Having a family of 6 it is actually more economical to have a larger vehicle like the now ironically named Mini-Van to haul around the family in one car instead of two.

"Barack Obama has killed off two of America's icons:"

But the important thing is that the UAW has been taken care of. Not much else matters here.

Hello DJ. You likely wrote this piece long before the press conference today by President Obama, which was very reassuring to customers of GM that the company will be be surviving and warranties will certainly continue to be honored.

The fact of the matter is the union workers at GM gave up dental and vision care and other benefits to save GM money so that the company will survive. And creditors gave up substantial amounts of money owed them in a great sacrifice to make this company survive. The fact of matter is that GM is going to survive because of so much sacrifice by so many and by so much aid by the governments of Ontario, Canada and by Washington.

The fact of the matter is that both GM and Chrysler would not have survived without the help of Washington and the Obama Administration. And many banks would not have survived without the help of both the Bush and Obama Administrations. Wall Street is way up today. Positive news on manufacturing comes out of China today with about a 33% rebound. Consumer confidence is way up.

For China, the big rebound in manufacturing is an important sign for an economy in which 20 million Chinese lost jobs and thousands of factories closed during the worst recession in modern Chinese history. It's also a sign that big American retailers such as Walmart are starting to order goods in big quantity again. That's sign that American consumers are starting to spend money again and the economy is on the verge of a big rebound.

I'm certainly a car guy. I write a lot about cars and motorbikes at Wizbang Blue. I just don't see where GM is going away based on what I'm seeing here.

Screw You Obama!

Ford is now the only American car company I will ever again buy from. EVER. And that will remain so only as long as they don't take tax dollars.

I currently own a Chevy Tahoe...and though I love the truck, I wish I didn't own it! I'll now keep it maintained in non-Chevy auto-shops, and only go to Chevy for service when it is covered by warranty.

going Galt...sooner

Paul, you made several errors in your comment. First, you give Obama credit for the recovery in consumer confidence, when in fact there is no causality established, quite the opposite in fact. Companies going into bankruptcy is not something which makes people feel they should go out and spend, and in any case it takes weeks for the effect of a cause to show up in results.

As to confidence in the companies, give us a break. Bankruptcy companies do not enjoy consumer confidence, they never have. Most do not emerge from bankruptcy, even Chapter 11 reorg's usually just mean a slow death. And Obama's heavy-handed actions and foolish dependence on people with zero strategic acumen does not bode will for these companies, or have you forgotten that a large part of the problem was brought about by obscene UAW demands for the last three decades?

I do believe the economy will rebound, but as I said, in spite of Obama the cancer, not because he has done anything to help it along.

I own a ford and a classic chevy camaro.. I will drive my ford and keep My chevy parked in remembrance of the good ole days of U.S.A.

I just bought a new Ford Mustang...screw Obama and GM. Assclowns.

i will never buy a gm or chrysler product again. i will look at ford and if nothing appeals to me it's a lexus.

I own a Jeep and my wife owns a Cadillac. Next, only Ford. Same reason. I already own GM and Crysler. ww

I have been very satisfied with Jeeps for many years. (Remember Willys)
Paul Hooson is a union apologizer, without any common sense.
I guess it's time for a Nissan SUV, or a Range Rover.

Hello DJ, I feel confident enough about the economy that I just purchased a grocery store that I wanted for cash to add to my rental property business. And you feel confident enough about the business environment that you just completed your business degree. I don't see where either of us really believe in black clouds hanging over everything, and we're both going forward.

Consumers will forget about this GM reorganization plan or bankruptcy when dealers showrooms remain open and new models continue to appear. And the Obama Administration certainly is receiving high praise from many in the auto business such as the leadership at Ford for keeping it's rivals alive, as all the companies have common goals and often sell parts to each other.

At any rate, the very best of success to you, DJ, in business management. I'm happy your health has looked up so that you could realize your dream. You're always a real gentleman in my book.

I agree #8

Screw Obama's assclowns and screw the union brownnosing THUG who gave me a neg for saying I love the good ole U.S.A.

So what do we know about the "new" Chrysler and GM that the Obamacon is foisting upon us?

I know that I have bought my last Dodge or Chevy. If Chrysler and GM couldn't compete with other makes before they'll fall even further behind under Obama's oversight.

That said, I could be enticed to buy a Chrysler or GM vehicle if the bribe is big enough, say like free medical care for 10 years. That way Obama can nationalize the auto industry and the healthcare industry at the same time.

Guess what Obama? Judging by the response were getting here already and magnified across the country, I do believe you screwed up yet again.

Whats new.

Well, I know I will be very wary of investing in any heavily unionized company without perfect financials in the future

Paul,
1) Can you go an entire thread without trying to impress people with your supposed wealth?
2) Real-estate and property management are not the same as the auto-industry.

O's buddy Deval Patrick in Massachusetts has a program which provides free cars to welfare recipients...the taxpayers of course pay for them. The car of the future giveaways for which the taxpayers will be on the hook will be the highly priced and lowly performing government autos produced by these bloodsuckers. Wait and see.

Paul, on what evidence are you basing your claim that "showrooms remain open and new models continue to appear", since we have already heard projections that showrooms will close in the same way that Chrysler had to close so many lots, and we already know that Pontiac, Hummer, and several other nameplates are going away.

Look, I work with bankruptcies in part of my job, and what happens in every case, is that the new company has to make drastic cuts in costs, and for GM that by definition will mean closing plants and sales lots, and reducing products and parts supply by no less than 50%.

When those lots close and the price of repairs go up because supplies are harder to get, no one is going to be enthused by a GM car. It's the same reason no one in the country owns a Volvo or a Subaru; those are good brands but you just cannot get service and parts, and when GM reorg's, it's going to make it less convenient and more expensive to take care of your GM car, relative to the other brands.

BY the way, thanks for your kind words Paul, regarding my health and success. My dream was always to be crew chief officiating the Super Bowl, and the second was to be the next Michael Crichton. Fortunately, reality worked out just fine, as I have a wonderful wife and daughter, I've got my MBA and am on my way to my CPA license, and have been mistaken by a Tokyo news agency for a political expert - twice now! I wish you all the success and appreciate (and respect) your good-natured banter here on Wizbang "Red".

Fed takeovers don't look as trendy as Obama would like them to. The Feds "helped us out" in 1907, 1917 (bigtime), and 1929. With the pattern being this obvious, you think he would give the people credit for being a little bit smarter than that. "Hostile" only breeds hostility, and I can almost see him crossing his fingers. The govt just loves us so much.

the absolute sickest part of this is going to be when the "New GM" offers "rebates" on it cars.

Step 1: pay taxes to government
Step 2: government gives BILLIONS to GM
Step 3: GM gives people OUR TAX MONEY as "rebates" to buy cars!
Step 4: go to Step 1

Poor Ford...if they're gonna offer incentives it'll have to come out of THEIR pockets...not ours!

I have bought GM products for all of my life, but I will not be buying another GM product. The union helped to destroy this company and I will not be supporting their new motor company. In addition, within a few years they will only be allowed to produce the cars President Obama allows them to manufacture, which means small, unsafe cars.

I need a new vehicle and plan to shop for a Ford or Toyota product.

Obama has ruined America for the sake of George Soros and Acorn, his backers who influenced and elected him. The GM deal is a payoff to the UNions, control and power for the government and pennies on the dollar for real investors... which Obama let known to the judge in bankruptcy court which way to vote when paying the investors back. That is a crime.

I agree with Mac Lorry: I know enough about the new and improved Government Motors to know that I won't be buying their product unless ACORN puts a gun to my head.

Ann Althouse has a pointer to the NYT profile of the 31 year old who is in charge of dismantling GM:

... Brian Deese, a not-quite graduate of Yale Law School who had never set foot in an automotive assembly plant...

Nor, for that matter, had he given much thought to what ailed an industry that had been in decline ever since he was born....

"There was a time between Nov. 4 and mid-February when I was the only full-time member of the auto task force," Mr. Deese, a special assistant to the president for economic policy, acknowledged recently....

Mr. Deese's role is unusual for someone who is neither a formally trained economist nor a business school graduate, and who never spent much time flipping through the endless studies about the future of the American and Japanese auto industries....

Kevino -

Wow.

So - what do you think? Are we in the tryouts section of "America's Political Idol", or are we in the finals, wincing at the stupidity of those who have made it through frantic calling to pad the telephone polls?

I don't know about south Texas road conditions, but I do know about Wyoming's. For starters, Wyoming has mountains -- high ones. All of the passes are at an elevation of at least 7000 ft above sea level and some of them are near timberline (between 10,000 and 11,000 ft), which means that the oxygen is mighty thin to start with and gets thinner at the higher altitudes. Then some of the grades on these roads are 6% or better on the upside and sometimes the same on the downside. Those squirrel cage engines just don't have the oomp to pull them, the while the gas gauges are moving down the empty mark at an alarming rate.

Then there is the wind that blows across the open prairies of the state. These can get to almost 100 mph as gusts, the steady blowing winds can be nearly 25-30 mph. This is especially true on I-80 between Laramie Wyo and Rawlins Wyo. Even the trucks (18 wheelers) shut down when the wind blows this hard. Those small cars would not even stand a chance of staying on the interstate in those conditions. They would be blown off the road, like an empty beer can or for that matter a full one.

My husband drives a Chevy Suburban (necessary, since we have 5 kids under the age of 16, plus assorted neighbor children accompanying us to various functions). He is wanting to update his vehicle...needless to say, it will NOT be either a GM or Chrysler product, not even a used one. As long as the government owns one red cent of either company, neither will get our business.

This same sentiment runs throughout our friend and family circles. Sad to see what Obama has accomplished in four short months...

Stan:

The solution is simple, you old rednecks shouldn't by living out thar in those wild places. You need to be civilized and live in the safety of the big city where everything you ever need is procvided for you. Food, shelter, mass transit, muggers, rapists. The things that make for a fulfilled life.

Over the last 35 years, my wife and I have owned 7 GM products, 3 Chrysler products and 3 Ford products. The best car was an Olds Cutlass Supreme (good move on that product line GM)and the best truck was a Ford F150. We currently both drive Nissans. We may try Ford again, but GM and Chrysler have lost us as customers for good.

Hoosan,
Have you ever heard of 'word of mouth advertisement'?
Any smart marketer or salesman will tell you
it can be the death of any product or company.

"But for all intents and purposes, Barack Obama has killed off two of America's icons in the manner most likely to hurt the maximum number of American citizens.
"

While spending $50+ billion doing it.

We had a visitor to our office today. They drove a Smart car in. Everyone in the office was joking about it for 2 hours while the person was in the office.

What's Barry going to do when no one buys a Barackmobile and hangs onto their old clunker instead? Mandate that everyone purchase a new car every 2 years?

Wow - the doomsayers are on the loose. Won't buy GM cause Obama is in charge. You folks have the maturity level of my 5 yo grandson. On second thought you don't even come close.

Whatever happened to that old right wing bromide: "America, love it or leave it?" Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

Mr Drummonds logic is as follows: if it's bad it's Obama's fault. If it's good Obama has nothing to do with it. Where'd you get those graduate degrees anyway?

The haters are hating away. Sad, pathetic - I almost feel sorry for you folks.

UD,
It's tiring you consistently use the word
hate because there are those who disagree with
Obama and his politics. Your double standard
is old, trite, cheap, and unoriginal.
And I have no sympathy for you, you are an
adult and should recognize you break it, you
own it. As should the president.

I thought we had a representative government. When did congress pass the law allowing this least qualified President, ever, buy any part of GM? In the past, when Chrysler borrowed money from the government Congress had to authorized the loan. Obama is spending our money without our permission. I say we impeach the bum.

Hello, Paul.

"The fact of the matter is the union workers at GM gave up dental and vision care and other benefits to save GM money so that the company will survive.

They did it to save their jobs, Paul. It was that or the axe.

And creditors gave up substantial amounts of money owed them in a great sacrifice to make this company survive."

Sacrifice? They were strong armed, Paul.

Goodbye, Paul.

hooson - "Hello DJ. You likely wrote this piece long before the press conference today by President Obama, which was very reassuring to customers of GM that the company will be be surviving and warranties will certainly continue to be honored."

"You likely wrote this" comment while in full-on obama ass smooching mode.

Question will the retirement plans that are in place for GM's salaried workers - i.e. non-union - remain so?

As far as GM honoring past warranties and commitments past and recent history shows us that may be far from the truth.

"Mr Drummonds logic is as follows: if it's bad it's Obama's fault. If it's good Obama has nothing to do with it."

UD,
If you have any examples to refute your sarcastic synopsis of DJ's 'logic' I would welcome being enlightened.

u dem - "Wow - the doomsayers are on the loose. Won't buy GM cause Obama is in charge. You folks have the maturity level of my 5 yo grandson. On second thought you don't even come close."

No, us "doomsayers" were on the loose way back in sept/oct and advocated for both companies to go into bankruptcy then without any gov intervention.

What we won't buy is a product that is now owned in part by the gov, no matter whose gov it is, and partly owned by the very union that in large part contributed greatly to their financial downfall.

It that means we are "haters" by your ignorant definition, so be it.

Government Motors will put out a car with the soul of the IRS, the business viability of Social Security, and the common sense of Nancy Pelosi.

And with the efficiency of the postal service. The cars' price will go up every eight weeks.

Paul Hooson wrote:

The fact of the matter is the union workers at GM gave up dental and vision care and other benefits to save GM money so that the company will survive.

What do you mean by "survive?" We were first told the bailout was needed to "save" the auto companies because they were too big and important to go bankrupt. Now, after billions of dollars, GM just went BANKRUPT. They could have done that months ago without the government's "help." The American taxpayers were lied to and suckered. It is an old carnival trick called "the bait and switch." Generations are saddled with the oppressive debt. Guess who the carnival barker is.

Wow - the doomsayers are on the loose. Won't buy GM cause Obama is in charge. You folks have the maturity level of my 5 yo grandson. On second thought you don't even come close.

Whatever happened to that old right wing bromide: "America, love it or leave it?"

Which brings me to the observation that the left's idea of love for country must always and only be spelled PAYtriotism. If one is not a Marxist at heart, on must not be paytriotic. Laugh riot!

"Wow - the doomsayers are on the loose. Won't buy GM cause Obama is in charge. You folks have the maturity level of my 5 yo grandson. On second thought you don't even come close. "

Actually we have the sense to know when something is doomed and refuse to try to keep it afloat unless we are forced to through our taxes.

GarandFan: "What's Barry going to do...mandate that everyone purchase a new car..."??

Yes...and mandate that it be a Government Motors car!

Pretty easy to do...just give massive "incentives" (paid for by us) for Government Motors cars...and put penalties on all OTHER cars!! Esay!

UnD:

I won't buy a GM or Chyrsler product. Has nothing to do with whether Obama is in charge or not.

They are failed companies and don't deserve my business. They failed prior to the first bailout. They failed after it. They'll fail again.

I'll buy a Ford (my Ranger has 206K on it and is still going strong plus gets 27-28 mpg) or support a Kentucky auto worker and buy a Toyota.

Got a problem with me supporting a guy from the Blue Grass State?

And we still love America and will continue to do so despite you and twits you rode into town with.

McNamara (remember him) was wrong. What's good for GM is not good for America.

Yes, the end of America is near.

Not because someone is president, but because we are a house divided.

The last GM product I bought was a Saturn in '92. I liked the styling, the construction - and it was an okay car. Comfortable and durable - it lasted 160k miles until I needed something larger. I didn't like the VUE, didn't like anything in the GM line. Ended up buying a Honda CRV - it had the features I wanted and needed.

So. Now I'm supposed to - if I'm to be 'paytriotic' - buy something I don't particularly want, which might or might not have the features I either need or want - IF GM manages to keep going, which is far from a given at this point. And with the President forcing it?

You know - if someone wrote this part into a novel before 2008, nobody would believe it plausible in the slightest. It's a wierd damn world any more...

JLawson: You want to read a weird near-future novel, try "Empire" by Orson Scott Card.

You read the book, look around and think "Crap! It could happen."

Unintelligible Dummycrat IQ #35

Dont feel sorry for us jerk. Your the one that has to bow down at the altar of Obamass everyday.

Than bring the fucking house down!

I THINK PRESIDENTE OBAMA HAS ALREADY BOUGHT FOREIGN..

America needs to build better cars to compete with the foreign market.

What you people who say you will not buy another GM or chrysler are forgetting is that president Urkel has already thought this through and is already controlling the price and supply of energy. He plans on making it so expensive to heat your home or drive a car that we would flock to the the "chevy spitwad" or the "chrysler flea" out of simple economics. Where he failed in his thinking is for his plan to succeed the japanese car companies have to vanish. American car companies were failing before the economy tanked because people were buying better japanese cars.

Dadzilla -

He also forgets he's only got X amount of years in office - and the Democrats need a consensus to ram his garbage through. 2010 is going to change that, I think - and 2012 will see Obama out. The changes Obama's doing arne't impossible to undo - they're just going to be expensive and annoying.

All well and good, but don't forget that the former United States is now a dictatorship. You WILL BUY whatever Hussein tells you to buy. That is, a 5,000 "tax" will suddenly appear on Honda, Toyota, Nissan...you get the picture!

David Brooks op-ed in the NYT begins:

On Jan. 21, 1988, a General Motors executive named Elmer Johnson wrote a brave and prophetic memo. Its main point was contained in this sentence: "We have vastly underestimated how deeply ingrained are the organizational and cultural rigidities that hamper our ability to execute."

On Jan. 26, 2009, Rob Kleinbaum, a former G.M. employee and consultant, wrote his own memo. Kleinbaum's argument was eerily similar: "It is apparent that unless G.M.'s culture is fundamentally changed, especially in North America, its true heart, G.M. will likely be back at the public trough again and again."

These two memos, written by men devoted to the company, get to the heart of G.M.'s problems. Bureaucratic restructuring won't fix the company. Clever financing schemes won't fix the company. G.M.'s core problem is its corporate and workplace culture -- the unquantifiable but essential attitudes, mind-sets and relationship patterns that are passed down, year after year.

David Brooks op-ed in the NYT begins:

That's true of every major corporation. Ever read Dilbert?

As to confidence in the companies, give us a break. Bankruptcy companies do not enjoy consumer confidence, they never have. Most do not emerge from bankruptcy, even Chapter 11 reorg's usually just mean a slow death. And Obama's heavy-handed actions and foolish dependence on people with zero strategic acumen does not bode will for these companies, or have you forgotten that a large part of the problem was brought about by obscene UAW demands for the last three decades?

Now that they've done what the political will you tried to help foster wanted, bankruptcy, you're using your pulpit to help make sure everyone is 'clear' on the consequences. Now that it can only hurt those companies.

There's a certain level of irony in that. But only in the description of it being enormously petty.

I can understand people staying away while the government owns them, but your call to hurt GM hurts Obama how? The union retirees which make up 6 out of 7 union members just got their benefits protected. Even if they Chapter 7 now or 5 years from now, they're covered. Obama will have a temporary moment of embarrassment, shrug his shoulders, and say he couldn't save them. Since this 1% or less of money Obama has already spent, and his term is young I doubt he's losing sleep over it.

Screw u Obamasses

OBAMA IS A FINK,BARACK OBAMA STINKS IMPEACH THE STINK FINK

I have bought my last General Motors car, and I will never own a Government Motors car. Obama is proving dailly that everything he said during the primaries was a lie and the media covering it up for him will not solve the problem. During the primaries everyone that could use basic logic said he would run a incompetent administration due to lack of experience and stupidity and he is proving them right, the media is just around for the ride around the toilet bowl after the flush.