Dallas says:

That would be the last place I’d buy a car. The auto bailout is about preserving jobs inside a huge recession.

FRAGaLOT says:

#2 it’s not working. Just bigger bonuses to the executives of those bailed out companies while they lay off more workers, and ship jobs over seas.

lemonademaker says:

I bet Corpo is not very happy with this. I’m sure it will be taken down soon. All along Ford has “played” the bigger man by not touting what happened with GM and Chrysler because the never knew if they’d be in the same position for a “hand out”. I’m glad they haven’t needed it since I am a huge Ford fan myself. I give the board a couple extra days……

FRAGaLOT says:

#5 we will never see any of that money again with the government having billions in defects. You’re better off letting failing companies go bankrupt, rather than putting them on life support.

Guyver says:

5, Dallas, The last thing we need are the masses continually sucking off the teat of government. It’s nothing more than a ponzi scheme at the expense of tax payers by redistributing wealth.

9, Bill, Maybe the European spec’d Focus can’t pass U.S. safety standards?

MrMiGu says:

Bob,
If the american auto industry failed causing hundreds of thousdans – millions(?) of people who rely on it, whether directly or indrectly, for jobs, would your company still have enough customers to be able to pay for your services?

Nobody says:

@bill
Because the focus does >40mpg
If everbody drove one we wouldn’t need foreign oil, so we wouldn’t need such a large army, so 1000s of soldiers would be unemployed

You have to think of the economy.
If you love America go and start your truck engine now and leave it running.

Benjamin says:

It keeps more efficient auto companies who can fill the niche out of the market if the government favors only the established players. I don’t think they need a bailout when the CEO makes million dollar bonuses. Let new companies compete with the established players and not bail out GM and Chrysler.

MrMiGu said, “If the american auto industry failed causing hundreds of thousdans – millions(?) of people who rely on it, whether directly or indrectly, for jobs, would your company still have enough customers to be able to pay for your services?”

jescott418 says:

Good for Ford, its better then taking money from tax payers because you cannot run a business right! Fix it yourself and you will not repeat those mistakes soon. Anyone who thinks government should bail out these poorly run companies to save jobs does not realize how much tax money that costs us. Chrysler in its bankruptcy proceedings indicated it would not pay back any bailout money.

Benjamin says:

Bull crap. Some better car company would come in and fill the niche that GM filled and fill it more efficiently.

Olo Baggins of Bywater said, on January 25th, 2010 at 12:28 pm

“If GM closed, the US would lose the auto industry forever. Well, Ford might do well. Maybe that doesn’t affect you, but the middle of the country would be devastated. And I’m not exaggerating, devastation like we’ve not seen since the 30s.”