General Motors

[The Overlord]

After WWII most of Europe's manufacturing needed help, the people needed government as far as their basic necessities....and nationalization happened on a huge scale, and is still there today.

Government control of an industry, is government control no matter if it was asked for or not. Nationalization without the concent of the people, is probably better described as Communism, rather than Socialism.

Again I doubt many communists would support this move, say what you will about communists, communism has a ethos, it has rules, most communists would think this is as corporate welfare and would not support it.

I'm pretty sure bailing out corporations are against the rules of communism.

 

[Marx]

BREAKING NEWS!

GM has reportedly reached a tentative deal with a Chinese buyer to buy HUMMER.

 

[Paradoxium]

Again I doubt many communists would support this move, say what you will about communists, communism has a ethos, it has rules, most communists would think this is as corporate welfare and would not support it.

I'm pretty sure bailing out corporations are against the rules of communism.

A pragmatic communist would support bailouts. It furthers the controls, whilst increasing the anger of the public. Thus forcing the companies to placate, and increasing class tensions and emotions. The ethos of the communist as far as I am concerned is based on emotion.

For the pragmatic communist, control is more important than ownership-in-name-only.

 

[Marx]

I just saw this commercial from GM on tv...

[YT]a-oEudd6AYM[/YT]

I need some help understanding this. How is it that a company who received taxpayer dollars to survive (only to end up going into bankruptcy anyway) can launch a media campaign (presumably with my taxpaying dollars?) Shouldn't they be focusing on restructuring?



Thoughts?

 

[VampElvis]

This is just an "it'll be alright" memo to the public. A reassurance to let them know GM will still be around and it's OK to buy certain GM brands. An investment in securing the loyalty of their customer base, if you will.
Some of the imagery seems a bit, let's say unusual? But the general purpose of the commercial, as I interpret it, I don't really have a problem with at all.

 

[BlackLantern]

but its not OK.....at all...GM dealerships are closing all over the country, some dealers are dropping GM on their own

I will never buy anything from that company......EVER

 

[VampElvis]

Oh I don't agree that "it'll be all right" not do I intend to purchase any vehicles from GM (which is the way I felt before all this). I just don't have a problem with this business spending on a marketing people to try to convince people to keep buying their product.

 

[StorminNorman]

I just saw this commercial from GM on tv...



I need some help understanding this. How is it that a company who received taxpayer dollars to survive (only to end up going into bankruptcy anyway) can launch a media campaign (presumably with my taxpaying dollars?) Shouldn't they be focusing on restructuring?



Thoughts?

How do you expect GM to succeed without a media campaign? You want GM to be successful and not a money hole? It needs to act like any other company.

 

[BlackLantern]

How do you expect GM to succeed without a media campaign? You want GM to be successful and not a money hole? It needs to act like any other company.

who says they should come out of this?? do they deserve to continue existing??

 

[StorminNorman]

who says they should come out of this?? do they deserve to continue existing??

If we are going to throw tax payer money, they better come out of this.

I am all for letting the company handle this on its own without tax payer money, but since Obama won't allow it, it has to come out of it. Or else the entire bailout of GM is a complete and utter failure, a black hole of our money.

 

[BlackLantern]

If we are going to throw tax payer money, they better come out of this.

I am all for letting the company handle this on its own without tax payer money, but since Obama won't allow it, it has to come out of it. Or else the entire bailout of GM is a complete and utter failure, a black hole of our money.

good point....still not buying anything GM though...my friend, who works at a Nissan dealership, got offered a job at a GM dealership....me and everyone else told her "NO"

 

[StorminNorman]

How much more money is Obama going to waste on crap like this before he realizes he is wrong?

 

[BlackLantern]

Throwing money at any problem is never the right solution....but if you look back through history, government has never learned that lesson

 

[Marx]

How do you expect GM to succeed without a media campaign? You want GM to be successful and not a money hole? It needs to act like any other company.

When dealerships are closing all over the country and the company is in bankruptcy (despite being funded by taxpayer dollars) I do not believe the best use of that money is to throw it away on a commercial.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

GM makes horrible cars. You can barely go 1,000 miles without the damn motor crapping out in some way or form and then spending cash to fish it over and over again.

Seems natural to let it die.

Just...let it die.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

When dealerships are closing all over the country and the company is in bankruptcy (despite being funded by taxpayer dollars) I do not believe the best use of that money is to throw it away on a commercial.

It's part of the reason I've given up on them.

Making good cars is what'll help them out. A marketing campaign won't help in the long term.

And that's the problem here. It's a long, lengthy climb. I don't think they can change the view everyone has on they're company quickly.

I think it'll take 10 or 20 years of good work before they can win people back.

And I'm not buying into this "Buy American" thing either. It's unfair to ask people who are out of work and behind on payments to then invest in a vehicle that'll become a cash hole for them.

 

[Marx]

It's part of the reason I've given up on them.

Making good cars is what'll help them out. A marketing campaign won't help in the long term.

And that's the problem here. It's a long, lengthy climb. I don't think they can change the view everyone has on they're company quickly.

I think it'll take 10 or 20 years of good work before they can win people back.

And I'm not buying into this "Buy American" thing either. It's unfair to ask people who are out of work and behind on payments to then invest in a vehicle that'll become a cash hole for them.

There is a local dealer that has been running commercials for a couple of months now with the whole 'Buy American' theme. He stands in front of a big waving american flag, with patriotic music playing in the background...and looks like he is begging for someone to buy a car from him. He looks like someone killed his dog.

 

[Fading]

How much more money is Obama going to waste on crap like this before he realizes he is wrong?

Politicians don't like to be wrong. Even when the bill was first being drafted most US citizens were against it, it was passed it anyway. They've pumped billions into this. If GM fails now after all the money they've put into it against the wishes of the US taxpayers while using their money, they're going to look idiotic and inept.

I think in the politicians eyes it has to succeed no matter what. They're in it until it looks so foolish to continue to do this that it'd be less embarrassing to bow out.

I also like your point about after how much $$ has been tossed into this that it better succeed. If it doesn't tho maybe something can be salvaged from it. If after all the $$ the gov tossed around during this GM still fails hopefully they learn a lesson and not do this again. Maybe next time a major corp is about to fail have to stand on their own 2 feet like everyone else.

 

[StorminNorman]

When dealerships are closing all over the country and the company is in bankruptcy (despite being funded by taxpayer dollars) I do not believe the best use of that money is to throw it away on a commercial.

But if the commercials can raise public trust in the company, it is not throwing it away. Doing nothing is not an option at this point. GM has to repair its image during this time, even as dealerships are closing. At this point GM has to place a higher priority on its future success than the present.

GM makes horrible cars. You can barely go 1,000 miles without the damn motor crapping out in some way or form and then spending cash to fish it over and over again.

Seems natural to let it die.

Just...let it die.

Tell Obama.

It's part of the reason I've given up on them.

Making good cars is what'll help them out. A marketing campaign won't help in the long term.

And that's the problem here. It's a long, lengthy climb. I don't think they can change the view everyone has on they're company quickly.

I think it'll take 10 or 20 years of good work before they can win people back.

And I'm not buying into this "Buy American" thing either. It's unfair to ask people who are out of work and behind on payments to then invest in a vehicle that'll become a cash hole for them.

America can't afford to just throw good money after bad into a company for 10 to 20 years.

 

[StorminNorman]

Who expects the government to effective run this company? Does anyone think that Obama will allow GM to close an inefficient factory in a democrats district? Or does anyone think Obama will allow GM to make cars as dictated by the market, and not what the government wants GM to make?

What's most troubling is the impact this will have on Ford. How can Ford compete with the American Government? How much of Ford's business has been government contracts?

This entire situation is just another terrible, inexcusable failure of the Obama administration.

 

[Marx]

But if the commercials can raise public trust in the company, it is not throwing it away. Doing nothing is not an option at this point. GM has to repair its image during this time, even as dealerships are closing. At this point GM has to place a higher priority on its future success than the present.

I can see what you're saying, I just do not believe that now is the time to be putting out commercials. They should be getting their **** together and come out of this strong. Restructure and THEN begin the media blitz.

Who expects the government to effective run this company? Does anyone think that Obama will allow GM to close an inefficient factory in a democrats district? Or does anyone think Obama will allow GM to make cars as dictated by the market, and not what the government wants GM to make?

What's most troubling is the impact this will have on Ford. How can Ford compete with the American Government? How much of Ford's business has been government contracts?

This entire situation is just another terrible, inexcusable failure of the Obama administration.

I have to commend Ford. They've really been taking this by the horns and doing what they need to do. I honestly think Ford will be just fine...despite 'competing' with the government.

 

[StorminNorman]

I hope so.

I wonder what this means for GM's Hydrogen powered cars. They were hoping to hit the market strong in 2011 or 2012, with the Government pulling its funding for hydrogen and pushing for electric, are they going to abandon that strategy?

 

[Marx]

I hope so.

I wonder what this means for GM's Hydrogen powered cars. They were hoping to hit the market strong in 2011 or 2012, with the Government pulling its funding for hydrogen and pushing for electric, are they going to abandon that strategy?

That's a very good question man.

 

[BlackLantern]

I hate the Saturn commericals with that guy in the yellow shirt

 

[Addendum]

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/05/news-flash-car-dealers-are-republicans.html