Sorry, I have to rant because I find this incredibly frustrating.
We've created a monster (or those before us have), and now we can't draw the line. It's impossible. Once you start subsidizing and bailing, you can pretty much expect that when hard times come, everyone is going to want a piece of it. And can you blame them?
Any time the face of our economy changes - whether it be supply, demand, fads and fashions - we as a society must adapt to remain fiscally sustainable. or we fail - unless you're in the US. Here, you can have your cake and eat it too.
Unfortunately, instead of adapting, when the free market doesn't work they way we would like it to, we expect the government (that otherwise we want out of our business) to pick up the tab. Instead of reexamining the way we do business, the kind of business we do, and how we should change to remain competitive in a changing market, we expect subsidies so that we can keep punching along at the skill we've already mastered - whether or not is still in demand.
As a result, we are now about to bail out 2 companies that could have prevented their current predicament by being less greedy and more responsive to their customer base, not to mention the obvious future of oil. Now all of us are stuck paying for it.
Am I suggesting that I would prefer to see millions lose their jobs because big business can't see past their next quarterly statement? well, yes and no. I think it may be the only way.
The thing is this: if we bail them out, we're only postponing the inevitable. Unless things change, these people are going to lose their jobs anyway. It may take a few more months, maybe yrs. But unless the company's practices and business models change dramatically, this $14B is just a waste of everyone's money.
These car companies used to be extremely profitable, despite their high labor-related costs. If they had managed those profits conservatively they may not be in this mess. They had become quite accustom to padding their executives pockets with the extra, rather than investing future technologies that were clearly key to their future wealth & longevity.
And they can't say they didn't know. Everyone has known that we would need to find alternative forms of energy and/or more energy efficient solutions. I don't want to hear any more of the "poor me - even though I made sure that you (govt) stayed out of my way to ensure our obscene profits when things were good, now it's your obiligation to make sure that I don't go broke from my own greed"
Any doubts? Then look at the poor employees who are victims of our greed. You have to help them (by helping us)
These companies need to go bankrupt so that they are allowed to evaluate and adjust their labor models - that is, if they want to continue to be in business at all. This is pretty much the only way, right? The unions hold so much power, even if they do get the money they need and completely restructure their line of products to better suit the demands of the market, they are still so far in debt to current and future union members - there's almost no way to get out of this hole. It's too late for small changes to save the masses.
I believe that unions did originally serve a purpose. But now, a union is a business like any other. The dangerous and immoral business practices that made unions necessary are almost nonexistent. Federal law protects you the way the union used to.
Now, they protect those who don't work - in affect further burdening the good employees - collect dues, and have more power than the president! Survey union and non-union employees, and I think you will find that those in a union are generally less satisfied and more stressed - despite their benefits and "job security" (if your employer goes under, you DO lose your job with or without your union! Many union employees don't seem to be aware of this part)
People should be paid based on their skill set with a cost of living adjustment(see government jobs...).
In conclusion: pick one. either you're a free market or you're not. But at least do what you do well. Is it that hard?
