Reply #14: It's been pointed out by others on DU

[benevolent dictator]

that GM is overstaffed and could save a lot in the long term by replacing a lot of their employees with robots.

Comparing GM to Wal-Mart is completely baseless and unfair. GM pays good wages and benefits and that's a part of why they're in trouble. Over $1,700 of the cost of every car is health care and pension benefits, and they spend more on health care for their employees than they do on steel for their cars.

Cutting the workforce is sometimes necessary to stay in business. They're also cutting out some SUV lines. I'm not saying there's no fat in the management, I'm not saying they should be excused. I'm just saying they've got to compete and if you don't want their other 100,000 employees to be out of work, too, then something's got to give.

There's also the fact that it's pretty much illegal for them to do anything that the stockholders feel is cutting into their profit share. A corporations only responsibility is to it's stock holders and if they feel the company isn't looking out for them enough, they can sue.

Not buying American cars only puts our car companies deeper in debt, which means they will lay off more workers.

Sorry if this post is a bit disjointed... it's getting late.