Chevy Volt Pep Rally Masquerades as Electric Vehicle Symposium
Thursday 17th of May 2012 03:17:01 PM
Posted by admin / Under GM F Platform
| The Department of Transportation and NHTSA have announced that a "technical symposium" will be held on May 18th "to discuss safety considerations for electric vehicles powered by lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries." In addition to NHTSA's presentations, the Department of Energy, automotive manufacturers and battery makers will participate. Given the bias of the participants, the symposium sounds like it is going to be less informational and more infomercial. The press release for the gathering states, "Electric vehicles show great promise as an innovative and fuel-efficient option for American drivers. Significant research and other activities related to the safety of these vehicles are... |
Obama and GM Cook the Books
Thursday 17th of May 2012 03:17:01 PM
Posted by admin / Under GM F Platform
| Would you hire President Obama as your financial adviser? Three years ago his administration invested more than $100 billion in taxpayer money to bail out General Motors. On Tuesday, the entire company, not just what the government owns, was worth less than $34 billion. By anyones definition, that investment is a glaring failure. Yet over the last few days the Obama campaign, in a $25 million marketing blitz, has flooded the airwaves with ads in battleground states, claiming the bailout should be counted a rousing success. Unfortunately, assertions that all loans have been repaid to the federal government, that the... |
Obamas Gamble on GM Worse than JPMs Trading Flub
Thursday 17th of May 2012 03:17:01 PM
Posted by admin / Under GM F Platform
When JPM Chase reported that it had lost $2 billion recently on risky derivative trades, the predictable call came from the Obama Administration to increase regulation on banks. The hypocrisy of the politically motivated proclamations becomes evident when you compare the JPM trades to Treasury's continued gamble on its taxpayer funded stake in General Motors, which has suffered an approximate $5 billion loss in value over the past year. US taxpayers unwillingly own 500 million shares or 32% of General Motors' stock, courtesy of Team Obama. The Administration has had the ability to sell the stake for over a year...
Ally Financial - Another Auto Bailout Bankruptcy
Thursday 17th of May 2012 03:17:01 PM
Posted by admin / Under GM F Platform
| The Obama Administration has become quite the expert on bankruptcy filings. The Detroit Free Press reports that the third auto bailout partaker, Ally Financial, has filed bankruptcy for its mortgage subsidiary, ResCap. The government still owns 74% of Ally, and now has an 0 for 3 record on restructuring bailed out auto-related companies outside of bankruptcy. Three years ago the Obama Administration, particularly the Auto Task Force, had a mission to restructure General Motors, Chrysler and GM's lending arm, GMAC. The stated goal was to restructure the auto industry players outside of bankruptcy. This stated goal turned out to be... |
Non-Union Retirees Shafted in Auto Bailouts Told to Get Jobs
Thursday 17th of May 2012 03:17:01 PM
Posted by admin / Under GM F Platform
One of the most egregious abuses of the Obama Administration's auto bailouts was the blatant favoritism evidenced in the treatment of Delphi (General Motors' parts supplier) retirees. After the Delphi bankruptcy, UAW retirees had their pensions "topped off" by General Motors, apparently with taxpayer money accessed through TARP. While the UAW retirees maintained their pension benefits, non-union, salaried retirees of Delphi lost theirs. There was no logical reason for one group to have their pensions saved while another group lost theirs, just the facts that the distributions were inequitable and the only difference between the groups was that one belonged...
Here Comes the Made-in-China Cadillac
Thursday 17th of May 2012 03:17:01 PM
Posted by admin / Under GM F Platform
| It's déjà vu all over again! GM again caves to Chinese pressure. In September it was the electric car. In April it was the Cadillac. The Chinese government made its latest move in December. That's when The Guardian reported that the Chinese government raised its already high 25% tariff upon American-made vehicles, concerned that increasing numbers of big-engine cars were being purchased by Chinese consumers: General Motors faces the greatest impact, almost 22% extra on some sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and other cars with engine capacities above 2.5 litres. Chrysler faces a 15% penalty, while a 2% levy will be... |
GM Boycott Hurting Market Share?
Thursday 17th of May 2012 03:17:01 PM
Posted by admin / Under GM F Platform
| Last week's earnings report from General Motors revealed a troubling statistic for shareholders. GM's market share for North America shrunk from 18.3% a year ago to 16.7% for the latest quarter. Not coincidently, a survey by Yahoo Autos revealed that a full 13% of consumers would now "never" consider purchasing a GM vehicle while another 15% are less likely to purchase. A negative perception of the auto bailout process and the continued political overtones at GM are the reasons for the boycott. Another recent Rasmussen poll showed that 59% of Americans view the auto bailouts as a failure. The... |
Romney: 'I'll take a lot of credit' for auto industry success
Thursday 17th of May 2012 03:17:01 PM
Posted by admin / Under GM F Platform
| Democrats and Republicans have slammed Mitt Romney for his 2008 view that Detroit should "go bankrupt," but the presumptive GOP presidential nominee said Monday his views played a big part in the auto industry's recovery. "I'll take a lot of credit for the fact that this industry's come back," Romney told WEWS-TV in Cleveland. Speaking after a campaign stop at a metal stamping facility in nearby Euclid, Romney said the industry needed to enter a "managed bankruptcy" process in order to fully recover and that was what eventually helped American automakers get back on their feet. |
General Motors is becoming China Motors
Thursday 17th of May 2012 03:17:01 PM
Posted by admin / Under GM F Platform
| General Motors is becoming China Motors. Forget the spin. The evidence is clear and convincing. Did U.S. taxpayers save GM for China? Listen to the candid comments of GM's CEO. |
GM, a failed investment
Thursday 17th of May 2012 03:17:01 PM
Posted by admin / Under GM F Platform
| If you invested more than $100 in a company, would you be happy if your shares were worth only $36? By anyones definition that investment would have been a terrible failure. Yet, that is how the federal governments investment in General Motors looks. The federal government has put in well over $100 billion into shoring up General Motors, but the entire company, not just what the government owns, was worth only $36 billion on Tuesday. GM sales have bounced around, rising in March and then falling in April, but investors best guesses for what future sales will be are already... |




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