Should the public own the auto industry?

Commentor?

Soviet Union? That place where employees were entitled to bread lines and where, in fact, the Party Bosses owned and corrupted pretty much everything?

Workers, those trade union types whose leaders were shot at the Lubyanka Prison or sent to be worked to death in the gulags, a la Solzhenitsyn?

That Soviet Union? That Worker's Paradise?

We probably agree, Organized Crime at the top can have any number of names, and take any number of forms. How it gets to be called patriotic? That part just baffles me.

As to the danger of employees running companies? Well, putting aside ideology and the chore of imposing policy to rob investors blind - well-trained employees already do run their company.

How did we come up with the very Soviet idea that ideological purity should predetermine who runs a company - or for that matter a Department of Justice? It's beyond me. Nor, remembering Katrina, the housing, banking, automotive, infrastructure, and Wall Street meltdowns - does rampant Communism seemed to have contributed to any of the scandals.

Go figure.

.... and after capitalism the workers will join together and own production and the means of production ...

MMM sound like communism to me (Karl Marx type communism not what they had in the soviet union)

Capitalism 101 = you paid for it - you own it.

The argument that the public shouldn't own a voting portion of Detroit's companies because Detroit still might collapse and thus the public would be left with zip is lame. Compare it with the idea that the public should just hand over money and be certain of exactly zero benefit. Does that look like a great deal to anyone? At least with shares the public owns something which may in fact rebound with better management.

Besides, who has a greater interest in transportation than the same public that relies on it?

We all see that Detroit has completely ignored both the larger public interest, and consistent public demand for greener tech at lower costs. For that stupidity alone these 'leaders' should be axed and new progressive management brought in.

It's time we all got our money's worth and not just insolent demands for more loot for more perks.

>Not really but control through the goverment, but also they have to be respnble for what they are deciding.

When we do things without a goal -- a realistic one, we will fail.

Decisions made in panic (bank failures) or rage (9/11) or blind righteousness (Health care is Communist, war on drugs) are the kind that will haunt us for years.

Don't even begin to ask whether XXX should get bailed out, until you know where you want the US (and the world) to go.

If your plan and goal make sense then, OK, let's do it.

Not being an economist, but an optimist, I think that if US bailed out the banks, aka Wall St aka mortgage companies aka credit aka your own home, they should get involved in this ONLY if it would be the beginning of the mass production of greener cars. Would it costa lot to re-equip the factories? Sure. What's the total cost of the second depression which I feel would follow the closing of all three automakers. BUT If they cannot present Congress with a viable, efficient and forward looking detailed plan, however, I say let them go, just stock your pantry well and buy a gun. haha It's really complicated. Just watch several sources trying to talk about what has and is and will be happening if blah blah blah. THEY don't get it all, it would seem, so confidence can't be high from any sector of the US. Now then the unions...hmm, jury is still out, but it don't look great. True they[assembly line workers etc. ] get $30/hr or so and benefits? I've worked in hospital settings where I made the difference between life and death, and did not get $30 hr, so the socialist in me is coming out I guess. I'm into more parity. Apologize for the digression.

The actual Govt. in DC is quick to point that "the people own extensive assets in Banks and Insurance companies through the TARP" Well, I would like to point out that I am a share holder at Apple, but I also have a little piece of paper that proves that I have ownership on those shares. I also get quarterly reports on the state of the company.

Now where in the hell is my title of ownership on those banks assets that the US bought under my name?

My point is: This can be done publicly, with many strings attached, concessions and conditions. But we need to know the real economic state of those companies, what amount of time is needed for them to retrofit those factories to make cars that make sense.

In my opinion, GM and Ford WILL not have a feasible plan by Dec 2, so the Govt should allow them a line of credit that ONLY COVERS THEIR OPERATIONAL EXPENSES, while Congress puts forth a business proposal that buys into the companies and restructure their management, retrofit their operations. Not capitalistic enough? Well tough shyt. They may take the capitalistic approach of chapter 11.

No...yes...no....yes

There are companies out there that are owned by the employees.....wonder if that is a feasible option? Although the amount of money to purchase one might be outrageous.

Let China take over the Big 3 autos. The CEOs and execs will be fired. The unions will be fired. And a lot of people will learn how to work work hard for little wages. We'll get cheaper cars and will never have to bail out the auto industry again.

No. In fact I think the auto industry should have caps put on its production. We don't need that many cars. 7 years ago it took me 15 minutes to get to my old school. Now, the same route, at the same time, on the same days will take me 30-35 minutes. We should invest in fixing the cars we already have.
THEIR IS NO REASON TO HAVE A TV IN A CAR!!!
A car is a vehicle, a mode of transportation!
A way to get from point A to point B.
That's it, nothing more.

No, the public shouldn't. Because the public never will. It'll be TPTB owning it "in the name of the people". No, thanks. They got themselves in, let them get themselves out - or let the competitors take their spots.