General+Motors

Barack Obama - Capitalism - Communism - Crony Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Detroit - Economy/Finances - Ethics - GOP - Government - Jobs - Liberals - President - Regulation - Socialism - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

After Billions in Federal Bailouts, Now GM Lobbying States for More?

January 30, 2012 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

How much bailing out does one company need? (The correct answer is none, of course) After receiving some $50 billion in tax dollars from us courtesy of Obama’s “cash stash,” GM is claiming success with a “Obama claimed that GM was “back on top as the world’s number one automaker.” But true or not, if all is coming up roses for GM why is the company now lobbying the individual states for mini bailouts?

That is exactly what is happening. The new “big success” automaker is spending millions hiring lobbyists to squeeze more millions out of state legislatures. As Justin Owen notes, GM has “turned to another, smaller government teat,” by putting its hand out to the states. GM, Owen says, “has received another $1.7 billion in taxpayer-funded grants and tax abatements.”

This is no accident of timing, either. GM admitted to the Tennessee Watchdog that begging to the states for tax dollars is a concerted effort.
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After Billions in Federal Bailouts, Now GM Lobbying States for More?”

Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Detroit - Economy/Finances - Government - Jobs - Liberals - Pensions - Policy - President - Regulation - Taxes - UAW - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Contrary to Claim, White House Did Control GM’s Daily Business And Cut Workers Pay?

June 24, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

When Barack Obama threw millions of our tax dollars at General Motors to “save it,” the administration claimed that it would not involve itself in the “day-to-day management” of the venerable car company. New emails obtained by The Daily Caller, however, casts doubt on this claim.

In fact, as Matthew Boyle reports, the emails “reveal that Treasury officials were involved in decision-making that led to more than 20,000 non-union workers losing their pensions.”

It turns out that Treasurer Secretary Timothy Geithner pressured GM, widely derided as Government Motors, to cut the pensions for the salaried, non-union employees at Delphi, a company owned by GM.
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Contrary to Claim, White House Did Control GM’s Daily Business And Cut Workers Pay?”

Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Ethics - Government - Humor - Liberals - President - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Government Motor’s New Car: The GM WeeKann

April 19, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Since Barack Obama has taken over General Motors, the newly installed Obama-owned executives have come up with a way to save the floundering auto giant. They’ve come up with a new car model that they are absolutely sure will save the company.

This new car has not been designed by professionals but has been created by focus group and with close consultation with Obama’s friends in the green sector, the labor sector, and his other constituents.

So, without further ado here are the features of the new GM WeeKann…
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Government Motor’s New Car: The GM WeeKann”

Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Liberals - Republicans - Stimulus - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Auto Recall: When The Wheels Come Off Government Motors… Literally

April 15, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

GM, Obama’s favorite federally owned car company, was thrilled to report in March that sales figures for the Chevy Cruze helped put the company on the fast track to success but it wasn’t the best news when the wheels began to literally fall off the Cruze causing a recall of GM’s “success” story.

As we will remember, last November Obama proclaimed GM a great success story, one that justified his raging fever for bailouts. This March GM buttressed Obama’s glowing account by reporting rosy sales figures in which the Chevy Cruze made a big appearance. Then GM reported that the Cruze and the Malibu accounted for “98,950 sales – roughly one of every four Chevrolets sold in the first quarter.”

But let’s not break out the champagne too soon because only weeks after GM celebrated sales of the Cruze, at least one steering wheel popped off in transit. It’s a literal case of the wheels coming off GMs success story.
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Auto Recall: When The Wheels Come Off Government Motors… Literally”

Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Cities - Democrats/Leftists - Detroit - Economy/Finances - Government - Liberals - President - Stimulus - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Obama Lackeys Running GM Now Want US to Pay Out for Rebates

March 30, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

A few days ago I wrote about how the Obama administration has stuffed the upper echelons of management at General Motors with government lackeys who have no experience in the auto industry and how Obama’s government will lead GM to ultimate failure. Today we see yet one more step toward GMs ruin with government plans for subsidies that the taxpayers will end up paying for.

The Washington Times’ Kerry Picket reports that some Democrats and the geniuses Obama put at the top of GM, much derided as “Government Motors,” are proposing that taxpayers be tapped to foot the bill for tax credits and rebates for customers that buy the failed Chevy Volt.

Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow has proposed legislation known as the Charging America Forward Act (S.298) that will give federal cash rebates of $7,500 to anyone that buys the Chevy Volt.

The Department of Energy claims that this rebate program idea is somehow just like the Cash For Clunkers program. But this couldn’t be more different.
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Obama Lackeys Running GM Now Want US to Pay Out for Rebates”

Banks - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Cities - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Detroit - Economy/Finances - Financial Reform - Government - Liberals - President - Stimulus - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Government Motors: The Coming General Motors Failure Will Be At Taxpayer’s Expense

March 24, 2011 by 5 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Obama Administration has proclaimed TARP and the subsequent bailout for General Motors a great success. US Treasury Deputy Timothy Massad recently said, “Where we are today shows that the program, by any reasonably objective measure, was a success.” But is GM, now much derided as “Government Motors” the success that Obama says it is? Facts don’t argue in Obama’s favor.

First of all, we must dispense with the whole idea that a benevolent Obama played sugar daddy to “save” GM and did so without too much meddling with the company. Despite the claims that it is “back” and back in private hands, We The People still own 33% of GM. But government ownership is deeper than the a mere calculated percentage. You see, GM’s Board and its CEO were all placed in their positions by Obama, his czars and advisers. Worse, none of them have any experience at all in the auto industry.

Obama’s GM CEO, Dan Akerson, is not a “car guy” — as he himself admitted. Akerson’s experience is as a Wall Street hedge fund operator not an auto industry exec. He was also a player at the politically connected Carlyle Group and was the firm’s Managing Director.
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Government Motors: The Coming General Motors Failure Will Be At Taxpayer’s Expense”

Anti-Americanism - Business - Capitalism - Jobs - Liberals - Michigan - Society/Culture - UAW - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Union Boss: Yeah We’ll Talk, But Go Our Way or You’re a ‘Human Rights Violator’

January 14, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

As President Obama clucks his tongue at America for “pointing fingers” and “assigning blame” in our political debate, and as his friends on the far left ignore him and point their fingers and assign blame to the Republicans, Tea Partiers, and Sarah Palin, at least one union chief in Detroit is doing his part to add to the political vitriol by charging anyone that disagrees with him with being a “human rights violator.”

Oh, he’s all about sitting down at the table and talking, he claims. Yet, United Auto Workers President Bob King is ready to finger point and accuse people of a vile abuse of basic human rights if they don’t bend over and take it up the tailpipe courtesy of those greedy, profligate unions.

For Crain’s Detroit David Barkholz reports that the UAW chief is all prepared for negotiations with the Big Three auto makers this year, but his tone makes it pretty clear that his idea of negotiations is his way or the highway. His vitriol is already flowing before the first negotiation session begins.
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Union Boss: Yeah We’ll Talk, But Go Our Way or You’re a ‘Human Rights Violator’”

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Indiana - Jobs - UAW - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

More Union Resistance in Auto Industry

October 1, 2010 by 1 Comment

– By Warner Todd Huston

Here’s the scenario: The economy is in the worst shape it has been in for a generation. Your industry is in serious financial distress and people in your business are losing jobs all over the country. You happen to be working, but your union is negotiating a new contract that will affect a buyer of your plant, a buyer that might be able to keep everyone working. What do you do? Make serious efforts to negotiate or reject all offers?

If you are the UAW you cut your nose off to spite your face, apparently. At least that seems to be the case in Indianapolis, Indiana where the UAW has rejected concessions in a labor dispute at the GM plant there.

Even worse, the union recalcitrance is causing a buyer of the plant to back out putting everyone’s jobs in jeopardy.
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More Union Resistance in Auto Industry”

Barack Obama - Business - Capitalism - Economy/Finances - Government - Jobs - Liberals - President - Stimulus - UAW - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Pot Smoking Gov’t Motors Car Builders Actually Fired

September 27, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Monday Government Motors (GM) took a hard line against the drunken, pot smoking union members that became the unwitting star of a news expose in Detroit last week firing the partiers.

All 13 employees were fired after being shown on WJBK, Fox 2 News Detroit drinking and smoking pot in a local park on their lunch break.

This answers the question of just how much protection the union would be able to afford the employees at least initially. Many assumed that they’d get the typical union slap on the wrist, maybe a suspension, but be back to work like normal soon enough.

No word if the employees will appeal this decision.

In a statement released today, Chrysler said:

“It is unfortunate that the actions of a few people have called into question the reputation of more than 51,000 very proud, hard-working Chrysler Group employees, grateful that the American and Canadian taxpayers gave us a second chance,” they said. “We take that responsibility very seriously and will work to restore the public’s faith.”

The union has yet to address this newest development.

If Chysler thinks the actions of these 13 have been unfortunate enough to call into question the reputation of the whole kit and kaboodle, I wonder what they think of what Obama has done to them?
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Pot Smoking Gov’t Motors Car Builders Actually Fired”