quoperative

The big three US automakers are asking for a “bailout” from the American government.  In their words, they’ve spun it as an R&D investment to help them develop greener vehicles… even though GM is on pace to run out of money by the end of the year.  Sure sounds like a bailout to me.

Now this is rich shit. Do we not live in a free economy anymore? Let’s face it — the big three are suffering for a couple of reasons:

1. People are buying fewer new cars (despite the planned obsolescence lovingly built into each model) and opting for public transit or choosing used cars instead.
2. Foreign automakers make better cars.  Given the choice, of course I’d buy a Volkswagen or a Toyota over a Ford.

So… it would seem that US automakers need to either downsize or make a better product. I don’t understand what the rationale would be for bailing these guys out. OK, let’s ignore all the obvious signs that they’re running a business that is out of touch with the North American car buying market and throw them a bone just for the sake of saving the jobs of all the people who work there? I mean, c’mon!  I’d hate to see thousands of people lose their jobs if GM went belly-up, but is that really a reason to prop them up with a government loan?  Isn’t that what the welfare program is for?

Do you think the horse carriage manufacturers went whining to the government 100 years ago when that market dried up?  I seriously doubt it.  Evolve or dissolve.