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Old 12-02-2008, 11:12 PM   #36
kdbolt70

 
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Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Haslett, Mi
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Quote:
Originally Posted by str8himalaya View Post
Here's my .02 cents worth with a couple points...forgive me if i offend someone in the process :

1. The unions are the number one reason all the industry is in the situation they are in. I love the idea of unions, until they get out of hand like the UAW has. It is ALMOST worth it to see them go bankrupt to get rid of the ridiculous unions. The fact that millions will lose there job, just makes me want to cry thinking about it. This is one area that MUST be fixed. I believe full heartedly in unions, with respect. Unions are for companies being unfair. Right now, and for the past few years, GM has been hemmoraging, and the unions have sat back and watched. Its about time they cut some fat like the rest of the industry, not to mention the nation. If anybody has been unfair, its the unions. They didn't have a problem crying foul when they felt the industry was making too much money and they weren't getting their cut, but they sure as hell didn't give any of that money back when shit hit the fan. It's time.
2. I don't personally believe the SUV and Truck market doomed GM. Do you see how many are driving around? They were only selling what people were buying. Supply vs. demand. The more people demand, the more you supply if you want to make money. The oil crisis is really to blame here. If gas didn't get ridiculous (which GM had no clue at the time i'm sure), then they would not be in the situation they are in.
3. I really like the vision they have proposed. I like the idea of fewer brands, brings the focus back to what the masses really want. Plus it gives them more minds to concentrate on the camaro
4. Lastly, they really do need some help, obviously. It would be an absolute disaster if they went under. Ford would be eating there "enough money to get through '09" real quick if GM goes under. It would destroy many many many people, not to mention the national unemployment rate would be over 10 %, which we all know, is uh oh territory. Unemployment means no money, no money means no businesses, and that means the dreaded...depression.

All in all i pray for the people that are directly affected by this. To think a few weeks ago i was mad because i couldn't get this or that on my camaro, blah, blah, blah. I'm just happy i am still employed and able to support my way of life as it is. It is going to get worse before it gets better, but i hope and pray they can pull it out.
I very much agree. I put a substantial amount of blame on the union leaders who argued for increased wages and benefits all these years, without the willingness to part with them when times got tough. I also agree that you just can't blindly blame the lack of foresight on GM's part for not producing fuel efficient vehicles before gasoline skyrocketed. They built what they could sell. Out of nowhere comes double, triple gas prices, along with a crashing stock market and tumbling housing values, and people expect them to be prepared with cheap fuel efficient vehicles. If wall street had the foresight that many feel the auto industry should have had, we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place.
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