They listened to the accounting dudes who said "are you crazy?! sell the big cars, they make more profit!"

This isn't about MPG ratings, this isn't about hating on made in the USA... It's about a company with bad management, bad unions that are getting way too much in benefits (hurting the company), and it's about poor choices that give consumers poor products. It's about responsibility and liability... that those two things, in my opinion, should be held on the shoulders of the people who work for, run and invest in that company.

I don't see why they don't do the things that Sen. Corker has put up in the senate. It's a compromise, and the only ones who didn't budge was the Union. The Union is the one that is unwilling to lower the amount of benefits to the levels that forgien auto companies pay to their workers in the US.

Seriously, they can't make that sacrifice? I've sacrificed roughly $30,000 of my salary this year, it's tough for me, but I'm doing it to help the company and keep me working. I know, it's a not as huge as GM, but honestly, all the more important that union workers help and do their share, NOW, not in 2011 in a wage/benefit adjustment, now. Its gotta happen now.

Personally, I just don't see GM/UAW giving enough to warrant so much tax payer money. Also, I don't see them really trying to substantially change how they do business and how they operate. I feel they will do things they way they have been should they get all the funding, and even then, they will more than likely fail next year or ask for more money cause the economy is not going to get better anytime soon.

I think the biggest thing for me is that if they do fail, and now I do want Ford to do well, they are definitely working on better cars and have some solid projects inline for better truck motors and fuel efficient cars and are in a much better financial situation cause they moved to make changes a while back. That shows forward thinking... anyways, if GM/Chrysler do fail, it's not like they can't liquidate... or other companies can't buy those plants and retool and keep many of those people hired. People act as if all jobs will be gone, they won't. Toyota has been buying old dealerships at steal prices, I think companies in good standing would move in and buy plants as good prices as well.

At the end of the day, why can't these companies make it happen here in the US when foreign automakers can? One would think that these companies would run themselves like the foreign makes, then it shouldn't be an issue. That's was Sen Corker wants, and I think he's on the right track.

and those accounting dudes listened to the customers... who are now paying the price...

when the customer wants a large suv or truck with a service life of 7~10 years, they did a great job at supplying that.

you sure? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...l?hpid=topnews

so you went up to your boss and said "i understand we're struggling right now, can you please reduce my salary by $30,000 to help with that?" or is this because you quit your job to start your photography business?

i've advanced mine by 16% this year alone, and about 30% over the previous three years. part of that comes from not carrying on political debates on the internets on my companies time.

they're not asking for it as a gift or a grant, but as a loan. which will be paid back.

if one fails, they will all likely fail. they share many of the same suppliers, who would not be able to withstand a 33% reduction in sales

maybe Sen Corker is in the wrong line of work? if he's got that great of a plan, maybe he should resign from public service and get himself hired on with one of these companies?

Myth:
With the largest workforce in the auto industry, General Motors has far too many people working for it.

Fact:
GM has cut its payroll drastically, by 45.8 percent in the U.S. alone since 2000. In fact, GM is far from the largest employer in the industry. With 252,000 employees worldwide, GM ranks fifth overall behind Volkswagen (373,400 employees,) Renault/Nissan (316,121 employees,) Toyota (316,121 employees) and Daimler (272,382 employees). Yet GM sold more vehicles worldwide last year than any other automaker.

Myth:
GM is not interested in hybrid vehicles

Fact
GM chose to do its early hybrid development on transit buses, where the fuel savings per vehicle are substantial. Since 2003, more than 1,000 buses using the GM-Allison hybrid system have been put in service, and another 1,700 are on order.

GM introduced a Saturn Vue hybrid for the 2007 model year, and one of GM’s first 2-mode hybrid models, the 2008 Chevy Tahoe Hybrid, was named Green Car of the Year for 2008. GM’s hybrid sales reached 1,975 in September 2008. According to Edmunds, this moves GM into third place in the U.S. hybrid market, just a few vehicles behind Honda.

And the GM hybrid lineup will continue to grow. By the middle of next year, GM will have nine hybrid models for sale in the U.S. GM intends to offer 15 hybrid models by 2012.

Myth:
GM vehicles are not as fuel efficient as comparable imports

Fact
A visit to the EPA fuel economy site shows that, segment for segment, GM vehicles are competitive with any vehicles in the market.

GM currently has more models with EPA highway ratings of 30 mpg or better than any other carmaker, 18 in total.

Myth:
GM doesn’t make cars that people want to buy

Fact:
9.3 million people worldwide bought GM vehicles last year. That’s more vehicles than any other automaker in the world sold. And in the U.S., which is the world’s largest market, GM sold more vehicles than any other manufacturer in 2007, and it has sold more than any other automaker to date in 2008.

In 2008, the Chevy Malibu was named North American Car of the Year, and the Cadillac CTS was Motor Trend’s 2008 Car of the Year. In 2007, the Saturn Aura and Chevy Silverado won North American Car and Truck of the year. Those awards are given and judged by automotive journalists.

Customers have responded just as enthusiastically as the critics. Although total U.S. vehicle sales are down almost 15% so far this year (through October), a number of GM cars and crossovers have enjoyed significant sales increases:

Chevy Malibu +39%
Pontiac Vibe +36%
Pontiac G6 + 4%
Cadillac CTS +15%
Saturn Aura +7%
GMC Acadia +2%
Buick Enclave +88%

Myth:
With the largest workforce in the auto industry, General Motors has far too many people working for it.

Fact:
GM has cut its payroll drastically, by 45.8 percent in the U.S. alone since 2000. In fact, GM is far from the largest employer in the industry. With 252,000 employees worldwide, GM ranks fifth overall behind Volkswagen (373,400 employees,) Renault/Nissan (316,121 employees,) Toyota (316,121 employees) and Daimler (272,382 employees). Yet GM sold more vehicles worldwide last year than any other automaker.

Myth:
GM is not interested in hybrid vehicles

Fact
GM chose to do its early hybrid development on transit buses, where the fuel savings per vehicle are substantial. Since 2003, more than 1,000 buses using the GM-Allison hybrid system have been put in service, and another 1,700 are on order.

GM introduced a Saturn Vue hybrid for the 2007 model year, and one of GM’s first 2-mode hybrid models, the 2008 Chevy Tahoe Hybrid, was named Green Car of the Year for 2008. GM’s hybrid sales reached 1,975 in September 2008. According to Edmunds, this moves GM into third place in the U.S. hybrid market, just a few vehicles behind Honda.

And the GM hybrid lineup will continue to grow. By the middle of next year, GM will have nine hybrid models for sale in the U.S. GM intends to offer 15 hybrid models by 2012.

Myth:
GM vehicles are not as fuel efficient as comparable imports

Fact
A visit to the EPA fuel economy site shows that, segment for segment, GM vehicles are competitive with any vehicles in the market.

GM currently has more models with EPA highway ratings of 30 mpg or better than any other carmaker, 18 in total.

Myth:
GM doesn’t make cars that people want to buy

Fact:
9.3 million people worldwide bought GM vehicles last year. That’s more vehicles than any other automaker in the world sold. And in the U.S., which is the world’s largest market, GM sold more vehicles than any other manufacturer in 2007, and it has sold more than any other automaker to date in 2008.

In 2008, the Chevy Malibu was named North American Car of the Year, and the Cadillac CTS was Motor Trend’s 2008 Car of the Year. In 2007, the Saturn Aura and Chevy Silverado won North American Car and Truck of the year. Those awards are given and judged by automotive journalists.

Customers have responded just as enthusiastically as the critics. Although total U.S. vehicle sales are down almost 15% so far this year (through October), a number of GM cars and crossovers have enjoyed significant sales increases:

Chevy Malibu +39%
Pontiac Vibe +36%
Pontiac G6 + 4%
Cadillac CTS +15%
Saturn Aura +7%
GMC Acadia +2%
Buick Enclave +88%