The Bailout of General Motors and Chrysler in 2009 was, and remains, a very controversial move by President Bush and Obama. One thing that is truly surprising is how controversial still States that the most advantage: Michigan.
Two and a half years ago when the Government save two cars being debated and voted on, only 52 percent of Michiganders said in an opinion poll reported by the the US News and World Report that they favored a Government bailout. Today, the approval rate is the same.
Seriously? Only half approve of even after tens of thousands of jobs, high returns and the taxpayer are paid back. In some of the Los Angeles Auto Show, I asked GM President Mark Reuss, who was born and raised in Michigan and has lived her life with the GM, as the first son of former President GM Lloyd Reuss and later in his career for yourself why he thought divide remains. "I think people have become very polarized on the issues of the appropriate role of Government," he said. And in Michigan, Reuss adds, "the State has always been a little divided between GM and Ford, right?"
Can that actually has something to do with a split? The fact that Ford did not need a bailout? For those fans of Ford that can look down their noses at GM and Chrysler, consider that Ford management is 100 percent of his rival, and that the bailout firms will be happy to have the bailout also if CEO Alan Mulally has not been so interchangeable recapitalized companies predict when he turned Pro in 2006 and 2007, before the crisis.
I can accept that people are divided about President Obama. Everyone has the right to vote and their opinions. But it seems to me that President Obama is so much deserves credit for taking unpopular positions nationwide for the Betterment of the country. But even more than that. This goes far beyond the issue of helping one of the country, or a credit for the President.