I have a hard time feeling sorry for General Motors. Sorry. The fact is, if GM made better cars, and was more competitive with the Japanese and Germans and Koreans, it may not be in the situation it finds itself in today–its shares dropping to a 65 year low!

GM is busy trying to sell the government on the notion that it needs taxpayer dollars to keep alive. This is no doubt true. And, it is also true that GM is so damn big, that should it go bankrupt–which is possible–it would ignite a financial fire that would make the demise of some banks recently pale by comparison.

So, it looks like, for better or worse, we, you and I, are going to have to go out on a further limb by risking our tax dollars to keep GM humming.

But there ought to be lots of strings attached to any government financial help–to GM or any of the two other major automotive players.

Some money already pledged to help the auto makers also mandates they build greener more fuel efficient vehicles.

That’s a good start. But only a start.

For years, many Americans have blasted GM and other U.S. auto makers for making a product that is, by and large, inferior to their European and Asian counterparts. U.S. cars tended to break down more easily, were less reliable, didn’t look or drive as good….you have no doubt heard of this before. And, it is all true.

But if the auto makers want us to bail them out, shouldn’t we have a say in how they actually make their product? And, not just in the marketplace?

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