Auto Industry Bailout

I'm am really torn on this issue and would like to know what y'all think about it. It would be great if everyone posted thoughtful opinions (like usual on this board) and not just partisan bickering.

I'm torn because I feel like these companies dug their own grave by building cars that people didn't want. I don't sympathize with them too much because of all the jobs they've shipped overseas.

On the other hand 1 in 10 jobs in the United States are related to the Auto Industry. That is a whole lot of people not paying taxes, but receiving unemployment. That is a whole lot of moths unfed, and a whole lot of mortgages unpaid. Look at Flint Michigan as a microcosm, when the auto industry left that city, more jobs than just those of the auto industry left. For instance, what's to keep the grocery store in business if no one can buy food?

Anyways, I'm curious to know what you guys think.

well the problem, in this case is the union. the union has been jacking up the rates of workers for years and NOW the average $/hr is $78 or so PER HOUR for american auto workers. for the same worker in a japanese auto plant it's somewhere around $45/hr. so as you can see, the union screwed them and something should have been done a long time ago to curb the hourly rates b/c it's ludicrous to make that much for doing such a task as screwing in one bolt. the companies, in turn, by not doing anything about this earlier, OBVIOUSLY screwed themselves. they allowed the unions to dig them into a hole and now they want a handout. get the FK outta here.

btw, i'm VERY liberal and this angers the piss outta me. enough already.

It is not just the union it also the industry as a whole here. I say chapter 11 for them and the banks. They knew the risks when they took them. from the ashes will arise someone else. The government should not own any private industry.

That's actually not completely true, the actual average hourly wage is closer to 28 dollars an hour. That is a wage that I also think is too much, though. Obviously that needs to be curved, but it doesn't seem to me that the same questions are being asked of the people in the financial sector that is also receiving a bail out.

I kind of agree, but what is to becom of 1 in 10 jobs in America? Like i said in my OP, that is a lot of people that won't be contributing to the economy.

In theory (and initiailly), I dont believe the Auto Industry should be bailed out for producing bad products and bad business decisions...

HOWEVER

It would be detrimental to the economy to let those inductries die...For f*** sake, America INVENTED the automobile. How have we fallen so far behind int he world?

If we didnt support the bailout....We would be giving up that invaluable export biz to the rest of the world....America would essentially be giving up one of the most profitable global businesses....

I think its a chance for the govt to force the industry into creating and developing more modern, energy efficient cars and hopefully lead the way into developing alternative energy consuming automobiles

Id support the bailout, if thats the direction they take to ctach up with the Germans and Japanese

Also I think if the bailout support is given, salaries should be cut dramtically for high level management, especially the CEO's....Actually, I think the CEO's should be investing their own net worth into the bailout...That would insure that they would take this bailout most seriously....

I think that is exactly where I am with this. I think everyone's pay needs to be cut from the CEO's down. Maybe, since the govt. is intervening, to make it fair for everyone (ya know, since contracts are going to be thrown out), maybe they could put something in place like many Japanese companies; the highest paid person can only make like 20 times or so more than the lowest paid person.

Um I do not want the government determining what is enough money for someone to earn. Ever.

Business should never be bailed out by the government, and the only way they should be bailed out is if the unions are completely removed.

If the government is going to put their finger in the pie, with tax payer money, then I don't want it going to golden parachutes, and neither should you. The economy would be much better off if the auto-workers had money to spend, not the CEO's. The Unions aren't the entire problem, that is ideologue garbage. Without unions we probably would have had uprisings by now. Unions keep management honest, without them people would be getting f'ed.

Oh you have no idea what you are talking about, I did not understand that. In a competitive market unionized companies can not compete. Hey wait maybe that is what is happening with the car companies. It breeds lazy workers, and corruption. There are plenty plenty plenty of non-union companies where the employees don't get f-ed. Matter of fact most of the companies, and employees in this nation, are or work for non-union companies. So your argument holds no validity. If it is your honest belief that employees should make a fair share of the profits, and the owner deserves only portion , who don't you start a company and pay your employees in that manner. No instead you feel it more important to rob someone else's idea and force your beliefs on them. Sounds like your just a lazy pathetic sheep to scared to run his own business.

BTW read a f-ing history book there have been plenty of uprising (the pullman strike, the steel workers, coal miners, farmers, etc...) Many of the uprisings were started by the unions, you have no idea what you are talking about. I have worked on both sides of a Unionized company. It has cost more people their jobs than helped. Look at Verizon in NJ. Might want to question why verizon is now hiring contractors (not employees), which by the way is the wave of the future, due in no small part to unions. Why was Verizon to hire 500 employees for their Fios product in NJ but stopped at 130 or so after the f-ing unions up there started their ****. Again you have no idea what you are talking about, because you can see the hand right directly in front of your face, but allow the hand out 10 feet and maybe you can see a wider picture.

You are absolutely right I do not want tax dollars bailing anyone out, but I also do not want the government deciding what a proper salary is. All I said was if they are going to bail out the car Manu. do away with the unions. Bailing them out and keeping the unions is only going to result in the same problem years down the road.