General Motors and Chrysler have just about used up all the bailout money--$17.4 billion in Federal loans. Together they employ around 140,000 workers and they are about to run out of cash, again!
G.M wants $16.6 billion more. Chrysler is not quite as greedy. It only needs $5 billion. THAT IS BILLION!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now they both say that they need to negotiate with the Unions that have brought them down. NEGOTIATE? The companies are hoping that the Unions will make concessions so that they can avoid bankruptcy. HOPING?
Unions—get smart. United States government—get smart. Obama said Thursday that “we need to preserve a U.S. auto industry. We will provide them with some help.” SOME help? The auto industry is off shoring and jobs are being lost in droves to overseas plants. There is nothing in the bailout agreement that says the money needs to stay here and provide jobs for Americans.
So what is there to preserve?
Jobs, jobs and more jobs is the key. Americans, we the people, should be encouraged to and want to buy American. Corporations must be told to keep jobs in this country and start to hire if they are using our money. And the Unions must get realistic or there won’t be any more jobs in this country to worry about.This bailout stuff is getting dumber and dumber. It is a gamble, with no strings attached. Gamblers never win and the government seems to be losing with our money.
