Originally Posted By: Matter-eater Man
 Originally Posted By: BASAMS The Plumber
I'm not sure I agree with any bailouts. Businesses have to start running themselves as if there isn't a bailout coming. Banks have no incentive to run their business in any responsible fashion and neither do automakers. Sink or swim this is America, if you can't run your business right, don;t tax me to support you. I don't see Toyota asking for any bailout.


If it's a case of a bailout that saves the our country's auto making industry & they go on & be sucessful again I think it's worth it.


Should we save businesses that don't know how to operate successfully? Or more importantly won't?

I worked for a Japanese electric manufacturer here in the states that supplied V-8 ignition coils for GM. They were very efficient and high quality, and GM wanted to expand the relationship. GM wanted to expand from 2 lines of V-8 coils to 6. The Japanese company counter offered and told GM they would like to contract for V-6 and 4 cylinder coils. The GM rep was perplexed. The coils cost the same to make in labor, labor hours, SF space, and utilities, but with a pack of 8 costs more than a pack of 6 or 4. The Japanese wanted to diversify so they wouldn't be caught with a product line to heavy towards one type of engine.


Today that plant has been able to lay off via attrition for the now idle V-8 lines, and the 4 cylinder lines are on overtime.

The moral is the Japanese company didn't take the quick buck, they planned for a day when things wouldn't be quite so vigorous in a class(the big trucks) that everyone but the big three saw was going to end.

The big three I would guess figured to ride the wave and if it crashed they would get bailed out. You don;t hear of execs in those companies being forced to resign do you? They'll stay on and continue to draw a hefty check thanks to our taxes.