Comments on: Michael Moore Says Goodbye To General Motors, Good Riddance

By: hil

hil — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:10:46 +0000

@ Whoever,
Am I surprised that GM went bankrupt? No not at all, the executives made bad decisions, but at the end of the day the executives aren’t the one’s that are going to have to pay for them. It’s the worker that put in 30+ years that has been living off a pension for the last 10 and is now too old to rejoin the workforce that is going to pay for it. It is the steel manufacutrers, the textile manufacturers, and the thousands of other people that make the components for GM cars that are going to pay for it. It’s the people that had no other hope than to get old enough to work in a factory and have put their future’s into GM’s hands that are going to pay for it. I have faith in Green Collar jobs. I think that we can put people to work in this country cleaning up the mistakes of the past and retrofitting America but that takes time. Unfortunately when I see the big picture of how GM’s bankruptcy fits into the story of America, I see it as a lesson to buisnesses that if you can’t change you may become obsolete, but I also see it as a devestating blow to the American worker. A class of American’s that is often over looked, or downplayed but one that keeps this country working behind the scenes everyday. I hope that our current admistration can make positive changes in the environment and give the American worker altertives to the traditional manufacturing jobs but with more American’s out of work it will be hard for him to get the support he needs from the American public.

By: Whoever...

Whoever... — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:25:50 +0000

Wasn’t the USA (among a few other countries) that defended this kind of free capitalism and its ability to regulate the markets all by itself?

It was that line of reasoning which led to where we are today! Without regulation, powerful people and corporations can do whatever they wish… including creating an alleged crisis which soon became real.

Therefore why all the surprise about GM filing for bankruptcy? The state of GM is the result of the way of doing business in the ‘old’ USA.
I feel sorry for GM workers but I believe the American government should have let GM go down, all the way!
Right now it wouldn’t affect the rest of the world’s economy very much. I mean, there are a lot of competitive auto makers out there! So, why care about GM?

Maybe that way GM’s bankruptcy would have set an example for other auto makers – either you manufacture safe, cheap, ‘green’ cars or you’ll be out of business very soon!

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 01:36:14 +0000

I like Micheal Moore but I know that the meat industry hurts the environment way more than cars. I doubt that Moore would promote that knowledge. I know that he’s not a vegetarian because he hunts. LOL.

By: Lola K

Lola K — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:31:05 +0000

Thanks Hil. It really did take a hit. I recently worked as a benefits advisor for the retirees that lost their health coverage, and I worry so much now for my beneficiaries. I can’t tell you the number of people I spoke with who said that now that their Prescription coverage had changed (for the worse) they would have to decide wether they would die of hunger because they can’t afford to eat, or die from their medical ailments or disease because they can’t afford their medication. These people, the ones who gave lifetimes of work to the auto industry are the ones who are really hurting from this. People need to realize that.

By: hil

hil — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:11:13 +0000

@ Lola K,
I too feel the pain of losing GM. While the hubris of the people at the top lead to it’s demise, my heart goes out to all of those that will now be out of work. My father is a steel man, and I know what it is like to spend most of your life in fear that your family could lose it’s primary source of income and you could go from being comfortable to destitute in just a couple of pay cycles. I was hoping that the Green Collar revolution would have been in full swing before more American’s had to be forced out of work. I want see a cleaner, more transit oriented America, but I think having most of the country out of work will make these changes harder. The morale of the American worker took another hit today.

By: Lola K

Lola K — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:56:53 +0000

I completely understand that our cars need to be manufactured with the understanding that our planets resources need to be conserved and the pollution controlled. However, to say good riddance to GM seems a bit harsh as well as ignorant. GM as well as the other US car companies are working to build more fuel efficient cars, which is now mandated by the government.
I live in Michigan and can tell you that the bankruptcy of GM as well as Chrysler has had a significantly negative effect on the state and the residents of the state. I urge anyone who is interested in this topic to check out this website. GM isn’t the monster that Michael Moore would like you to believe it is.

http://www.gm.com/corporate/responsibility/environment/news/2009/earth_042009.jsp

By: VeggieTart

VeggieTart — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:41:49 +0000

I did tell Michael Moore about how meat production does contribute more to global warming than the behemoths produced by GM.

And I’m a public transit-riding vegan.

By: Krystine

Krystine — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:17:50 +0000

…or Michael Moore could just stop eating so many cheeseburgers. I think THOSE are more the daggers to the heart of Mother Nature.

I’ll choose veg and carpool in my personal car, thank you very much!