Auto bigs hit the pavement

Mia in Miami — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:45:40 GMT

A note to the American Auto dealer execs; stop making crap cars and maybe someone will buy them.

Auto bigs hit the pavement

Ian — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:53:37 GMT

That's right America. Don't bail them out. Get rid of all manufacturing in the country. Teach your kids to ask, "Would you like fries with that?" in thirty languages.

Auto bigs hit the pavement

LindaB, Santa Cruz CA — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:55:52 GMT

and exactly how did the Volt make it to DC? in a private plane? These guys are hilarious. Even funnier in person than the SNL skit about them.

Auto bigs hit the pavement

Beverly in Chicago — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:03:46 GMT

Why doesn’t the Financial CEO have a visual penance of the CEO?
Of course, this is a VERY BIG deal; wouldn’t it be catastrophic if reindustrializing the country does not occur? To generate well-paid jobs for American workers is essential. Without seeing the trees for the forest, this could be another Enron. Taxpayers’ economic paranoia is understandable; however, if the fat cats can’t withdraw from their corporation welfare; then moving America away from its slavish dependence on fossil fuels is meaningless. But, a government bailout is worth more than penance. It’s Recession time now; will it be depression next?

The big picture of what is/and now happening needs to looked at.

Auto bigs hit the pavement

Ron Indian — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:04:39 GMT

To: Clara, KC and Diane from Illinois:

Why does Hillary want SoS? Ya know, some people like to sing in a choir and some like to sing solo. Hillary is definitely a spotlight, solo singer. The Senate moves too slow,and a shared spotlight.

Hillary is not ready to relax, retire, or anything like that, so what is she to do? She will enjoy, yes, enjoy, traveling to hot spots, talking to world leaders, having her picture taken, being to "point guard" for Obama. My question is, That seems like a lonely job. When will she become tired of SoS? Two years? 4 years? Also, Hillary has a history of stretching the truth. Will that come to bite her sometime along the way? In the short term, it is a fit that will make everyone (including Barack) happy.

Auto bigs hit the pavement

MSierra, SF — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:08:54 GMT

How can you SQUANDER $700 BILLION on Sim LeGree and his baks ....

and turn your back on the Auto industry ?

it's a LOAN for god's sake

Yes, yes, make them commit to better fuel efficiency and greener technology as a way of life, and make them build in America but for god's sake ...... BAIL THEM OUT !!

I suspect a secret anti-union agenda on the part of nay sayers

$50/hour is too much for a working man, but $100 million/year is OK for a fat cat CEO ???

The UAW seems to be offering give backs
They should
Especially the payments to laid off workers

Auto bigs hit the pavement

Teach - Denver — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:09:08 GMT

Funny how we are preparing to give billions to some CEOs who have basically run these companies into the ground. Banking on the big SUV and the overall greed of Americans, these companies have refused (until now, when it is absolutely neccessary) to move into the future of energy efficiency. Americans aren't as greedy as these men think - just look at the cars in America that are big sellers and hold their value.
If the American taxpayers are going to save these effective giants, we should have some say in how they are run and what products they put their efforts into. For example, the three leaders of these companies - to get any money at all - should be fired. New blood with new ideas and new lower paychecks (this working for a dollar thing is just a horse and pony show and means nothing). Secondly, America has to move to the front when it comes to green energy and fuel efficient cars - if we don't, we will end up in the rear. They should be ordered to stop building the "hybrid SUV" that still only gets 14 MPG or so and build something that is useful in the new world - a plug in car that can go fast and far enough to be useful and, most importantly, affordable to the average citizen. Maybe some of the money should be used to train the auto worker for a new career - in something in the Green industry, perhaps.

Auto bigs hit the pavement

AR — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:11:02 GMT

Wagoner made a big mistake. The 1.4L gas engine in the Volt gives it enough electricity generating capacity to add 260 to the fully charged batteries 40 miles of range. If he had just refueled the 2-3 gallons it takes to add that 260 mile range to the battery range, and done it twice, he could have DRIVEN the Volt across the Rust Belt, and made the necessary eye-opening and mind-opening headlines.

People, this car doesn't have a 40-mile range, it has a 300-mile range.

For a matter of a few cents per mile in energy cost, unlike all gas-exclusive vehicles.

Auto bigs hit the pavement

Sandy Ct — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:13:50 GMT

Please don't bail them out. Let them do what other companies who mismanage do. File for bankrupcy,reorganize and start anew. Ithink the government should take that 700 billion gice it to the tax payer who would them pump it back into the economy, I think it would be like 65 thousand per taxpayer.Jobs would be kept, mortgages paid. I really don't care as a taxpayer to "owm" part of a bank or the auto industry. The only good it will do for me is to be able to put it on my resume.

Auto bigs hit the pavement

Ms Roman — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:28:01 GMT

I applaud the carmakers for their belated effort, but has anyone made the case for these cars to be affordable as well as energy efficient? What good does it do to make vehicles that no one can afford to buy?

Auto bigs hit the pavement

Ed, FW, TX — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:29:57 GMT

Michael Moore's suggestion that we just buy GM for the $3billion in Common Stock and then divert prodcution to all hybrids, light rail and electic cars has some real appeal.

The auto industry has been hiding behind the skirts of the rust belt reps and senators for over 30 years. It is absurd that we pay for their mistakes with billions of tax dollars.

The financial crisis has a much shorter history and without the financial sector working, the whole economy goes down the tubes.

There is plenty of blame to go around folks. Let's take a shot and change GM to US. It worked for the rail industry, why not for autos. The caveat to me would be finding some smart guys without the industry bagggage to run the operation.

Make an efficient, functional, relaible vehicle of whatever type that gets over 50mpg and the buyers will line up for them.

Big SUVs and Hummers are a disgrace to us all!

Auto bigs hit the pavement

Teach - Denver — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:35:23 GMT

"That's right America. Don't bail them out. Get rid of all manufacturing in the country. Teach your kids to ask, "Would you like fries with that?" in thirty languages."

Let's not get rid of all manufacturing, let's just manufacture good products that people want and good prices. Let's manufacture Green Energy - solar components, windmills, geothermal parts - things the world will need. Not more Hummers - the world never needed them and never will.

Auto bigs hit the pavement

Rufus Fergie — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:35:24 GMT

Harry Reid refused to talk to the auto execs. Harry said they smelled like the tourists.

Auto bigs hit the pavement

Rodger Wilco — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:37:32 GMT

I fell bad for these execs. The hoops they are made to jump through, just for a few lousy billions of dollars. How embarrassing for them.

Auto bigs hit the pavement

Mapquest — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:39:38 GMT

The auto executives would have been there sooner, but all their hybrid cars broke down at least once each, then they needed 6 hours to recharge their batteries in Cleveland. Plus they got lost for a time in West Virginia.

Auto bigs hit the pavement

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:40:54 GMT

They need to reduce the amount of cars (and the worse SUVs) and brands of cars to start to compete with the Japanese companies. If there are no strings attached to the loans, bailouts or whatever you want to call it, then we might as well toss the money down the drain.

Auto bigs hit the pavement

Barb in MI — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:51:35 GMT

Mia in Maimi - All cars are can be crap - who doesn't have a car horror story. Oh, and Auto Dealers sell cars. Auto Manufacturers make cars.

There are millions of people whose lives depend on the auto industry. Something like 10% of the American work force will be hurt if these companies are allowed to fail. That is the issue, not your opinion of cars.

Auto bigs hit the pavement

Kris, OC — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:51:59 GMT

What is so sad about the whole "begging for taxpayer money" by these auto execs from Detroit is that they are SO out of touch with the average American carbuyer that they apparently saw nothing wrong with arriving in private jets. Could they not predict the backlash?
If they are clueless about those of us who don't live in their "money is no object" bubble, can they really be trusted to design the fuel-efficient, quality cars that we are turning to foreign manufacturers to provide?

Auto bigs hit the pavement

Brian, Cedar Hill, TX — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:54:18 GMT

Just wondering what kind of vehicles these CEO's REALLY drive back home.

Auto bigs hit the pavement

Robert Forkins, Richmond, VA — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:07:21 GMT

Why does't Congress stimulate the credit market and the auto industry by making interest on autos a tax deduction? Maybe at a double rate.

Auto bigs hit the pavement

CdV LA CA — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:23:02 GMT

Congress should give Detroit the money to retool and create "green" products as savings the jobs and livelyhood of millions of Americans is what's at stake here.
However, that CEO's will reduce their pay from $21million to $1.00 says something. They should all work for $1.00 per year from the rest of their careers as NO ONE needs to earn $21M per year. NO ONE. It's obscene that anyone, a CEO, President or even an athlete can earn that kind of money when the people who can keep our economy going, the everyday consumer, will never see that kind of money in the whole of their lives, their children's lives or their children's children's lives, let alone one year!

Auto bigs hit the pavement

Driver — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:35:59 GMT

The Malibu Hybrid only gets 32 mpg highway? My '01 non-Hybrid Ford Focus gets 30...

Auto bigs hit the pavement

tom cronanburg, pt pleasant nj — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:33:55 GMT

I have been watching the auto hearings since noon and I can't believe that you chose to cut off the pro-labor Senator Casey of Pa. and presented all of Shelby's anti domestic auto industry testimony. How about an expose on the state subsidies Senator Shelby's home state gives to foriegn transplant factories.

Auto bigs hit the pavement

SAM, USA — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:00:00 GMT

I just love to hear from most of the people no bail out. No one wants to think about approx. 3 million American workers will be out of a job. That's the bottom line for America.

Auto bigs hit the pavement

NM Ray — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:46:21 GMT

A Bottoms-up Stimulus Package for Detroit: With $30 Billion Congress could give $3,000 to each of 100 Million American Households to make a downpayment on a new American auto. Voila: $30 Billion Stimulus to Detroit and a $30 Billioon Stimulus to American middle-class households.