ns.
LLN: stop using “fund” and “funded;” they’re “paying for,” or “financing” this stuff.

Investing in a company that has a realistic chance of going bankrupt is a dumb idea.

Blakkarr: ” … now there is no time to really discuss it and see.” That’s everything in congress!

“Republicans trying to look good, but they are more obstructionist and divisive than the Democrats have ever been.” They’re sinking and need some good PR.

pzimet: Michael Savage says Li’l Jorge is a liberal.

“the Congressional Republicans standing up against this lunacy …” Who are they? Did they stand up against the wall street bailout lunacy?

“Bush has shown his big-government colors.” Straight truth!

“Carter/Clinton/Bush…the trifecta of government idiocy that’s destroyed the US economy.” You didn’t mention the dead guy that set the path to destroying the middle class.

sharpie: ” The GOP is paving way for the next financial meltdown by letting private investment do whatever they want with no regulations!” Where have I heard that before? “Those who cannot remember history …”

caperdf: you’re dead-on.

Struggle: “Give them the money only after a massive restructuring, or elimination of the UAW.” That’s similar to what I said years ago about what the conditions shhould be for any airline bailout.

t-ak-box:
“If Investors wanted to step in they would have already. What’s keeping them from doing so now?” YOU HAVE JUST MADE THE NO. 1 POINT IN THE CASE AGAINST TRICKLEDOWN ECONOMICS!!!

Republicans are looking out for the Fat Cats first, Giant Faceless Corporations second; Democrats always play to what’ll help them get re-elected.

carstuff: I don’t know how much cash honda has, but Toyota is OK in that area.

Now, back to the bailout.

The banks didn’t get this much scrutiny, but they probably should have gotten a whole lot more. The scrutiny the auto industry is getting actually seems like a fair amount, given how screwed up they are, and how entrenched their mentalities are (execs AND unions).

But, here’s a question (also applicable to the banks): what about the boards of directors? Why haven’t they been held accountable for their cruddy oversight of the auto companies, the banks, mortgage companies, etc? These people have stood by and rubber-stamped a whooooooole lot of bad judgment over many years, and yet they are not being held accountable at all.

Because they are sitting on the money. They see we are going into a depression and only those with cash will make it thru. The banks now have the cash and are using it to support their execs with bonus’s. There is plenty left over to keep their banks in business for 2 years.

The only auto companies out there with enough cash to make it are Toyota and Honda. Say good by to the rest if they are not supported by their government. Look in one year for the southern states to support the plants down there when they come begging for money. Heck BMW got $1/2 billion to just build their plant.

I cannot agree more. The Republicans don’t understand that this kind of behavior is why they lost elections in 2006 and 2008. If they continue this foolishness, then they will continue to lose elections into the foreseeable future.

For the Republicans hoping to benefit their German home state factories, who do you expect to buy the BMWs built in South Carolina and Mercedez-Benzs built in Alabama when nobody has a job? For the Republicans carrying water for the Japanese, who do you expect to buy NIssans built in Jackson, MS and Toyotas built in Texas and Tennessee when their unemployment checks run out? And for your Republicans who don’t plants run by off-shore manufacturers in your home state, how much longer do you believe that you are going to remain in office before even the most rabid Republican voters turn against your party?

Republicans, put your country first for once, will you?

So True!

@ Blakkarr

Well Said!

If Investors wanted to step in they would have already. What’s keeping them from doing so now?
Why hasn’t the $700 billion already thrown at the Financial Industry help to secure the Big 3 with any loans and such?
Cerbrus are a bunch of Investors why haven’t they turnaround Chrysler yet?
Yet another way for the Republican’s to act like they are for the people yet are only looking out for the Fat Cats, when will people see through this. I’m not stupid I know Democrats aren’t much better at the Political Theater either but this Acts getting old.

The Republicans had more than two weeks to come up with something that even sounded like a plan. To drop something this cracked at the last minute and still insisting that they are going to block any workable plan that isn’t theirs is just the last death throes of the Republican party. It is that brand of politics that is getting their butts kicked all over the hill now.

If they HAD a plan worth discussing seriously they would have put it up publicly last week at the earliest instead of working on strategies to obstruct any kind of effort to save 3.5 million jobs.

Jobs that are in companies that are going to suffer and or fail through no direct fault of their own. This money is not for the DETROIT 3. It is for the hundreds or thousands of other companies that need them in order to do and stay in business.

It isn’t that we don’t want a domestic Auto Industry. it is that the majority of Americans can’t see beyond the sound bites and their front yards. They can not think in the broader context or America would be a far better country than the majority of us think it is. All that matters is that Big Mac and that the radio argees with them.

“A full belly and a diverting television program makes a poor revolutionary.” -Ned Grossberg

Screw this retiree fund, let them save up like the rest of us have to.

Are the labor laws not good enough that we still need antiquated union mentalities?

I always thought GM had 2 issues.
First – Lagacy costs – A big part of that comes from being huge for so long. Now that outsourcing components from suppliers is common practice, GM has to cover all of the retired personnel that used to do what new suppliers are doing and profiting from. That drain has caught up to them as it would have reduced there ability to engineer good cars with the reduction of positive cash flow

Second – American Corporate culture – we see this as most big companies are bankrupting. There focus is only 1/4 to 1/4. That’s because that’s where there bonus’ come from. Anybody who recieves bonus’ over 500K can’t be expected to worry about long term health of the organization.

I wonder if the EU or an Asian country will replace the USA as the major player in the world????

Using taxpayer dollars are not ideal, but at least the government has a stake in it. The GOP is paving way for the next financial meltdown by letting private investment do whatever they want with no regulations! Hey I don’t care how many times the $700b taxpayer’ dollars change hands. It is still the taxpayers’ dollars and government need to retain some type of regulatory control over giving that much of a Christmas gift away!

Right now, the Congressional Republicans standing up against this lunacy are the only hope left in this country. Bush has shown his big government colors and the Dems are only too happy to welcome him into the fold now, since they can cut him loose and drop the blame in his lap when it all goes to hell.

Carter/Clinton/Bush…the trifecta of government idiocy that’s destroyed the US economy. Can’t wait till Obama makes it 4.

Fair enough compromise, but of course it’s too logical and simple for DC because it might just work.

This is Grandstanding like no body’s business. Republicans trying to look good but they are more obstructionist and divisive than the Democrats have every been.

Anything is better than nothing but the Republican s should get negative points for dropping this at the last minute.

Playing politics rather than doing their jobs. Obama is going to have his hands full with this lot.