Comments on: A Phoenix Rising From GM’s Ashes

By: rikyrah

rikyrah — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:14:50 +0000

This is a good post, and I want to thank you for it.

By: a-boogie

a-boogie — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 06:45:32 +0000

I hate that people try to make it seem like we are suppose to feel bad for gm and it is wrong for obama to get involved when the truth is this has been a long time coming bc they've had decades to make these changes themselves and the only thing they have done is ship jobs overseas and now they are suffereing the consequences. I do wonder though if consumers are ready to make smart auto choices. Will we consider driving less after being marketed SUV's for so long especially in our culture when it is trendy for everyone in the household that is driving age to have their own car.

By: rikyrah

rikyrah — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 06:14:50 +0000

This is a good post, and I want to thank you for it.

By: divineempress

divineempress — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 02:45:32 +0000

This is a great post…I hate that people try to make it seem like we are suppose to feel bad for gm and it is wrong for obama to get involved when the truth is this has been a long time coming bc they've had decades to make these changes and the only thing they have done is ship jobs overseas and now they are suffereing the consequences.

By: babyming

babyming — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 02:05:41 +0000

Unfortunately, it's hard to imagine that GM will ever produce cars that real people will actually want to buy… enough to be profitable. It seems that other companies, especially Toyota and Honda, are so far ahead. This is a time when we should be thinking about driving less, and building more mass transit, unless you'd rather the United States dig in ever deeper into the Middle East. People want their teenage kids in a Toyota, not in a Chevy Volt, or a Chevy Yukon that tends to come off the frame on sharp turns. They want their kids in a car that won't break down in the middle of the night. I voted for Obama and I totally admire him, but I don't think Obama will be able to do much of anything with GM. I admire him for facing the GM problem head-on, which no President has ever done before. But in the long run, for Obama to succed with GM, at some point GM will have to actually make lots of cars that lots of people actually want their kids to drive… and I'm afraid this may be one time when Obama doesn't come up a winner. Still, I admire him for trying.

By: southernbelle

southernbelle — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:57:30 +0000

What people are failing to recognize is the fact that this did not just happen overnight. The value, or perceived value, of the American automobile has been on the decline for decades now. Overall sales have been down compared to foreign automobiles sales. Like everything else that has taken place w/in the economic crisis no one looked at the foretelling signs and authentically tried to be proactive about it. Truthfully German automobiles are made better. I am referring to the engineering of the body/chassis, and the internal components that make the car work, not just aesthetics. When you look at the technology and advances put into the cars (VW, BMW, Audi, Mercedes) you see why American automobiles have failed. You can’t be on the backend of technological advances & expect consumers to just have “loyalty”. Japanese automakers have successfully tapped into this US market and have proven they will have staying power. Why? These car makers have manufacturing plants on our soil. Hence they employ Americans. The lines defining what is US vs foreign are becoming less visible. Think of all the auto makers that have plants here. (Nissan, Toyota, Mercedes, BMW) What should have been done, and of course this is now hindsight, but the US automakers should have been forming alliances & mergers 15+ years ago. No, they wanted to stand on past laurels and rely on loyalty, forgetting about the fact this is a business. At the end of the day, it is about making the shareholder money. CEO’s are paid well & they need to think outside of the box.

By: Monie

Monie — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 03:29:57 +0000

Great post.

I am hoping that once again the US will stand at the forefront of technology and will expand our manufacturing sector.

I want to be able to go inside a local store and see products made in this country under safe conditions, so I won't have to worry about contaminated goods or recalls or wonder were children from other nations exploited for their labor in creating the products we find on our shelf.

It is time to make more efficient cars and i really hope we can restore those jobs that were lost. It is so devastating to know that so many people will be victims, often of those at the highest levels of management who continued to run disastrous plans. Unfortunately, it is always the "everyday people" who hurt and pay the price at the end of the day.

By: Miranda

Miranda — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 01:21:33 +0000

“The truth is, the most significant contribution of the auto industry is not the cars it produces, but the way of life it once produced for the American worker.”

That is so true and important to remember in all this.