Fascinating metaphor if we consider GM as a type of the United States. GM is now a mere shadow of itself. Its original business model and vitality have been sucked dry by corporate greed and infrastructure bloat, and excessive demands by its workers have pirated its wealth. Gone with the Wind. (View Atlanta burning in distance as music score builds.)

That other American auto manufacturers seem to be doing just fine — Just not the ones in Michigan. I wonder why that is? Is there any difference between the companies? Why yes, there is, it’s got a one word description “unions”.

I just traded my sole GM product last week, anyway.

I’m really torn on this issue.

My fiscal conservative side thinks that GM has made some really stupid business decisions that are coming back to bite them…not the least of which was showing a complete, utter lack of foresight in terms of oil prices. I tend to agree that’s a a compelling reason to let them die.

My liberal side doesn’t want that to happen. Allowing GM to fizzle out would result in significant job losses. I’ve heard somewhere in the tens of thousands - do correct me if I’m wrong on that. And the repercussions of that, while arguably beneficial in the long term, would cause a near meltdown on Wall Street in the short term, and that could take a lot down with it.

Realistically, they’re going to get bailed out. No administration is going to want to be left holding the GM death bag.

people who favored the original bailout read, meditate and learn.

What I see from my chair here in Oklahoma is a bunch of business school graduates and corporations who have lived like tommorow would never come and now they just don’t want to pay the piper.

Between those of us who thought it needed and those of us who thought it needed but had caveats about precedent and, perhaps, implementation?

The US automakers have allowed union demands to price them out of the market. Now we see the results of this blackmail. A free market that will allow a business to reach the heights of success must also allow it to fail. To do otherwise negates the concept of a free market and will ensure mediocrity. If the automakers fail and either go into bankruptcy or have their assets sold off, so be it. Actions have consequences. GM, Ford, and Chrysler; the unions and their members, shareholders, enablers in government – all bear responsibility. Creative destruction demands that efficient entities will arise from the failed remnants. First, we must allow failure.

One way to frame the argument is to ask the question “Do we want to achieve short-term or long-term benefit from our actions?” To put it another way, do we want instant or delayed gratification? This is at the heart of the nation’s political choices, and our recent track record does not bode well for the outcome of the proposed bailout or any other weighty matter our elected leaders will choose to consider. Our tendencies are illustrated in our current financial crisis, brought about by individuals who borrowed money they could not afford to repay , institutions who gained short-term profits by making the irresponsible loans, and legislative enablers who made it possible – and then shifted blame when the consequences appeared.

The Republican Party has sometimes been termed the ‘adult party’, because of its reliance on principles. Mature and disciplined behavior is characterized by a focus on the long term, delays gratification for a more beneficial result later, and is no stranger to sacrifice. The Democratic Party, on the other hand, is a party of ‘right now’, ready to pander to man’s baser instincts. A focus on short-term benefits will cause us to lurch from crisis to crisis in an incoherent manner. Incoherent in terms of adhering to any principles other than instant gratification and pain avoidance, that is. The failure to accept the consequences of a course of action cannot be deferred indefinitely.

In the discussion this weekend on CNN between Wolf Blitzer, Rep.Rangel, and Rep. Blackburn, I could not discern any reliance on principle towards addressing the issue. I did find a lot of concern for pain avoidance, however. In recent article, Michael Barone brings up the demographics behind the Obama victory with the overwhelming support of the under 30 segment. We have done a poor job in raising that generation, eh? The Modern Liberal education system and our inattention have reaped its own consequences.

Do we have the ability to do the ‘adult thing’ with regard to current and coming issues? With Democratic control of government, I fear delayed gratification will be in abeyance for the next couple of years and pandering to the baser part of human nature will abound. I’m sure mine will not be a lone voice crying in the wilderness, but how many of the under-30 demographic can I get to join me?

until the UAW gets its “card check” legislation and unionizes the Southern plants. BTW, if they have the votes to pass card check, they have the votes to repeal “right to work” provisions in the NLRA. If they get both of those, welcome to the Peoples’ Republic of America.

Somewhat disheartening to see his prophetic words come true in less than a week:

“Mitt went on to make the point that in his opinion, the government was responsible for the creation of the crisis, and ultimately is responsible for resolving it. While Pat (Toomey) and Mitt were on opposite sides of the issue of the necessity, Mitt did offer the following,”

I agree with Pat that we have a significant risk going forward. I think that using the word “bailout” was a big mistake, since it wasn’t intended to bailout specific individuals and institutions. However, I now worry that the Obama administration will indeed engage in bailing out troubled industries. The risk is that we now enter into a European solution, where we subsidize failing businesses to the detriment of our economy.

Welcome to the westernmost member of the EU.

The only foreseeable way Michigan rebounds as a state is to allow the Big3 to die off in their current form, file Chapter 11 and restructure. That and elect some republicans to scale back the burdensome taxation that Granholm & company have brought.

Save our state — let GM die.

Ford, Inc. will survive (heck, they’ve got one of the best fuel efficient automobiles on the market, paying for itself faster than any other hybrid: rankings )

. . .all of us looking forward to owning a Chevy Trabant. Hybrid, of course.

GM won’t die. It is still important to the US, as is Ford and Chrysler, but it definitely needs to retool. It needs to reorganize - and not the union way. This situation screams for Chapter 11.

GM needs better management, new labor contracts, and a new vision for the consumer of today. There’s no question this problem was brought on by the unions and by lack of vision for what the consumer of today wants. Detroit’s getting killed by Honda and Toyota. How? They build better cars, vans and, now, they’re starting to build better trucks. Most Americans want to buy American, but Detriot’s got to give us something equivalent in quality and price to make it worthwhile. At the moment, they’re not.

Imagine if the Big 3 could build cars for the same prices the imports are doing with the same quality and attractiveness, the Big 3 would blow the imports out of the water. To do that, they have to entirely retool. Will the party of Obama let them?

1) Use the bailout money to buy a 51% stake in Toyota.

2) Let GM die.

3) Rename Toyota “GM”

And bingo - You have a profitable, healthy American owned General Motors.

…I can’t wait to buy my new GM Prius!