General Motors: Putting America to Work. The Facts

[jseankil]

Every day, nearly one million Americans earn their living helping GM build and sell cars in the United States.

Over 1.2 million Americans receive health care benefits from General Motors.

The domestic parts content for GM vehicles sold in North America is 82%.

Toyota Motor Company’s domestic parts content is under 36%; Lexus brand is 3.4%.

In the past 5 years, GM has invested over $20 billion in the U.S.

GM’s contribution to the U.S. Gross National Product is about 4 times that of Toyota.

Over 85% of the Total Investments in the U.S. Auto Industry since 1980 have been made by GM, Ford and DCX

Combined, GM, Ford and DCX spend over $16 Billion on Research and Development each year – more than any other industry

Profits earned by domestic manufacturers stay in the United States

[AndyA]

1. This is why Americans need to buy AMERICAN CARS.

I'm ashamed at how many people today don't have the common sense to see what they're doing when they buy a foreign car. And I don't care if it was made in America, the profits still go OVERSEAS.

BE AMERICAN. SUPPORT AMERICA. BUY AMERICAN. It's not that difficult.

[Book Lover]

3. If I am going to go into debit for five years, I want a car that will last

I am driving a 1988 Volvo with 198,000 miles on it: no rust, good suspension, interior fitments are not cracked or faded, seats still bolster and no tears in the leather, still using the original fuel pump(!!). Point out the Big Three vehicle that can make the same claim. The idea that I must buy an American car for the good of the nation flies in the face of simple capitalistic economics (you know, the ones we are supposed to embrace in this country).

[Selatius]

5. Ideally, you should buy the best product for your dollar

The basis not of capitalism but of the notion of free markets or consumer choice be it in a socialistic economy or a capitalistic one is that the best product in the eyes of people wins. Being the cheapest product does not necessarily equate to being the best product when you measure it according to several objective criteria such as shelf-life or durability.

If Toyota turns out higher quality car bodies and car engines than GM, then it's going to show up as increased market-share. The problem comes when wealthy individuals try to manipulate this process to their own advantage and to the detriment of the consumer. "Free-trade" is just a form of manipulation that skews the outcome towards the "cheapest" product instead of the "best" product. The result is US workers are fired for the fact that the corporation is unwilling to pay for health care or pensions or even wages.

[Sinistrous]

9. I own a 1991 Olds Cutlass Ciera

with over 260,000 miles on it. Runs just fine, thank you, although the air conditioner is a little weak.

It's predecessor, another Ciera, had 228,000 miles before I got rid of it.

Sinistrous

[Book Lover]

10. That vehicle is the exception

I haven't seen a Cutlass Ciera on the road in years (that is here in the land of no winter). My mother's Firenza certainly didn't hold up well at all; she had it for nearly a decade and when she got rid of it, there were rust breaks in the floorpan. My first car, a '79 Trans Am, looked and acted like a 20 year old car at 10 years old. My husband's Cavalier was so shoddy, you could bend the doorframe in and out of shape.

[Sinistrous]

19. I recently was getting off an Interstate, and

there were four Cieras/Centurys ahead of me.

They do sort of blend in to the background, so it is probable you just haven't noticed them.

Sinistrous

[12string]

16. my ford

my 1996 taurus has 184000 miles on it.I drove it from Wa. to
Az. and back when it had 172000 on it.It has no rust,the fit
and finish and interior are exemplary.There are no squeaks or
rattles and it still performs as well as my 1997 sable that
has 54000 miles on it.Maybe you are still thinking the best
thing out of detroit was the K car,Give the big three another
look.

[AndyA]

15. I think it's patriotic to buy American, support American companies, and

help protect your neighbor's job. Someday it could be YOUR job that's going overseas.

And there really isn't any truth to American cars being less dependable than foreign ones. For every horror story I hear about an American car, I hear an equally awful story about a foreign car. My company car is a Mercury Grand Marquis with over 100,000 miles on it. It has needed nothing other than gas, oil changes, a new belt, and one set of tires. Still runs like a brand new car. I also have two older American cars, and both still run and drive like new. One of them is a 1969 model, and it still starts right up every time, even after sitting for weeks without being driven, and gets me where I need to go without any problem. A lot of the reliability is directly related to the care they get from their owners.

We should all be thankful our forefathers weren't so selfish and short sighted that they didn't want to inconvenience themselves by fighting for our country.

[mediaman007]

2. If Sam Walton sold cars he would use this stuff! On the other hand,

corporations have convinced us to forgo unions, and to not buy American long ago!

[Selatius]

4. Where are your sources?

I'm interested because of the last sentence in your post. It seems to be ignoring the degrading effect off-shoring of manufacturing work has on workers on the assemblyline. So many things in the US that are sold by US firms were manufactured by US firms in China with Chinese labor instead of American labor.

[DancingBear]

6. I've heard they're on a big PR kick as well

They seem to be spreading the "message" in the oddest places.

[Richard Steele]

13. Yeah, they certainly are.

[kenny blankenship]

7. this is not a rhetorical question: Has Bushler said even one word about

the troubles of the largest manufacturing sector in the United States in the years he has defiled the White House?
Anything?

[Saturday]

8. Source please.

I find some of your facts misleading. I'd like to see who is making these claims.

[Richard Steele]

18. His source is THE source...

...AKA "the GM Marketing Dept".

General Motors' latest ad budget included some $$$
for NetVocate-style AstroTurf propaganda.

They are PAYING certain folks
to spread the "facts" listed in the OP
across every discussion board they can log on to.

DUer 'jseankill' is just one of their many dime-per-click whores.

[Guy Fawkes]

11. Thank you.

I've been seeing a lot of insults directed towards GM on here... it bugs me a lot.

[Saturday]

14. Huh?

I only see discussion and stories of personal experiences with cars. I don't see any insults towards GM. Again I personally would like the OP to give us their source.

[dave502d]

12. Thank you jseankil i will pass this on to everyone i know.n/t

[blues90]

17. where did this info come from ?

GM bailed out in flint and GM has closed more plants and laid off more employees than the other two american auto corps . GM is laying off another huge amount of employees real soon and GM like ford has most of their parts made over seas so if you add it all up there is definetly something wrong with this information . Not to come off as a wise jerk but this does not add up .