Should We Nationalize GM ?

[$tevie]

I would love to see some sort of proof that private health insurance is well run. And by that, I don't mean making enormous profits. I mean, do private insurance companies perform efficiently and do they serve their customers well?

[Gutenberg]

By all means nationalize GM. Get responsible people for the board. I think I would start with Al Gore and Warren Buffett.

[mattkime]

while having the gov run GM doesn't sound too great, they'd probably do better than private business has.

[kj]

I think the Bills are pointing out that gov'ts don't usually build very good cars. I also have a hard time thinking our gov't could build a better car than Toyota or Honda. The only car company I'm familiar with that was nationalized was Alfa Romeo, and they languished under gov't control, until Fiat bought them. I guess Fiat is now in big trouble though, and people are calling for nationalization (shoot, maybe it happened while I wasn't paying attention). I think it's hard to make products that will be a "hit", but it's really the only option. Look at apple. Jobs knows how to make a "hit", but who else does? The auto industry needs people as talented as Jobs, but I don't know how that is going to happen. I really doubt that nationalizing the car industry would help though. Do you think Apple would have produced the iMac, iPod, etc. had it been nationalized in the late 90's? I don't. kj.

[Gutenberg]

What the government SHOULD do to pay for all this is to tax the living daylights out of trucks for anything but farm and commercial use. And kill the Hummer division. Men should find another method to prove their sexual worth, like raking the leaves and finishing the weatherstripping.

[$tevie]

Gutenberg wrote:
What the government SHOULD do to pay for all this is to tax the living daylights out of trucks for anything but farm and commercial use. And kill the Hummer division. Men should find another method to prove their sexual worth, like raking the leaves and finishing the weatherstripping.

YES!

[TLB]

On a percentage basis, both Toyota and Honda sales are down MORE than Ford. We are living in extraordinary times and the difficulties faced by the auto manufacturers go well beyond the "American Cars Suck" mentality.

Nationalization of GM? It is a global company--what about European and Asian operations? I am also concerned about the government picking a "winner". I know the author has a who cares attitude about Chrysler and is of the opinion that Ford will survive, but how can a company compete when your competition makes the rules?

[kj]

Gutenberg wrote:
What the government SHOULD do to pay for all this is to tax the living daylights out of trucks for anything but farm and commercial use. And kill the Hummer division. Men should find another method to prove their sexual worth, like raking the leaves and finishing the weatherstripping.

Uh, I don't want to interrupt the shared man-hate session here, but I see a lot of women driving huge SUV's, Pickups, and even Hummers. Penis-envy? kj.

[kj]

And, while we're fantasizing, I can't wait for the gov't to take over GM so they can build a 1800lb electric street-legal race car for me. kj.

[OWC Jamie]

kj wrote:
[quote=Gutenberg]
What the government SHOULD do to pay for all this is to tax the living daylights out of trucks for anything but farm and commercial use. And kill the Hummer division. Men should find another method to prove their sexual worth, like raking the leaves and finishing the weatherstripping.

Uh, I don't want to interrupt the shared man-hate session here, but I see a lot of women driving huge SUV's, Pickups, and even Hummers. Penis-envy? kj.
How dare you interupt a hate session with facts.