What do you think of buying out the automakers?

[Blubayou]

I think the auto industry needs a reality check- Concession need to be made by the unions, and management. If we bail them out there need to be provisions in place for them to do business differently, make more cars that would move us away from dependence on foreign oil, more efficient cars, and less expensive, more reliable cars.

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by ManOfWord

I'm not torn at all. If they can't make it and have made bad business and product decisions, then they have no right to exist. If they have let the unions run them into the ground, they deserve it. Unskilled labor is only worth so much. When it gets over inflated, the same thing happens to it that happened to the housing market. I say let the economy run and keep your hands off of it. There is ALWAYS a demand for goods and if the American worker can make it better and at a fair price, people will buy it.

There is nothing but politics that forces us to allow anything from overseas into the US. I price shop and shop for the best quality at the lowest price. If that means I have to buy foreign, then so be it.

I can't ask the government to bail me out when people leave our church if we're not willing to minister to their needs. My stand may not be popular, but there it is.

Exactly.

And none of them will go bankrupt in the sense that they cease to exist (chapter 7 I believe?), but rather they will be FORCED to reorganize and either come back or be acquired by other automakers.

[Hoovie]

Originally Posted by ManOfWord

I'm not torn at all. If they can't make it and have made bad business and product decisions, then they have no right to exist. If they have let the unions run them into the ground, they deserve it. Unskilled labor is only worth so much. When it gets over inflated, the same thing happens to it that happened to the housing market. I say let the economy run and keep your hands off of it. There is ALWAYS a demand for goods and if the American worker can make it better and at a fair price, people will buy it.

There is nothing but politics that forces us to allow anything from overseas into the US. I price shop and shop for the best quality at the lowest price. If that means I have to buy foreign, then so be it.

I can't ask the government to bail me out when people leave our church if we're not willing to minister to their needs. My stand may not be popular, but there it is.

zactly! That is how I feel about all the bailouts. Sure it would hurt. But they would restructure and come back meaner and leaner AND more affordable to the end consumers.

[BrotherEastman]

Originally Posted by Margies3

Because Jeep is here in Toledo and is such a big employer, the president of Chrysler was in town yesterday. It was all over the news. Seems the big car companies are wanting the government to bail them out like they did the banks a while back.

What do you think about that? Good idea? Bad idea?

I'm really very, very torn about it.

On the one hand, I know alot of people who work for Jeep, Pontiac Motors, Buick, etc. and I know the kind of money they make. It's a very good wage! and in most cases, their benefit packages are better than most people I know who have alot more education. My brother's wages and benefits at Jeep are far above what Walt can make anywhere around here as a Civil Engineer. Actually, his benefits are better than my friends are - and she is a pediatrician!

I'm not saying that we should ask people to work for nothing, but I do think that the unions have brought some of this on by their continual demands.

On the other hand, our country is SO dependent on the auto industry, that to let them sink will be a huge mistake. If the auto industry goes down, it will affect so much more than the auto industry. It will affect all the suppliers to them, of course. And when all those people lose their jobs, it will affect the housing/building industry. And the retail markets. And then it will just keep trickling down. Even Walt's job will be affected. If people aren't paying taxes on the big bucks, then cities won't have money to do things like build new roads or new water-treatment facilities.

So what do you think? Should we bail them out? Do we even have a choice? What kinds of demands do we have a right to make on them if we do bail them out?

This is where you and I disagree, I think the unions do demand more than they should. These unions are just as much at fault as the corporate management.

[Margies3]

Originally Posted by Blubayou

I think the auto industry needs a reality check- Concession need to be made by the unions, and management. If we bail them out there need to be provisions in place for them to do business differently, make more cars that would move us away from dependence on foreign oil, more efficient cars, and less expensive, more reliable cars.

I agree that concessions need to be forced. The unions have gotten way too powerful and greedy!

But I also believe that HUGE concessions have to be made at the management end. I was appalled when those fat cats in the banking industry did what they did after being rescued by the government. That should never happen again!

[BrotherEastman]

Originally Posted by ManOfWord

I'm not torn at all. If they can't make it and have made bad business and product decisions, then they have no right to exist. If they have let the unions run them into the ground, they deserve it. Unskilled labor is only worth so much. When it gets over inflated, the same thing happens to it that happened to the housing market. I say let the economy run and keep your hands off of it. There is ALWAYS a demand for goods and if the American worker can make it better and at a fair price, people will buy it.

There is nothing but politics that forces us to allow anything from overseas into the US. I price shop and shop for the best quality at the lowest price. If that means I have to buy foreign, then so be it.

I can't ask the government to bail me out when people leave our church if we're not willing to minister to their needs. My stand may not be popular, but there it is.

Post of the thread. Good point, and I agree.

[Margies3]

Originally Posted by BrotherEastman

This is where you and I disagree, I think the unions do demand more than they should. These unions are just as much at fault as the corporate management.

Reread what I said. I never said the unions were not at fault. I said they are way too powerful and too greedy. I think unions served a purpose when they were first formed. But I think they've been a huge millstone now. Hanging them on the necks of the American people, we are all going to sink if we don't get them off of us. Soon!

[meBNme]

Absolutely NO bailout!

So they go bankrupt. What happens?
They restructure, they go leaner and more efficient, we buy pickups previosly priced at
$38,000 for $28,000 and the guy who cleans toilets for GM for 20 hrs a week but gets paid 30 bucks an hour for 40 hrs a week starts getting paid what he's worth.

I think all unions should be banned.

[Cindy]

I think we need to look into buying a horse and buggy.

[Sam]

My prediction is that they will get the bailout money.
They'll make promises to reform and clean up their act
but things will continue on just as they are.
No one (union members, retirees, management) will lose anything.