Automobile Makers Bailout

Maybe it is me, but more and more I see that it is not, but for sake of conversation let's say it is just me. I still cannot understand why our congress is even entertaining the thoughts of bailing out the "big three" automobile makers. Let them fail. The situation they are in has been building for decades and their greed has led to this mess.

In this is the overwhelming question of who is to blame. For me it is obvious, the blame rests solely on the shoulders of the UAW and the automakers themselves. It is not the economy, not the credit crisis, not the administration in Washington, it is with the greed of the unions.

Let me say clearly, I believe the union served a good purpose 100 year ago, but like many other things in society it has played out its time. The contracts that the UAW has forced these three into over the past few decades has made this situation plain and simple. Look at the contracts, they are simply ludicrous. GM lays off an employee that they have been paying unemployment insurance on, and the laid off employee received his unemployment insurance AND $400 per week from GM for NOT working! That is insane. And that is one example. The executive pay is nothing compared to the benefits of the assembly line workers. They are the ones to blame. They have looked at these companies like most employees do as an entity with bottomless pockets and blackmailed them into this corner. GM, Chrysler and Ford, should have told the union years ago that they would not concede and moved to areas where unions are not accepted and forced them out. Look at BMW, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota, KIA, Mercedes, all brands made in the US, all brands that are growing, all brands that have union free facilities and who pay more than fair wages and benefits for these low skill jobs. Why did not the big three follow suit? Greed and tradition. Stupid business decisions.

The other issue is that GM, Chrysler and Ford only look to the next quarter and not to market share. The Japanese auto industry developed a 50 year plan to earn the market share, they were willing to invest in the future, long term future while the US makers look only to the next quarter. they have a business model of "reaction" instead of "Action." Instead of looking at trends and setting the bar, they react to the bar set by their competition. This situation was brought on themselves and they should get themselves out of this situation. There is no way in hell that I will buy an American car, truck or SUV if the congress gives them this money. Why should I give them my tax dollars and my other money to buy one of their vehicles? That is akin to Wal-Mart asking me to buy their goods and on my way out, make a payroll contribution to their associates. We would never stand for that, so we should not stand for this.

Break the union, and get back to work with a clean sheet of paper, the UAW is as corrupt as any union in the country and the leaders are not concerned about the members of the union, they are only concerned with keeping power and making sure their pockets are lined well.

No they do not deserve it, and It should not even be considered. Let them fight their way out like other businesses do. Otherwise, let them fail, and take down all of those who are at fault with them.