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Well its about time! He has proven a complete failure, now let someone who can run GM take over and steer it in the right direction.

It would be even nicer if Mr. Wagoner could man up and take responsibility for GM’s woes instead of blaming it on the economy. The buck stops with you Mr. Wagoner, own up and step aside.

US auto manufacturers are really pinched. Something is going to have to be done about their pension/benefits load from retired employees. Much like the Social Security, money was not appropriately segregated and now is a weight around the neck of the companies. Further, union salaries and benefits (which are reasonable and justified I feel) are a hefty burden as well.

I really feel for the retired blue collar workers, but in the same breath, I think an agreement is going to have to be reached.

Whats worse is that middle America has been gutted. People just aren’t making what they used to. A more affordable vehicle is going to have to be made available as well as a new way of financing that doesn’t as heavily rely on the broken bank system and racketeering credit agencies.

All this in the face of impending emission changes for vehicles. Electric vehicles are far from economy. While there are tax breaks, that does little to make it any more attainable for middle America.

The future is going to be very difficult. Something WILL give. What gives will shape the next two decades.

Guys, the next time you write to NPR. Make sure you know what you’re talking about. Go to http://gmfactsandfiction.com/ to get educated on what GM is doing to turn the industry around.

So Jose, just who would you recommend to replace Rick…maybe the CEO of Walmart or CVS pharmacy? How about you! By making such a stupid statement, you clearly have no clue of what running the largest multinational manufacturing company in the world takes. Ford was lucky to find and acquire Mullaly, who’s been there about two years. He has a manufacturing background (Boeing), vitally necessary to understanding how the auto industry functions.

Rick has performed brilliantly under the circumstances. GM has grown in foreign markets and more cars are being built and sold in those markets than here. This has grown shareholder value. He has negotiated a landmark agreement with the UAW, pushed for and developed advanced technology for vehicle drivetrains (Volt, Hybrids, and Hydrogen fuel cells), and brought award winning vehicles to market that exceed the imports on quality and fuel economy.
What has been happening of late has nothing to do with Rick, GM, Ford, or the auto industry. It has everything to do with our government’s policies on trade, healthcare, and banking and finance, and their general inability to manage anything for the American people.

1. Trade - we opened our doors w/o tariffs to imported cars from Japan. Try to buy an American car in Tokyo or Seoul - the tariffs would choke you. Japan has manipulated the value of its currency (the Yen) to be artificially low against the US dollar. This has made Japanese cars and parts less expensive in the US than they should be and amounting to “dumping” on the US market.

2. Healthcare - GM provides more healthcare to its employees than most countries do for their citizens. Toyota and Honda in the US do not offer healthcare or pensions to their employees, nor do they do this in Japan. For GM, these are legacy costs - not of Rick’s doing. They’re the reason that the middle class in this country has been able to enjoy such a high standard of living. Japan’s and Korea’s governments provide for their workers healthcare and pensions. What has our government affected or even proposed in the area of National healthcare? NOTHING! Every politician is in the pocket of the pharmaceutical lobby. Look at the rampant escalation of healthcare costs over the last 10-years. What has the government done to corral these costs? NOTHING! Are these the fault of the Auto Industry? No! How could the government allow a 30% increase in Medicare Part B for seniors over the last two years? Easy! They let the pharmaceutical industry write the rules because they’re too ignorant to bring forth effective legislation.

3. Banking and Finance - The primary reason why the Big-3 have come to Washington for LOAN GUARANTEES, not bailouts, is because of what has happened to the credit markets. Why are the managers and CEOs of the banks and insurance companies not being required to step down as a condition of receiving part of the $700B bailout? They are guilty of not minding their fiduciary responsibilities to the American people. They offered loans to people who did not have the income to purchase a $350,000 home, let alone a $100,000 home, and buried it into financial instruments no one understood (hedge funds, CDOs, etc.), stood behind the AAA ratings they gave them, insured them, sold them to foreign countries who are now going broke and our government has done nothing. NOTHING!

The government can’t even decide how to use the TARP. They keep changing the rules of the game, which is keeping the banks from extending credit to consumers and small businesses. No one is being indicted for these actions, no one is being asked to step down from AIG who received $150B outside of the TARP bailout.

The financial problem GM is facing now is not of our making. To say that it is demonstrates the pervasive ignorance in our government. Any business needs revenue coming in to offset it’s costs. Our costs are under control. There’s no revenue coming in because the banks can’t loan money to customers to buy cars. The suits, the company aircraft - this is mere subterfuge and posturing for their constituents and has no relevancy in this discussion. How many politicians have used private aircraft? How many have expensive suits? The only question on the table for discussion should be how will these funds keep the economy running? The pot is calling the kettle black. If not for the financial crisis, GM’s business plan would have gotten us through to 2010. We are leaner, we have good products and new technology. The light at the end of the tunnel was bright until our government screwed the whole economy. THEY are the ones who need to be asked to step down and be replaced.

This is pure partisan politics. The republicans do not want to hand a win to the democrats in a lame-duck session as a new democratic administration is ready to assume power. This constant bickering will bring our country’s economy to its knees. If the Big-3 are forced to file for bankruptcy, as the Republicans want, this will break the UAW.

We need Rick to remain in his position. Saying Rick is responsible for the problems GM has is like saying Clinton was responsible for the economic miracle of the 90’s. That’s B.S. The economic changes and policies put into effect by the 1st President Bush (BTW - I’m not a fan of Bush #2) turned the economy around. It just didn’t happen fast enough to get him re-elected. Clinton was told to keep his hands off the wheel; that the ship would turn around and he could take credit for it.

One final note for your consideration…small business will benefit most from having people upstream in the economy maintain their incomes. If autoworkers stay employed, all 3.1 million of them plus the 800,000 retirees that are in every state of the union, they will spend more money at small businesses. If through the demise of the auto companies everyone stops eating out, does the restaurant industry get bailed out? What about hardware stores and bakeries and dry cleaners? At the end of the day, if no one is working and has no money to eat out with, buy hardware, buy bread or get their clothes cleaned, no amount of bailout funding for small business will suffice. The auto industry is so pervasive throughout our economy, literally touching every state, 3.1 million will very soon become 6 million, and could become 10-12 million. Who’s going to pay for the unemployment insurance these people will be applying for? Michigan went to the Feds last week to get a loan of $479 million to re-fill its unemployment coffers. We have 9.3% unemployment in Michigan due to the economy through October. This is NOT due to the auto industry. It will cost a lot less to provide the auto industry a bridge loan than to pay for the unemployment claims of 3.1 million people.

Fact remains, GM and Ford are tugging a heavy burden. Do they have excellent benefits for the field? Yes, of course they do, seen to by the unions (which I think is appropriate). However GM and Ford have hurt their own bottom lines by shipping so many jobs overseas and trimming jobs locally. Yes, they have done it to be competitive, but at the same time are draining money from the American economy, forcing Americans to replace the jobs they once had, with lower paying, less desirable positions. It damages their public image to be sure. Why buy American, when those very companies spit in your face and left you in the cold? And while talking about GM and Ford, you have to include Delphi and Visteon (Automotive Components Holdings as well).

This move has been going on for quite some time. GM and Ford have done a lot for their workers, but just as all companies do, they have also done a lot to line their own pocket books first and foremost.

Its a bad situation and to be honest, without government help its going to get much worse.

Gentleman, I doubt any of us know the full details of all that surrounds the decision making process (being right or wrong) and the reasons behind these to feel “right” in our way of looking at the situation. What I can say is that to whom a lot is given, a lot is expected and that is best shown when things go wrong. Let us now see who rises to the occasion and how…

Hey, the GM CEO could be Hank Paulson! GM converts to a regulated bank, Hank comes in as CEO, and then makes the loans to Blackstone so it can buy all of GM’s non-conforming assets, its auto business.

And one of his students from Goldman can become the new CEO of Ford Bank and Trust and makes more loans to Blackstone to unload its non-conforming assets.

Then Blackstone can consolidate all three US automakers into a single American Motors.

When WWII came, GM switched from making cars to making trucks, tanks, and heavy equipment in a matter of months. That’s what it needs to do now, only we need buses, bicycles, light rail vehicles and hyper-efficient cars. Whether it repurposes plants or sells off operating units to achieve this, it needs to seek greener pastures. That’s what federal funds should be spent for.

One word as to whether or not we should bail out Wagoner’s GM: Aztek

Given the go-ahead under his watch.