tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905515.post8790529414544361734..comments2024-03-14T11:09:32.759-05:00Comments on Falkenblog: GM Zombie ReanimatedEric Falkensteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07243687157322033496noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905515.post-33253280158394763962010-11-22T00:39:02.591-06:002010-11-22T00:39:02.591-06:00Anonymous, I'll be honest and admit I have a p...Anonymous, I'll be honest and admit I have a particular emotional attachment to some American cars (Ford Mustang, etc.). Maybe economists don't think that is rational of me, but beyond that, I also want lots of choices in what to buy, especially by those well-placed to understand the American consumer. I don't want American cars to continue only due to government subsidies - I want them producing efficient, fairly priced, reliable, and beautiful vehicles that people all around the world want to buy. You might say that you don't care where items are produced, and I can see that point, but why not be the research, development, and production leaders in a multi-billion dollar world industry with a likely very long future ahead of it, unless you just assume it isn't possible to do profitably in the USA? If that is so, fine, but I certainly don't believe it yet, due to resources in technology, education, and capital present in the USA.Eriknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905515.post-51612826176260225182010-11-18T18:52:28.847-06:002010-11-18T18:52:28.847-06:00I am hopeful we can have a strong US auto industry...I am hopeful we can have a strong US auto industry again.<br />--------------<br /><br />why? I don't really see how it matters what we produce.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905515.post-39859776765361823952010-11-18T12:54:23.660-06:002010-11-18T12:54:23.660-06:00oops! Thanks! (it was 0.9)oops! Thanks! (it was 0.9)Eric Falkensteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07243687157322033496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905515.post-56678500803559880702010-11-18T12:48:39.949-06:002010-11-18T12:48:39.949-06:00"Liabilities/Asset ratio was pretty stable ar..."Liabilities/Asset ratio was pretty stable around 0.09 for a decade prior to the financial crisis."<br /><br />Did you mean to say 0.9? Or was the accounting <i>that</i> far out of whack?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05653308181484454720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7905515.post-43966048301059420602010-11-18T12:25:42.950-06:002010-11-18T12:25:42.950-06:00I'm not buying, but there are some real positi...I'm not buying, but there are some real positives at GM. They have the largest US market share even after cutting from 8 core US brands to 4, have closed plants, the new UAW retiree healthcare plan saves about 3 billion per year, hourly labor costs have dropped from 16 billion in 2005 to 5 billion (granted, on lower volume), etc. Some may balk at the current level of government ownership, but that should be temporary. I'm not necessarily optimistic, but I am hopeful we can have a strong US auto industry again.Eriknoreply@blogger.com