Give me your time..30+ yrs. on an automotive assembly line,then squawk about what an autoworker makes.US auto workers make no more than their foreign owned counterparts, do the research. It's the cost of benefits(foreign entities have gov. subsidized health, or none.) Free trade kills!(competition)

Gary, Elwood,

Why havent we seen the Auto Corps seeking concessions from employees to get costs under control? It helped in the aviation industry. Bankruptcy may even be a good option for some in order to realign bloated UAW contracts. Would like to see some effort. Little less pay better than no job at all.

Ken, Illinois, USA

Why is it we never hear about how much UAW members are paid. Many make more than the average physician who practices family medicine. There is no comparison in training, skills, and the value to society..

Ken, Sneads Ferry, NC, USA

UAW should bailout GM not taypayers. GM hourly employees make about $70+/hr and they expect people who make $15/hr to bailout them....We all know UAW invested in Obama campaign and now UAW demands payback from Obama.

Sanjeev, Modesto, USA

i think it is the people of american and throught the world to start looking into new resources other than gas. if we were to put all of this money into new technololgy there would never be a need for gas again. if you are confused on the resources and technology that can obtain please visit

chris graden, new york,

GM and the other two automakers have been building cars that they want the public to drive. This consists of gas guzzeling SUV's that make the automakers more profit, not small cars with low profit. Now those aren't selling. Who should be at fault? They continued to build boats. No long vision.

Mike H, Lansing, MI, USA

Well done Bush - Obama & Pelosi would destroy the entire American economy by attempting to save the US Auto giants.

These companies have already been provided with multi billion loans - subject to implementation of new production strategies.

The bail out fund is designed to prop up global markets.

Richard, Stanstead Abbotts,

The average hourly salary for an auto worker at Ford , GM Chrysler is about $73.20 per hour according to the web site Carpe Diem. The figures cited there are based on a June 2008 bulletin on wages from the US Department of Labor. Lower paid taxpayers should not have to subsidize this pay rate.

earl hickey, Chicago, USA

GM makes vehicles people want:
US sales data - Toyota 1.2 million sales, Honda 0.8 and GM 1.6 million.
Quality -
Camry and Accord outsells Malibu even though Malibu has better MPG, better crash ratings, less compaints & recalls to NHTSA, and more awards. The US makes quality vehicles now.

Greg, Rochester, USA

There's little point in pouring money into a US car industry that isn't making the type of cars that people want. The need for smaller, more economic cars has been apparent for the past ten years but the US has continued to produce large gas guzzlers, and not particularly reliable.

Sue, Sheffield, UK

One more thing - those of you who think that cars made in Detroit are inferior, have you bought an American car in the last 2 decades? I owned a 92 Chevrolet Blazer that had 280,000 miles on it when I RETIRED it never needing to service the engine beyond oil and anti-freeze changes!
GET REAL!

Strider, Minneapolis, MN, USA

Where are you people getting this $85/hr figure? Auto workers don't make anywhere near that kind of money (incl benefits)!

A start on solving this crises would be to enact a national health care program as that would reduce what the auto companies need to pay their employees and their pensioners.

Strider, Minneapolis, MN, USA

AIG's expense for the parties etc. wasn't for executives of that company. It was for the top salespeople, who are in fact independent contractors for the company. They earned those highly lucrative perks by being the best of the best in sales and generating huge amounts of revenue for the company.

phil, Dallas, USA

Why don't you guys try and think for a change? Combustion engine technology, as it now is, is very very dated. Your motor companies that you are so in love with and feel so sorry for, should release to the government the patents on technology which would have made their manufactures obsolete.

Tim, Austin, USA

Why does the UAW not bail them out? They make $85 per hour!

Sam Updike, Lake Wales, Florida, USA

I live outside of Detroit, and we need the automotive bailout or we will all lose our jobs... That is the main source of jobs around here, Automotive companies and other companies related. Our economy in Michigan is horrible right now and people cannot get loans to even buy cars.

George, Auburn Hills, U.S.A.

The car industry in America will sink or swim on the strength of it's own products. Why go pumping billions into a loss making enterprise. Those in the USA are going to learn the lessons of history, just look what happened to the British car and motorcycle industries !

N. Zymes, Liverpool, UK

I'm from Colombia, and Bush support toward the free trade deal is very important for us. Democrats alegate that syndicate (s) killings are very high on Colombia, but the actual data shows that it is safer to belong to a syndicate than to the general population...

Juan Manuel Puyana, Bogota, Colombia

and that killing rate of syndicates has decreaced more than 80% since Uribe came to power, so after these, do you think the democratic argument is valid? I dont...

...and sorry for lame english.

Juan Manuel Puyana, Bogota, Colombia

My first reaction was NO. After all, no one bailed out the horse drawn carriage industry.
Then I realized that they must fall within the 5% that will soon be paying all of the taxes so their employees don't have to. Not to mention the financial burden of pensions, which isn't small.
Hmmmm..

Kate, Maryland, USA

I think president elect Obama should be careful in giving money to GM and Ford. The money should only be used for green automobile R&D and production. There is a reason more americans are buying Toyota; They don't break down all the time! Why not give money to Tesla Motors to create jobs?

Andrew Stone, Boston, USA

I say lend the money needed to keep the business going, but do not lend the money to cover the union/employee health costs etc. At an average of $85.00 an hour, the employees ought to be able to cover their own costs, at least temporarily. Would think they would be happy to have a job.

Penny, Kansas City, Missouri, usa

Bailing out Ford and GM could be disasterous without stipulating that the money be used for green automobiles. There is a reason Americans are buying Toyota cars because they don't break down! Why not give money to Tesla Motors so they can create new jobs! The UAW are crooks.

Andrew, Boston, USA

How can GM and Ford still be solvent? What keeps them from bankrutcy? Surely a company whose debt far outstrips its worth is worthless?

Jaimi, London, UK

If you are bailing out the Banks wouldn’t you think the banks should lend money to the auto industry and all the other struggling businesses caught in the down turn? The government now is borrowing money at very low interest rate and intern buying shares of the banks, the beginning of socialism. The banks are supposed to lend that extra infusion of cash to other businesses. Unfortunately their buying other banks

Country First, No Where,

Obama is right. It's 1000's of jobs at stake and once a major car manufacturer falls it isn't replaced - witness the collapse of the UK car industry as oppose the the French and German. Support your large scale manufacturing base or perish.

Mark, Warrington,

With ONE IN TEN U.S. jobs being dependent on the domestic auto industry, it is obvious that failure of the industry would be catastrophic for the economy. That Bush ties his support to Free Trade for the ever- murky Colombians is shameful. But hey! Under Bush, Shame and Scandals are routine!

Garth Strong, Houston, USA

Because millions of people and thousands of families, small businesses and other industries would be impacted by the failure of GM, Chrysler and Ford, to the point that it would very likely collapse our already weak economy. A small struggling software company, sadly, is not as critical to save.

Doug, Las vVegas, USA

King Obama & his Clinton court (change & hope my foot) will soon make the world right. All of Europe with their historical failings are great to judge the U.S.. Exactly how many dictators did they allow to gain power in their countries throughout history. Obama has much to learn at our expense.

R. Gill, Charlotte, United States

well if bush lets the auto industry fail you all will have problems. almost 5 million jobs are tied to the auto industry and 1 job in 10 is related. This country will spiral into a depression if it is allowed to fail. It will look really wierd when our top govt. officials are in toyota's cars.

Ken, Detroit, USA

Why should we bail out the banks let them baileach other otu in mergers Why should they give aig so much money let them fail they clearly cant manage money because they are still throwing parties and planning hunting trips with our money now let aig go and let some one buy them that can manage mone

matt, naples, usa

Clearly, the American auto industry has over-valued its product for years and this has been the case for financial markets as well. I don't believe a total-bailout is deserved for either, however, I would support a financial plan designed to encourage product innovation in the auto industry.

Josh, Charlotte, N.C.,

If you are bailing out the Banks wouldn’t you think the banks should lend money to the auto industry and all the other struggling businesses caught in the down turn? The government now is borrowing money at very low interest rate and intern buying shares of the banks, the beginning of socialism. The banks are supposed to lend that extra infusion of cash to other businesses. Unfortunately their buying other banks

mike, chesapeake, usa

The reason why GM & Ford are in trouble, is because for years they have produced junk. No one wants to buy junk, so no one is buying GM & Fords.

Make better cars, sales will increase and profits will increase.

Simple really.

Brent, Hammersmith, London

The US car industry doesnt deserve a bailout because they have consistently failed to improve cars like Japan or Europe because they aways had loyal purchasers. That being said- Why would Bush put the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of US workers at the hands of a Columbia free trade deal?

Brian, Mississauga, Canada

Bush is correct. As hedge fund manager Bill Ackman is saying, the contracts with the UAW must be reworked prior to gaining access to funds, and perhaps through a pre-packaged bankruptcy filing. Otherwise, access to the bailout funds are really a handout to the unions.

George, New York, USA

The difference is that the auto industry can play a key role toward US energy independence. It has a potentially dual role if the terms of the Government aid is re-tooling for the post-industrial revolution. Investments into an infrastructure where one thing serves many purposes is good practice.

Carrie, Charlottesville, USA

Because without US owned automakers we no longer control our transportation needs. We have already given up energy, if we give up autos we mine as well start using the Yen

Jay, Chesapeake Beach, USA

Sorry. Bush is right. Why should the US bailout the car industry, as distinct from other industries? Why is a job for Ford worth more than a job in a struggling software company in Southern California or a cannery in North Carolina. Whether the US car industry survives is down to the industry itself

Mark, Berkhamsted,