GM axes performance division

[Michael Beard]

>> Lyons writes: Its not ALL the car companys fault. The $4 a gallon gas kinda exposed a flaw in the plan.

That's true, I agree. There was no reason for fuel to go that high in the first place, and it was one of the many cards that got kicked at the bottom of the house of cards that had been built for us.

>> Williams writes: If you think for a minute that GM going under won't effect your life then you have not looked at all the facts.

I understand that. It would. You've generated an argument that I didn't make in the first place. GM *not* going under would affect my life, too.

>> Does anybody realize the impact that the Mortgage, loan and banking industry has on the economy? 700 billion and 150 billion for a total of 850 billion and it was given to these people without question.

Yes! And many people fought tooth and nail against that mockery as well!

>> But where is the complaining about the mortgage, loan and banking people? I am not hearing how our lives are better because of their failure.

We've BEEN complaining! (the discussion has been taking place far longer and is much larger than this single discussion thread) There's no way to address your second part because the banking industry wasn't *allowed* to fail. It is being propped up. (with money that we don't have) Actually, these banking practices that were set into motion in the '70s never should have been allowed in the first place. Just another part of the house of cards.

>> the money for the Big Three is not a bailout like the banking industry. It is a bridge loan.

Yes, I know that. Sorry for using the popular semantics. It wasn't used to mislead anyone. I think most people understand that it's a loan. (made with money that we don't have) Bad businesses practices are still bad business practices, and we're going to give them more money before it's all over with. Unlike the loan to Chrysler years ago, I'm not optimistic about getting this money back. The interest on our national debt alone is going to bury us, and rampant inflation is coming around the corner.

Don't assume that because I didn't write an 1,100 pg dissertation (don't worry, Congress doesn't read anything that long either) and quantify every statement and mention every single angle on every economic-related topic that I'm ignorant of them.

It *is* okay if we disagree, but understand that I do have a rational basis for thinking the way I do, just as you do.

[Sean Kennedy]

Originally Posted by Steve Williams

When things were good it was everybody's friend (the big three). But when things go bad the true colors come out and people with no knowledge whatsoever about the GM problem throw rocks. Paul-What do you know about the UAW? Why is this their fault? Ed-You might get your wish and when the others fall( and trust me they will) you will be stuck driving a generic Foreign piece of crap. Tow with one of these so called trucks from the Japanese automakers and let me know how it works out. Sean-Get a grip, the cutting back was a necessary evil to save a few dollars and last that I seen KJ was still sporting their colors. Am I wrong? Jeff-thanks for the post, the article is an interesting one and something that in my town has been known for months. Their is plenty of blame to go around in this deal, so research it and then blame all guilty parties. BREAKING NEWS-Toyota is laying off people in the United States! You gentlemen (not including Jeff Lee) have not a clue about what the deal is about this GM crisis and what the consequences could be if GM falls. I see it everyday in my community and it is sad. Hope you never have to go through what people in my area live with everyday. Spend some of your time online looking at the Detroit News or the Detroit Freepress or the local Detroit television news broadcasts to get a better idea of what the real deal is.

This is not opinion, but the brutal truth.....

Have a nice day,

Steve Williams

I pay an extra 5 bucks for your oil filters now, because you do support us. Did really read my post at all? Thanks for supporting drag racing!

I will support the companies that support this sport. I do not wish to see GM fail, but I make a lot of my decisions based off of this. I don't think you should be criticizing someone who just said they buy your products now for those reasons.

The reason GM is going under is because they don't make a very competitive product anymore. All of the automakers are suffering, but there is a reason that GM and Chrysler are on the verge of bankruptcy and others are not. Correct me if those statements are untrue.

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by SS Engine Guy

The other half is when American car companies started using foreign components (engines) in some of their products. We came up with the technology to build these engines and gave it, or sold it away only to buy it back at a higher cost. Then we decided to move plants and buy products across the borders because of the cheaper labor and less gov. regs. But instead of passing the savings on to the end user the prices remained high. Then it was decided to build (middle of the line) cars that require excessive labor/time for basic maintenence. The blame goes around in quite a few circles. And I also feel for those that are loosing a job that they have worked hard at and took an interest in. Sure is a shame we have let big money/big government spend us into this mess. The economy can live only so long on "paper".

Are you related to "Babe Ruth"??? I ask because you hit this one out of the park in CENTER FIELD!!! Since I work for a parts supplier for AC Delco, nothing has bugged me more than delivering said parts that were not made in America (or perhaps Canada), like they should've! I bet those GM Exec.s sure enjoyed those extra profits they earned once they were able to start enjoying greater profits, due to their reduced production costs...what about us consumers? You know what we got, and do they make shoes that big???

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by larrylomascolo

the north america free trade agreement,NAFTA, started all this bull, it opened the door wide open for foriegn imports into this country and our exports to thier country was not near the the same numbers,we got it right up the wazoo,my town of 33,000 just closed a G.M. dealership that has been here for 60 years,sucks

Yeah, and they talk about free trade, when a Japanese envoy from Washington even wrote an article that was in the Denver "Rocky Mountain News" (plus other national papers I'm sure), talking about the bureacracy of trade within Japan...which cause American/European vehicles sold in Japan to be hit with enough penalties to be double (or more) the cost of a comparable Japanese home-grown vehicle...what happened to our tariffs???

[Steve Williams]

Michael Beard-Thanks for your reply and I see that we do have some common ground, NO ONE has been complaining about the banking business as far as I've seen here.


Sean, I got just a few choice words for you-You my friend are what my Grandmother from the Old Country used to say and it might lose some in translation-Arre thiiesnn tu bient!

You are an incompetent fool who sucks on donkey ***! Hate to say it but you don't represent DIV 6 well in any respect. Shut your piehole Sir as you are digging yourself a hole that cannot be dug out of. You have no idea what this is all about. Go play with your mini van OK. A competitive product? You my friend are an uninformed bunghole.
Look at sales figures for North American Vehicles. I rest my case.

Have a nice day

Steve Williams

[Michael Lyons]

not only that but I think he's thinkin of the other Steve Williams, races the K&N super comp car on the west coast...

[S.E. Buchanan]

Guys:

Being the old timer that I unfortunately am now, I believe the main problem with
the auto companies is too many Americans buying foreign brands.

Now before anybody starts making excuses let me say a big part of that is the
American Manufactures drug their collective feet too many years on quality.
However the past several years they have made dramatic improvements.

Yes, there are other problems also but I said the main problem.

[Terry Cain]

I've been following this thread for a couple days now. All this bail out money makes me sick and then I look at what my 401K has done. WOW, I get very sick and want to drink a beer to calm down.
WELL, Here's the icing on the cake.
Kentucky just passed a 6% sales tax on liquor that will go into affect April 1, 2009. A 30 pack was $18.50 before the announcement of the tax. Since it has passed but before enactment beer has gone to $23.00 (in the last week).
Looks like the beer companies are learning tricks from the gas companies.

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by 1664SSJA

Well, Don't drink and drive and you'll save double the money...
Tax on booze and cigarettes should be upped ten times.

Taxes on former and non racers who come on here and try to change S/SS shold be imposed at a
per post rate.
Last time I looked liquor and tobacco products were n't against the law.Granted they aern't the best thing for your health(especially tobacco) but we were all born with free will to figue out right from wrong.
BTW I'm an ex smoker (cigs and cigars).

Ed F.

[Tom P]

That would just cause more social problems. Think about it.

The bailout deal for car companies or banks sucks. The car companies are victims of that previous deal. Going after the scoundrels that caused it is fairly easy, maybe not as easy as when they were in the White House.