Quote:
Originally Posted by motorhead
So it took you this long to figure out we were getting screwed all along? The plan was never for us to get our money back.
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The plan was to keep GM in business. Over time, the government earns taxes from citizens who are working and businesses that earn revenue. If GM disappeared, there would be up to 3 million added to the current number of unemployed Americans and one major industry power that would not be able to pay taxes. Even if the money is not made back in the short term, you have to realize that perpetual payment of taxes results in more money.
The goal was never for the government to make a profit. The goal was to save jobs and keep a major industry participant and source of national pride in business. Failure to accomplish these goals would have hurt the economy even worse than it hurts now and would have cost the government incredible amounts of future revenue.
Do we get our money back when we spend it on the military or foreign aid? Do we get our money back when we use it to pay for research grants or student loans? There are too many times where the average American does not get any money for the decisions of the government to be complaining about this. Someone paying back a government loan does not generate a check in the mail to everyone else in America. GM will be the same way.
They are in business. They will pay huge amounts of taxes for years to come. That is going to amount to way more than this bailout could have ever been.