The NEW GM !

     Allll riiiigght!  America's heavyweight automaker has reentered the fray, "leaner and meaner", we hope!  At least, that's what's been reported by the Associated Press.  So, what was so bad about the old one -- the old GM?  Well, besides the fact they became a big loser and couldn't sell vehicles in their own country in the face of foreign competitors, what was wrong?  How about you Americans giving us your feedback on this, once I'm done, okay?  You know, I grew up in the -- well, lest's just say I've lived awhile, shall we -- so, ah yes, I remember back in the 1980s, some manufacturers were making cars that were getting gas mileage up into the mid 30s and even to the mid 40s mpg.  We've come a long way since then.  Now tell me, why has the auto industry here acted like it couldn't produce a car in the 90s or later, until recently, that got better than the mid 20s to mid 30s mpg?  Did they rely on collective American amnesia to mask the facts?  Did they all think us to be stupid, or ignorant?  Come on, we have a lot of intelligent people in this country!

      What about the quality of American cars: what happened to that?  The people of this country who have lived long enough have seen the little toy boxes foreign competitors used to put out.  When they kept getting better and better, didn't somebody ever think, "You know what, we need to do something or we might just lose out someday!"  Or were they just so cocky, rich and arrogant that they didn't care, knew Americans often preferred buying U.S.-made automobiles and simply sat on their couches and big easy chairs, all fat and sassy like Garfield the cat?  Oh, that looks to me like what happened.  Yes indeed.  Take advantage of those Americans and their patriotism.  Why they'll always come running to us, and we'll be right here waiting for them...and their big, fat wallets.  My, how times have changed, and for the foolish, they never even see it coming, do they; but, don't worry, American patriotism just saved your fat butts again, didn't it?  -- Don't bother to thank us too much (as if you would).  Heh, I wonder how it would have gone if we had all just let GM go down the toilet in order to teach a lesson to all the rest.  You know, those other rich cat freeloaders live high on the hog while they hoodwink Americans into feeling sorry for them and bamboozle their stockholders by shoddy performance, big offices, big checks, high living, and so on.  Oh, can you hear them laughing?  They might still be laughing now, since we already gave them the money, huh?

       Yes Sir, if the company elite really learned something through all of this and it lasts for more than ten years, I'll be surprised.  Why?  People get used to having things a certain way, and it is easier to sit around doing things the easy way than it is to get up and take action.  Work is, well, "hard work".  So, GM, take a look around you and see all those nice people you ruined by your laziness -- all those fine Americans out of work or who've lost their homes over the years due to your laziness.  That's a real fine pay-back for all our trust in "buying American" all those years.  Broken this, broken that: cars that for the longest time were so lousy you just drove us to buying foreign-made vehicles, even when we didn't want to.  When you finally started getting better craftsmanship and design once more -- because you had to -- you still sat fat, lazy and sassy on your heels, simply pumping out your good old standby, big gas-guzzlers.  That, O friend of America, is simple, outright disrespect!  Sure, you offered rewards to faithful customers, but you yourself were disrespectful and unfaithful to the consumer.

        Another thing is we don't want some attitude like Japanese workers are better than us.  And besides that, since we have a free trade agreement in North America, and so many central Americans funneling up here for jobs, too, why not send some work their way if it really must be done so very cheaply that you think you have to go overseas with it.  It would sure save on shipping, wouldn't it, and it would keep the money more local, in our hemisphere, while easing the economic situations among our neighbors, right?  Even shipping things from the Caribbean is a lot closer than from half-way around the world!  That would provide yet more jobs for American workers, since so many other American jobs might not be swallowed up by illegal aliens and maybe more of them could stay home with their families.  Hey, that might help raise their standards of living and snowball into a much better place all around.  You listen up, too, Mrs. John Kerry : we heard about the outsourcing of all those jobs to overseas companies, didn't we?  My, oh my,  I wonder how many others could take notes on this, instead of helping to pay the communists to take over the world.

      So, where do we go from here?  Well, for one, I sincerely hope that GM, has learned something -- and not that they are good con-artists,  because the next time, I don't know if there will be another rescue.  America was built with ingenuity, innovation and competition, and we've done for General Motors, the auto industry and some banks...what is not standard practice.  How many other companies, especially small businesses, get such a helping hand.  Most people, regardless of how good their idea is, fall and don't get back up in the business world, or the sharks come around and swallow them up.  So, please, remember that, and remember the Americans you've hurt and who've bailed your easy-living behinds out of the fiery furnace.  Do better, GM -- I challenge you.  Let's see you be great again.  Give America our money's worth.    Let us say gladly that we bought an AMERICAN car, without hoping on the side that it doesn't fall apart before the warranty expires.   Hey, make us proud of you again,...if you can.  Meanwhile, why don't you pin up some pictures in your offices of all those poor people out of work because of all you've done -- or should I say, because of all you haven't done.  You know, just as a reminder.