Comments on: Big Three Bailout? Not So Fast

Declan McCullagh Says A Better Solution Is To Let The Automakers Declare Bankruptcy

[perk235]

We were in a socialistic type government under the GOP.
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Anyone remember Bush''s $15 billion bailout of the airline industry post 9/11 using the surplus?

[perk235]

The Prius is a joke. You pay $30-35K for a $15,000 dollar car so you don''''''''t save any money you just are "green." Not to mention it''''''''s only "green" when you ignore the inconvenient facts like lithium for batteries is strip mined largely so you trade one environmental problem for another.
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In 2006 I paid $24,500 and with a $3,150 tax rebate, the net was $21,350 car.

I drive 75% on the highway and 25% in town. In summer I get 52 mpg and in the winter, with snow tires, 48 mpg. That averages to 50 mpg.

The batteries are NiMH, not Li ion.

[frankie2fing]

HOWEVER we are on our way to a Socialistic type of government and there is nothing you can do or say to stop them.

Posted by ricklf1

Yeah? NEWS FLASH: We were in a socialistic type government under the GOP, fool. Only difference the government shared the wealth with BIG business (the small fry had to fend for themselves), making it easy for them to take the wealth from the common people and deposit it into their coffers. GOP does not want the Big Two (Chrystler is not a US company, 90% of their cars are made off-shore) because they EMPLOY workers who do not vote Republican. This is not an economic issue for the GOP - Its a political issue.

[hitoyou1]

As of Friday, it does not look like there will be a bailout for the big three, Good. Let them close. No money for junk. The Democrats say they don''t have the votes to pass a auto bailout. Good, I hope all the UAW people sleep in the street. They are the ones that did this to the Auto companies. Greed. Greed.

[andylance1]

The money Detroit wants should be spent to help homeowners restructure their adjustable rate mortgages to enable them to keep their homes. The FDIC detailed a plan to prevent 1.5 million foreclosures in the next year by offering financial incentives to companies that agree to sharply reduce monthly payments on mortgage loans. The trouble is Treasury Sec. Paulson is opposed to it.

The auto companies need to go to bankruptcy court and go on a mandatory diet to get rid of brain dead CEOs and learn how to be competitive.

[ricklf1]

Let''s face the facts. No one in politics cares a *** anymore what we think, now that the elections are over. The Democrats will hand over our hard earned taxpayer money to GM,Ford and Chrysler and they will continue down the same mis-managed path. You can write here every day and complain. HOWEVER we are on our way to a Socialistic type of government and there is nothing you can do or say to stop them.

[clathrate]

If people took their "standards" to the cash register american companies would have an easier time competing.


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Posted by Cryos

You hit the nail o nthe head. Americans, by and large are just too *** cheap. We need to get rid of the cheaper = better mentality and get used to paying for quality.

I''m all for good deals, but fair is fair, and most of the time, you get what you pay for. If Americans would just learn to pony up a bit more, then airlines just might be worth a ***, amoung other things.

[incog-nito]

By the way, the Prius uses Nickel Metal Hydride batteries, not Lithium Ion. The Chevy Volt uses Lithium Ion.

[incog-nito]

The Prius is a joke. You pay $30-35K for a $15,000 dollar car so you don''''t save any money you just are "green." Not to mention it''''s only "green" when you ignore the inconvenient facts like lithium for batteries is strip mined largely so you trade one environmental problem for another.

Posted by Cryos at 03:09 PM : Nov 13, 2008

The 2009 Prius starts at about $22,000. If it costs more it''s only because there is so much demand that the dealers jack up the price, but still nowhere near the $35K you mentioned. Of course this only shows that there is a lot of demand for fuel-efficient vehicles, demand that is unmet by the current supply. The cost will only go down with more production.

Speaking of "pretender" vehicles, there''s the much-ballyhooed Chevy Volt, slated to roll out in 2010 (unless it''s delayed once again). The cost? $35 to $40K. I''m sure people will rush out to pay that kind of money in order to save on gas. No wonder Detroit''s in big trouble.

[inesje88]

Cryos, what about those of us who have formulated our opinions on single payer health care by living and working in countries which have such a system? I still have family living in European countries, and friends in Canada. The big ajustment for my Belgian relatives was not being able to have a dr.''s appointment the same day and waiting over night. Here, in the USA, when I did have health insurance and needed what my dr. determined to be urgent surgery, it only took my insurance 10 days to approve it and the surgery center 3 weeks to schedule it. I had a different urgent surgery in Europe several years ago and I waited 2 days. Single payer health care makes sense on many levels but it is a class war fair thing in this country. It is strange how the Republicans say they are right to life people, but once the child is born, good luck getting health care. A healthy work force creates a healthy economy. Ceo''s in health care, auto industry, and banking industry are greedy. Although I often feel like unions have too much power, if it wasn''t for them, their members wouldn''t have health care, sick leave or vacation time.