON – He has FAILED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please no more bailouts for anyone. especially with bloated salaries for executives and executive perks plus bloated wages for union workers and excessive union due fees and pensionn plans feeding a bloated beast. And especially not Chrysler. Merceded couldn’t make money when they owned them and dumped them. A private investment group bought them at a steep discount thinking they could make money and they are failing. So why should we invest more in a proven failing enterprise? Add to that they are a private company so their books are not open for public viewing either. Please stop the welfare corporate and otherwise.

My answer is emphatically a no. I am very familiar with the working conditions that automobile assembly line wokers endure. The wages that are paid to these workers are unrealistic compared to the average wages paid to even professionals. The amount of skill required to perform these jobs is very minimal, the skill required would be compared to the education of the average eighth grade student. The retirement benefits that these employees get when they retire are unbelievable, more than college educated people. This is the work of the UAW who also by the way command huge salaries, all of which by the way add to the total cost of the vehicles they are producing. The foreign automobile manufacturers in this country seem to be able to manufacture very desireable automobiles without the aid of the UAW and at the same time are able to pay their employees a desireable wage along with benefits. These same foreign companies manufacturing automobiles here in the USA with American labor and American parts suppliers seem to be able to manufacture the automobiles Americans need, all as to style, quality,and the fuel economy, and at a price that is affordable. I think that if management of a company cannot operate that company effeciently enough to make a profit they do not belong in business.

This is just an idea on the auto crisis. The auto companies are having problems making cars because no one has the money to buy one, but they want the goverment to aprove a loan for the tax payers who live pay check to pay check to be taxed for, but no one is saving us. My idea has bugs that would have to be worked out, but maybe… People right now have no money to spend, some of our problems is transpertaion problem to. We are either making payments for cars, paying on repairs to keep the one alive that they have or just don’t have money to get anything. Why not make a auto stimalas package that sends a voucher for a car to one of these american made cars to dealership per household, like the stimalas check. Let us go and be able to get a vechical from the lot, be shown what dollar value and years are avaiable and take one home. If you want a better dollar value vechiale, your voucher would go to a deposit. The would give us extra money per household, move cars off the lot, for the car companies to be able to keep people working making new ones. This would also help the enviorment, which better fuel & admission vechials on the road. Give the auto company the money from each voucher redeemed. Now you have people not minding help them because they are also helping us. If you just give them money, what will it do? It won’t keep jobs, because production is still down because vechials are not being sold. It would give CEO’s extra money to hang out w/the AIG bigwigs and the lavish spa’s in the mean time, us main street people are losing our jobs because we can’t get to work, now have money to pay our bills and keep maintance up on our vechicals. Driving our children around unsafe. I leave the rest up to the smart people who are not doing a thing to help me and mine out.

Re exec compensation – Give those guys Palin’s suits and clothes from the campaign and let them sell them on eBay and keep whatever they can get.
Give the rest of the 25 billion to the workers and let them manage the company on condition that they immediately put into production electric cars that are truly competitive and usable.

We can bail out the Big 3 and it will affect the economy now. We can make them file bankruptcy and reorganize in this economic environment. Or we can close them down, but we need to remember people will by more foreign cars which operate more efficiently. The 3 CEO’s if a bailout is given should all be fired. Their public relations and their efforts to show how and how much money they need was never answered because they believe they will get the money. Let us not forget AIG which received money and took their executives on a $440K spending spree of so-called meetings that could have been held anywhere for very little money.
Unfortunately we have to deal with these matters which have shakened the economy, however there needs to be strict restrictions that include firings and arrests if Federal monies are not handled properly by these private corporations.

I liked Jay Leno’s idea of giving the $25 billion to the American public to buy a Ford, GM or Chryler. They sell a lot of cars, jobs are saved and we all get a new car!
Seriously speaking, I don’t think the government should bail them out. Flying their private jets to go ask for bailout money clearly shows they are out of touch with the average American and illustrates the lack of judgement which contributed to their current financial troubles.

The jets might have looked bad, but Nightline’s coverage of this fact is tabloid fodder, not news.
Do you really want the CEO of GM wasting an hour in the airport terminal? Do you think it woul dbe appropriate for him and the management team to discuss new projects, marketing plans, etc out in the open on a plane?
How many members of the congressional committee have not flown back and forth to DC in a private jet? Committee hearings are fine, if they actually want to uncover facts/explanation, but the grandstanding wastes everyone’s time and solves nothing.

I think that the government should give the money to the taxpayer. Then we can buy the cars already sitting at the dealerships. If we have to pay back the loan anyway at least we have a shiny new car in the driveway to show for it. And the automaker gets the money that they would have received anyway. But now they have to restock the dealerships instead of using the money on expensive jet rides or fancy vacations.

I would really like to see these companies help themselves first by taking pay cuts all the way around the companies. From the big wigs at the top all the way down the line. The assembly workers make, I heard, 73.00 an hour. Is this true? I would give anything to make 73.00 A DAY!! And the big wigs, ugh. With their outrageous pay and bonuses and perks. Tighten you belts just like the rest of us are having to do. I’m having a hard time with Christmas coming-Whose going to bail me out????? Are your families going without this Christmas? Surely not.

Bankrupcy is a tempting concept. They would most likely return wiser, more efficient and more realistic. The CEO salaries are just a tip of the iceberg. They (the BIG 3)are in this position because time after time we have feared the chain reaction of the auto industry failing. Workers with outrageous salaries and benefits, bullying the nation. IF we LOAN this irresponsible industry money, CHANGE must be outlined and reinforced. I say NO… We don’t bail out other fools.
jc

I am so thankful that someone had the sense to stop this insanity. The unions have whined and complained and had their way too long. Get real. No one is worth what you think you are worth. You have brought about your own ruin. Start working for more realistic wages and be proud of a job well done. I hope that the CEO’s of the auto companies will show what leaders they can be by working for no more pay than what their workers get during this crises. Lead by example. Integrity is priceless.