What's the best solution for the Big Three automakers?

Jim, I am very sorry for what you are going through. I hope you find a new job soon.

I do not blame the rank and file workers, but I do blame, in part, the unions that pushed for some pretty outrageous things, like this jobs bank.  Paying someone who isn't working negates the whole purpose of a layoff.  Layoffs may not be good things but when an industry is in financial difficulty, they may be necessary. The fat cat Big Three bosses are also very much to blame, for not adjusting their business models years ago but continuing to reap big salaries. They should be forced to give something back

Sorry for your situation.  However, even an unemployed person has to "Actively Search" for work.  Union workers get paid even when they aren't doing anything if they are on strike, and they strike for just about anything these days.  

At the time that unions were created, they were necessary, and mostly fair.  Now days, the are useless, and yes, unfortunately, that does have a huge economic effect on everyone. 

Hope your holidays get better.  Good luck with your job search.

To:

I agree to the comment that the Auto worker shouldnt be blamed; however, the management and union are to blame, and unfortunately the little guy always suffers first. No one is blaming you, the worker. I think the majority of tax payers are blaming the management and union and look at the reality of what amount of taxes are going to be taken out of their wallets to keep this, once again, industry afloat. And everyone is suffering... everyone. So, yeah I feel sorry for the unemployed and the future unemployed, but I also feel sorry for myself and if I could help you out I would, but in this time myself and family are the first priority, which includes no more additional taxes out of my paycheck to save failed companies.

read some of the comments on http://beefviper.newsvine.com/_news/2008/12/03/2173510-for-dealers-auto-bailout-cant-come-too-soon?threadId=433846&commentId=4278988#c4278988

especially post #7 by MJMNC

I just want to know when you are running for office MJMNC!

It is not the unions or the workers or the auto companies.

It is the fact that other nations have government health care and retirement pensions provided by right of citizenship.  These benefits are transferable when workers change jobs. 

We don't have these inherent rights of citizenship because of insurance company lobbying and pharmaceutical company lobbying.

Stop the lobbying by these special interest groups.  Provide inherent rights of citizenship like other countries do.  Problem solved.

AMEN and AMEN!! You have said it all. 

I agree Jim, this country needs jobs to be created.  The harsh reality is that no matter what resolution is agreed upon, jobs will be lost.  Bailout and restructuring seem to conjure up thoughts of happiness and safety as if all will be fixed.  It won’t.  This is just the beginning.  Not only does the auto industry need to be overhauled in this country, but so does the mindset of the citizens.  This is YOUR fault too America, not just the auto industry.  Business 101 is supply and demand.  We demanded the bigger vehicles and they supplied them.  We didn’t demand more fuel efficient cars until our wallet hurt.  Greater social responsibility was tossed to the curb by both.  Yes, the industry should have been proactive in looking toward the future and made a greater push to switch over to more fuel efficient automobiles.  Yes, it would have been in their best interest to ignore consumer’s demands and forced us to make a switch earlier so they weren’t stuck with heaps of vehicles that no one will buy.  But we didn’t want that.  When the hybrid market first started, it didn’t take off because it wasn’t cost efficient in the mind of the consumer.  Why buy a hybrid that cost more when you could get the same model as a gas guzzler?  Simple, this country seems to live in a bubble where gas will always be readily available and cheap.  Miles per gallon wasn’t something considered by most when buying a car a few years ago.  Now it’s on the top of the list and we’re frustrated that the auto industry couldn’t change overnight like we did.  And yes, the Big 3 slump is much more complex with other facets of greed and poor management.  My only point is that unless years ago you were part of the minority that saw this coming and switched to public transportation, a more efficient vehicle, or realized that your two feet can also take you places, you are partially to blame just as I will openly admit I am. 

Add in there the over use of plastic, and the bigger and better house that you couldn't afford and you pretty much have the whole picture. You, American consumer, are as much or more to blame as anyone else. WE all fall in there to some degree or other. And if I'm not mistaken, no MBA here, isn't bankruptcy asking someone else to shoulder your burden??? Well, I didn't sign my name on that line-you did! Not you personally, atx. Complaining about who gets what DOESN'T solve anything. Smart, hopefully unbias, minds need to really tackle this problem, apparently it's not the CEO's from any of these institutions who have come with hands out. What is happening with the Wall St. money??? Doesn't anyone, but me, want to know that??? It was to be lent out to put the economy back on track. Mr./Ms. Congressperson-ASK THE QUESTIONS!!!  That is what you're paid for by all of us, not just your big money backers, who don't want those questions asked. Time is running out, get busy. 

bicfj,

I disagree that we don't have retirement and health care by right of citizenship because of insurance company lobbying.  I think it is because Americans are still independent, that we understand the value to working toward our own future instead of paying the government more taxes to take care of everything for us.  If everything is paid for from the beginning, where is the inventive to work anymore?  Where is the incentive to go to school?  Other socialistic countries have bigger problems than our current recession to deal with in the long run because of this misconception.

Our constitution was wisely written to keep our government small for this reason.  It is very important to give people liberty.  People should have the liberty to choose their own health care, plan for their own retirement, and yes, even start a business that may fail like the big three will if they continue to practice non innovative business practices.  If they go down, people will still need cars.  Better businesses will take their place.  I don't understand why a recession suddenly makes people think that the free market principles that have made this country great are no longer valid.

I agree. the big three should learn a lesson from the Japanese about management, and take a salary cut for starters.   Why do they need private jets when their problems is right under their noses?

A. Colombo, apparently you missed bicfj's point. Our domestic manufacturer's do not have a level playing field. There competition does not have the same costs, especially in employee benefits. The people they employ here might, but the vast majority of their employees are in countries that have universal health and pensions.

I have had two offices, one in the USA and one in Montreal, and I'll tell you what....my net employee burden cost was substantially less in Montreal. Irrelevant of wages. I could only imagine what the savings would be in China or Indonesia.

Personally I agree with a bridge loan, but with conditions, one of which is to place a duty on imported "parts" that equates to the difference in employee cost burden minus wages and another that makes senseless union contracts that advocate pay for no work be eliminated.

This "make them build econo friendly cars" or "efficient" cars crap...they already do. You go buy 'em, cause they sure do not fill my requirements and who are you to tell me how to live.

Oh yea, so you not think that needing incentive to work is a little Machiavellian, bring back slavery for all people, that'll be the incentive.

 Actually the consumer hasn't had much of a choice as to what comes on cars and trucks. Which is why the competitors have done so well. Only recently has Detroit gotten off their imagination and added some good items. To say consumers don't know what they want is a cop out. Failure to see buying patterns or deciding what they're going to get is something the CEO's will use to cover their lack of  insight.

Look how long it took to get an extra power socket,then they tossed out the cigarette lighter. Various features are only available on the top of the line trim? Who makes this stuff up? I can get the moon-roof only if I order the high-output engine? The premium stereo or wheels only comes with the leather package? I have to use the airconditioning when I want the bi-level setting? I can't just turn the a/c off & on when I want,no matter what setting I have the vents on? You CEO's writing this down? Or is it the dealer I need to blame?

In order to get the most out of the buyer,the dealers decide to stand firm and convince the consumer that certain features are only available at certain prices? In order to get whay you'd like on your car,they make you buy other goodies for a much higher price.  No wonder sales are in a slump,the dealers aren't selling,they're just taking orders. I get better results with the waitresses at Dennys.

Unfortunately many don't realize that the auto industry provides millions upon millions of jobs either directly or indirectly the loss of jobs adds to the unemployment payments, welfare payments and health care costs for the uninsured. 

I don't think however manufacturing jobs should be going out of the US we have workers here that need and want jobs enough with sending jobs to India, Mexico or China KEEP THOSE JOBS HERE. 

If other countries can keep their costs that low by hiring workers that don't even meet our minimum wage then they can pay taxes and tariffs/duty to have that product brought into this country. Level the playing field.

Many people would support the auto industry if the workers would toss the unions. Few want to feed the corrupt, uncompromising, out of control unions. Ditch them and you will see America try to help you survive.

Now is the time to get rid of the unions!  Don't miss this opportunity.  Why aren't the US based foreign car makers in this financial mess?  They don't have unions- duh!  Vote them out.  Yes, they will lose some workers, but if people are really interested in staying employed, they won't quit.  Union-backed pay and incentive structures created the cash flow problem.  If they're smart, they'll use this opportunity to negotiate out of these cash-guzzling contracts.  It's no use having the best salary and the best benefits if the company goes under.

Every single one of those CEOs needs a new line of work. 

Is it just me, or doesn't it seem to be obscene that we take tax dolllars from the average american (average salary $40,000 a year) to subsidize an industry whose average worker makes $80,000+plus a year?

The auto workers have to go out and do comunity service to be able to collect the money that you are talking about they cant just sit and do nuthing

Jim I fully understand your situation and wish you luck I also have a job as a non union auto worker my company makes and sells parts to GM and our christmas bonus this year were pink slips to everyone managment and all so before you all say they dont deserve the bail out think about this the union is a VERY SMALL percentage of people who work for the big three the rest of us work for smaller non unionized manufacurs so before you condem all to unemployment stop to look at the real numbers you will see that the unions will be the last to suffer but the rest of us already are! merry christmas!

Do you really think we could support another 3 million plus unemployed?  It's not an option to let they go down!

It may not be an option, but it shouldn't come out of my pocket to pay their paycheck.

April, did you know that taxpayers are the most well off! Hell we are the most successful business out there...we love giving to rich charities

ls-415070, you didn't read the article. Chapter 11 would not put 3 million people out of work. That's absurd. Forcing the auto makers to re-evaluate their business plans would, and that's the sanest option right now.

I work for a "third tier" company that produces environmental filtration equipment largely for the car companies and their suppliers.  We do have other customers, but they aren't buying due to the "hold" that the banks have on loaning money right now.  If any or all of the car companies go into bankruptcy, I can kiss my job goodbye.  Not every tier of supplier is paid in bankruptcy proceedings.  We rely on new sales and we won't be getting any.  We produce a good environmentally friendly American made product.  Why should we be punished because everyone doesn't like the upper management at the car companies?  We aren't part of their company.  We are a perfect example of a company that will be lost to the fallout.  We ship products to both Mexico and China.  We are part of the solution and noone even understands this.  Chapter 11 will put more people out of work then you realize. 

Are you going to buy a car from a company in bankruptcy?  No!  Bankruptcy will mean the end of the big 3.  I heard China is coming to America with all kinds of businesses.  Fast food and grocery all with Chinese produced foods, health and auto insurance all administered in China, publishing, auto parts stores with all Chinese produced parts.  Now that we have thrown away all of our manufacturing (which they happily took from us) they are going to go after the service, insurance, food, and distribution sectors.  The loss of all of our manufacturing was just the first domino.  The big fall of dominoes has started and all of you who love your little foreign cars will now save 19 cents on gas to get to the unemployment office.  America has become so short sighted it's sad.  Everybody bend over and grab your ankles, the collapse of our democracy is right around the corner.

LOL! Excellent! Good post Dan-410533!

To April:
Workers payroll already comes out of your pocket. If you buy a car, you pay their paycheck through the profits on the car. If the auto worker becomes unemployed, it still comes out of your pocket through higher taxes to cover their state unemployment benefits and/or Medicaid they will be forced to use. The choice is yours.

To Blizzy:
You're right. 3 million people would not lose their jobs if they file chapter 11 bankruptcy. According to all reports, it would only be about 2 million people to lose their job. Plus another million or so retirees that would burden the government pension guarantee system and Medicare/Medicaid.
Almost every leading economist in the country states that bankruptcy is not an option given the current world wide economic recession.

American Six - after doing a little more research I have refined my position on the auto industry.

A bailout would be the best option, provided that there is oversight; and provided that the bailout contains provisions that prevent those automakers from (1.) selling parts of their business to foreign interests, (2.) utilizing the funding at plants or operations outside of the u.s., (3.) a requirement that blocks the issue of additional securities until the bailout funds are paid back in full.

I strongly agree...  elimination of excessive (in some cases agregious) compensation is the first step via Chap. 11.  Also go further with the potential to bust up the oversized corp.'s much like Standard Oil of the early 1900's.  Let the smaller companies fight for market share, some will fail, but most will succeed. 

I am in agreement with GregEdwards as well.

There are a ton of business' going the chapter 11 route... why should we bail this one out. They need to fix their own business model and get back to work and earn their living! This whole situation with the "big 3" which we should call the "little 3 with their tails between their legs" is crazy.

The consumer has to share part of the blame here... Detroit has been, and has to, build cars that people will buy.  For years that has been the F150's and big SUV's. If they had been building small fuel efficient cars all along, they would have been bankrupt years ago.  They've charged ungoddly prices for these gas guzzlers while selling smaller cars for less than half the price, but people kept buying the trucks and SUV's. Skyrocking gas prices and a collapsing economy looks to have caught everyone with their pants down, but you can't blame it all on the executives or the unions... they've just been giving you what you wanted for years...

steve you are so right! i have been selling cars and trucks for 30 years and the public only thinks, whats right for me and how quickly can i get it?

Nice post Steve!
I still see those words "bail out" a lot in online discussions. The word that should be used most often is LOAN. Everybody is screaming because an industry that is vital to our economy and even our national security needs a loan for $34 Billion. But nobody blinked an eye when the US government padded the pockets of the financial institutions to the tune of several HUNDRED BILLION dollars!

there hasn’t been performance bonuses in a long time most of the auto workers have been giving up raises and bonuses to keep there company alive you have no clue what would happen if the auto makers go under are you going to support there families when they lose there homes

Nobody bothered bailing out the lumber mill that just laid off my husband, and Chrysler didn't do squat about the defective vehicle we pay out the rear for.... they are going to get it back too, because the house is priority number 1 for my family, and we can't afford the outrageous payment we have for the piece of crap.  So now we're screwed, and they are going to tax me further by bailing out these stupid companies that make garbage and pay their workers 5 times what my husband made for 1/10th the work?  That's not right, no matter what may happen to the economy with their failure.  Why bail out 3 that SUCK and let millions of others that don't suck go down just because the economy is in the pits?  Let them feel the same pain we feel. 

jingle the american automakers have always made economy cars and as a matter of fact the cars they build right now get as good and better fuel milage as the foriegn manufacturers with as good or better fuel economy. the American auto manufactures are not totally to blame. the biggest problem right now for the american people is open borders and no fair trade with other countries we are outsorcing so much it will eventually doom our country before global warming or any other junk science we have created will

I'm wondering why the oil companies haven't been required to dedicate part of their record profits over the past few years into bailing out the industry that consumes most of their product. We don't buy cars because we can no longer afford the ridiculously inflated cost of gasoline and still pay for new car loans.

Are the fat cat oil men really going to sit smugly by as the industry that drives demand for their product collapses?

 Quote:and we can't afford the outrageous payment we have for the piece of crap"

Jingle, who's fault is it that you have the outrageous payment for the vehicle.  Did you not buy it and agree with the terms.  Take the blame for that one yourself.  Don't blame the auto maker because you bought something you can't afford.  Most of the financing when you buy a car is pretty much open for you to figure out how much you will be paying.  If it was too much, you shouldn't have bought the car.

jingle is right on the money. These states the auto makers are in were prime supporters of the whackos that shut down the timber industry in the northwest. They are big lefty states. These same autoworkers that are crying now, could care less about the logger and millworker. You don't hear much about that. They are finding out that you reap what you sow.

my husband is a logger in michigan and im a non union auto worker that means i have both ends of this comment while i dont have a job becouse of the auto mess my husband still does and were staying afloat but the woods dont offer health & dental care for our family like my job in the auto industry once the auto industry collapses there will no longer be a need for the wood my husband sells in the form of paper all the enviormentalists have already hurt the logging now the anti-union actavists are hurting the auto industry when will all this selfishness end. I think were becoming a country of big babys lets not log becouse we need trees that backfired litterly in calif. and last year in my home town with the second largest wildwife in michigans history if this bridge loan fails this two will create massive wide spread DEPRESSION in every industry the loans are far cheaper than the food lines that will follow the collapes of the auto industry and loans get repaid hand outs dont.

I agree.  There is a reason the big 3 continued to make so many different big gas guzzling vehicles.

Ask Bush to give some of his oil profits too!

Great idea!  Have the oil companies loan the automakers the $$$ they need to continue.  That way both entities can continue to invest in ways to improve thier synergistic efficiencies, i.e., exploration/extraction technologies and fuel efficient vehicles.  Alternate/green fuels aren't going to cut it for the near term, no matter how much hope and change we throw at them.  Build the bridge by cooperatively improving current technology, not by using my tax dollars.  NO bailout!  Those greedy barstewards, management, both the big three and union, made this mess - let then suffer the consequences of the cleanup.

45% of that oil profit goes to Federal, state taxes.  Of the remaining 55%, most goes to stockholders which are mainly 401K's or to start new projects.  The stockholders will never aprove of a loan or buying stocks in companies that make less money than what they have invested in.

 Please, misinformed american.  Taxes are paid up front at the price of a gallon of gas.  Some states like Florida add local taxes on top of state an federal taxes.

  The real profit comes from importing unleaded gas from forign producers. This comes in Tax free thanks to the republican controlled congress of the last 12 years..

 The common stock dividends have not risien in the last 12 years in relation to the profits of these oil companies.  Ira's holders recieve none of the benifits of corprate profit only han maiden lobbist and politians.  All of the profits are used to pay those who hold preffed share that will reflect the income of the corpration.  These are not available to the american consumer. Welcome to the 3rd world america..good luck with that!!

with the outrageous record profits posted by the oil barons, i agree. they wouldnt really feel a paltry 25 billion. i guess politics really does make strange bedfellows.

Buy foreign cars if that is what makes you happy - and hopefully one day it will be your job that can be done so much cheaper overseas - then you will get it.

Let's face it...the Japanese build better cars. They are not smarter than the Americans. They don't have the unions draining the profits and blackmailing the management. Why would many of us support those that elected the leftists in congress. No one bailed out the loggers and millworkers. Give them the blue state blues.

I read the article... Here's the link

Enough of our hard earned money goes out of the country as it is, now they want to give more of it away?

What do you expect from an administration that brought us the 3 page, no oversight bill.  They have ignored everything that was agreed upon and asked for more?  Why not bailout the auto industry after the debacle of the financial industry?  No one had the guts to explicitly limit their pay and bonuses.

25 Billion is a drop in the bucket compared to the Trillions the financial people are getting--Bush will veto any bill that will help the workers. 

If millions of people are laid off, that puts more strain on the government programs.  We pay for it one way or another.

They'd better hurry with restrictions on the Wall ST. deal or they're going to have blown it all before anybody has any idea WHAT they did with it. RESTRICTIONS or NO DEAL for anybody!!!

I think you should get facts straight uaw members don't make twice as muck as foreign transplant workers.

They don't make 2X as much, where have you been, it's been explained. Really it has. 

so tell the united states of america how much a car really cost then to these people here writing  omplaints!!!! tell them how much a foriegn worker gets fofr coming to the us and working here and how they take the managers job away because he ran a plant in india or mexico or korea or from some other fraking country! and how he brings over more workers at a cheaper pay rate! ZTELL THEM

Why should an auto worker that goes to work and gives up there health and there familys to make cars for people that have no clue why should we pay a nurse or a truck driver even more then what an auto worker makes

where do you get that unions are the problem unions were made to protect employees from working in unsafe conditions and fair wages for the same work i agree with mismanagement because they have to much management but the unions and the workers have nuthing to do with the company going bank rupt it has to do with the us people buying rice burners and all we ever bought from american companies was SUV's and Trucks

Nuclear power plants have very low carbon footprints. We need more of them and more wind turbines too. Then we use plug in hybrid vehicles (uses gas after first 40 miles or so) to get around in. The power bill at your house will rise about $10.00 a month for every 300 miles driven on battery power alone.

Compare that to a car that averages 20 MPG with gas prices at $3.00 a gallon. To go 300 miles you would need 15 gallons of fuel. 15 gallons X $3.00 a gallon = $45.00. I'd rather spend the $10.00 and go the same distance ;) Oh, and if my vehicle was a pure electric I'd never have to replace the engine oil or coolant or the air filter or worry about my catalytic converter getting stolen because electric cars don't have any of those things.

As for battery packs, there are first generation Toyota Prius hybrids that are nearly 10 years old and haven't needed the battery pack replaced yet. Hopefully they'll last the life of the vehicle. As for disposal, there are battery recycling plants that will take your old battery and reuse the metal inside to make new batteries.

i thnk that honda Dave has gone above and beyond for more fuel effective vehicles. But did any one know that back in the 70;s i think it was that the goverment told these car makers to make more fuel effective cars to stop relying on foreign fuel. and so they went to capital hill and said we will start to make plans for more fuel effective cars if you lend us monies to do it. well they did and they never spent it for the R&D needed to make fuel effective cars! so i dont feel for these car makers. sorry, but i do feel for every factory worker but even they get paid too much money and but the ceo's and head coporate people need to have pay cuts by 1/2 and have there benifits cut also by 1/2 and given  benifits like the factory workers have and the same paid vacation time and holiday times as well. keep fair and square across the board.

To: "hate it but i speak out"
The domestic auto makers have 3 of the top 10 hybrid vehicles currently on the market.
One Ford ...One Mercury... and one from GM.  Vehicle research and development is expensive. Especially in the alternative fuel areas. It takes YEARS to develop technologies! The auto companies cannot maintain a profit without assistance for R&D when the government dictates they MUST do something.
The CEO's of the BIG 3 have all agreed to work for $1.oo per year. Should they cut their salaries to .50 cents?
And the current UAW contracts would have brought their wage and benefits inline with non-union workers in foreign manufacturers by the year 2010. That's one year from now. So I'd say things are pretty much, as you put it, "fair and square across the board".

I agree, sometimes I wonder if the public is aware of the benefits of the congressman, beyond belief, they are suppose to work for us, but not at that cost. 100 percent benefits , not only are we getting ripped off from the AIG bailout, but our represtatives really rape us. look into it, please pass this on, i would love to get there benefits for life at taxpayer expense.

I think if we are going to cut auto workers pay we should cut every ones pay DR. Lawyers Nurses every one no one should make over 30k a year if we cut asuto workers come on people use your brains where do you get that the auto workers make alot of money when we pay people that sit on chairs in offices well over 70k a year for nuthing but filling papers

Looks like the blue state chickens are coming home to roost. You vote lefties in. They muscle the banks to loan to those not qualified to buy. Someone has to pay for the homes. That's where the taxpayer comes in. Then Barney and the Marxist gang want to pay the unions back for the votes they received...with taxpayers money of course. The same crowd has shut the northwest down, destroying jobs right and left. Do we care if the old auto industry survives? A newer better industry will take it's place. We did not hear you people crying for the loggers families. You in the blue states are spotted owl people. I hope your chickens coming home to roost don't disturb the owls.

you should have looked out for your self you and your husband made a choice not to have retirement savings and benifits so grow up and do some reserch there retirements are getting cut just the same as everyone elses my father retired with 45 years in at for motor campany they have cut his helth benifits to the point that they cant afford to go to the Dr or the hospital if they need to they cut and trimed his retirement to the point that they are losing there home and the equal playing field you talking about only can happen if you have unions they are made for the protection of the employee if you dont have retirement its your own falt even MCDonalds offers a 401k and auto workers pay taxes just like you on everything they make

 What about Chrysler's lifetime warranty  LOL

I would still by a Honda/Toyota/Nissan with their 3/36, because we had Chryslers before and they were crap.  Even if its better now,  several generations have been poisoned by the Big 3's terrible cars of the past.  Rebuilding trust will take decades..and they cant survive that long.  Dont bail them out/dont loan to them..let them file bankruptcy. If you dont, then people wanting handouts(which is it) will only grow.

i have 220k on my ford truck and it still runs like the day i bought it do some maintanance and be responsible for your car you will be surprised in the difference

You can buy a Toyota and get 400,000, and run it into the ground. I have seen people that can't tie their own shoes, rarely change the oil, can't shift correctly...you name it, you can't hurt the Japanese rigs. The Detroit rigs break down because democrats build them.

Agree.  Obama has all the answers except the one that really matters:  How are hope and change going to keep a roof over the heads of and food on the table for the 99% of Americans who deserve it.  heaven help us all when China calls in its markers.

So Ken, what makes you think Obama doesn't have the answers?  He's not even in office yet and you are giving him hell.  He didn't cause this mess.

When china calls in what markers?

I'm willing to bet 2/3rds of the stuff in you own home Ken was made in China...and who's fault would that be? Obama's or yours?

The country was founded on hope and change...tell the founding fathers they were wrong for believing in an idea bigger than what they had in front of their faces.

Some people...

I am tired of hearing "give the customer what they want"...  Look at the figures -- the highest share of market for vehicles of all types is Full Size Trucks -- The F150, Silverado, Sierra and Dodge Ram are always at the top of the list -- even now, when sales are down, they sell more than the Toyota's and Honda's that you falsely hold as gas-savers -- do your homework...the public has been provided with what they want by the US Automakers -- Trucks. The American people, for some reason, like to fund the Japanese and Korean companies by allowing them to not pay taxes while they build factories here to save shipping dollars on their vehicles....and in return put huge taxes and import restrictions on US vehicles entering their companies. We should put an excise tax on ALL purchases equal to the percentage of profit that leaves this country -- buy American to keep your neighbor working!

there are to chiefs and not enough indians in these plants they have plants manager asistant plant manager(s) head manager over each departmens manager over each line asistants to them and then crew leaders and assistant crew leaders to over see a hand full of employees and they have all these on every shift  fire some management that makes over 100k a year and cut the sdvertising budgets for each car and the company might be able to help it self but it will still need somthing to up car sales