So what do we do? Do we bail out the auto industry or not? Do we give them their $25B, or tell them to take a hike? I really don't know what I think. I do wonder if there are other alternatives than the two on the table? Is there not a middle ground that we could take? I honestly do not know why anyone would want to be president now or come January. With all this crap, who would want the responsibility? I wonder which industry is the next to ask for a bail out?
Any ideas out there? I feel pretty lost on this issue. I kinda feel we are screwed if we do and screwed if we don't. I had someone tell me the other day that the auto industry has been bailed out before. True or no? I don't remember. It does seem that if we do give them money, then there needs to be accountability, but didn't we get promised that with the bank bail out? Didn't work out too well.
Any ideas out there? I feel pretty lost on this issue. I kinda feel we are screwed if we do and screwed if we don't. I had someone tell me the other day that the auto industry has been bailed out before. True or no? I don't remember. It does seem that if we do give them money, then there needs to be accountability, but didn't we get promised that with the bank bail out? Didn't work out too well.
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9 comments:
Yes. Bail. But...
Tax gas so that we have minimum floor of $3.50 per gallon. Use that extra money for the bailout. Attach many strings to the bailout, e.g. have to produce electrics and hybrids, stop fighting emissions standards, etc. Use leftover tax money to rebuild our transportation infrastructure.
Toyota Honda Nissan etc that have plants here are in states where the Unions are not involved and are flourishing with representative wages. These companies are not in hearings with the Congress. Good heavens - auto execs flying to the hearings in private planes at the cost of $20,000.00 per flight and they are asking for help after the AIG debacle of lavish parties after receiving hand out monies. Let free-enterprise go its course and let the companies file bankruptcies as have done the air line industries restructure and build better products - but congress wont let that happen becasue that would null and void the contracts of the unions. Or if they do give them bail out monies then there should be guarantees that the monies are to benefit the companies restructure efforts not the union coffers. If it ends up in the union hands then this will be revisited in the near future and the money will have been given for no good purpose, just a Curity bandage to cover an amputation. It wont work.
Bail only with strict conditions and changes in management. None of the bailout money should go to the executives and I think they should be forced to take a pay cut to the same level as the lowest paid lineworker until the bailouts are paid back to the government with interest.
dang., just let the oil companies bail them out.
So many different ideas. Cool. I'm still not sure what I think. I do like acline's idea of requiring the auto industry to rethink and retool, and to use technology. And we do need more transportation infrastructure repairs. Roads and bridges are in sorry shape.
I'm still having a hard time with yet another bail out. Why can't the money from from the $700B? The banks are using it properly anyway.
You know that they retire with full line benefits after 30 years so if they are 20 when they begin they retire at fifty and that at the present they have 3 times more retired than working? Also the line workers make up to $130,000 per year including the benefits. I would like to make what the lowest line worker makes. No wonder they are in trouble.
My comment got so large that I put it in my own post.
I'm pretty much on the side of Anon. The companies and unions have bankrupt the industry. When companies from across the pond come to the US and make money with, for the most part, superior products, I'm at a loss for why we can't do the same. We, as a country, have got to return to the 1950's mentality of making a quality product at a fair price and not be greedy and end up in trouble asking the Government for help. After all where does the Government get this money? Duh... from us the tax payer. Tell Washington to bite the bullet and let them go under.
I believe it was Moses who said "let my people go" well it is time for government to "let businesses fail" regardless of size. Government is NOT supposed to be the arbiter of what businesses stay open and which ones close.
I have a hard time finding this in the Constitution
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