Most people on this site know that I'm a fiscal conservative and I don't even like the term bailout. But I am afraid that if the Big 3 are allowed to fail that it could push back any hope of them producing a NGC for another 5 or 10 years. I do find interesting thay nobody on this site is talking about this aspect of the situation. The main source for the use of our Natural Gas might go under and people are still wanting to know where the next drilling rig is going to be located. Won't matter if they don't need your Natural Gas.
Actually, if you read the reports, people are buying. It may not be at the expected rate, as compared to last years sales, but cars are being sold. One main influence toward the decline in sales is the lack of being able to finance the sale (lender's not granting loans). As the financial industry stabilizes, vehicle sales might possibly rival last years quotas.
Nothing in the bailout package really helps them sell cars. The bailout should go to the taxpayers in the form of tax credits for buying a new car from an American car company. Preferably a CNG vehicle.
The goal, as viewed on the surface, seems to follow the principle that a reduction in build cost will translate to a reduction in sell price. Under the plan, we (consumers) should see vehicle prices decrease in the future (at least until 2014). Add in the effort to free up credit for the consumers, and we could have a workable solution.
BTW, tax credits have already been available for hybrid vehicles. Also, congress has recently increased the tax credit for electric vehicles to $7,500.
I just saw a commercial on KSLA (Ch. 12) for the first time this evening promoting the purchase of a vehicle from ANY local dealer. It wasn't a manufacturer's or a dealership's ad, this was like a PSA by the station. The theme was "Let's Keep It Rolling." I guess it's bad enough that the television station is willing to spot them all (dealerships) the air time?
I saw the same thing Sesport, it was like a psa but it left me feeling like the idea was to buy a car and help save the GM plant here more than anything else.
That was my second thought, too ... save the local plant. (That commercial is replaying right now.) I'm for saving our plant, couldn't ever figure out why it got switched to the Hummers, thought it was a bad move. I think if they want to save the plant, they need to switch back to a model more in demand locally like it once was, and of course ultimately start producing some type of CNG.