Interesting excerpt from Dick Morris column

full article here: OBAMA, GM: YOU BREAK IT, YOU OWN IT at DickMorris.com

By Dick Morris
04.1.2009

Published on TheHill.com on March 31, 2009
GM, now renamed Government Motors, has a new CEO: President Barack Obama.
By replacing the head of the company and demanding a restructuring of its board in return for further TARP aid, Obama has taken upon himself the responsibility for the future of the company. As Gen. Colin Powell said when Bush was considering invading Iraq and toppling the Saddam Hussein government there: “If you break it, you own it.” Now it is Obama’s company.

This move will backfire big time! The auto giant is very, very unlikely to be saved by this current TARP infusion. Doubtless it will need more in the near term. But the resentment now focused on the management of the company will then turn to Obama. Having demanded a replacement of the management, it is he who will be held responsible for the company’s future.
And each time GM asks for more money, Obama will face a choice: take personal responsibility for laying off 100,000 auto workers or anteing up the additional cash. By inserting himself so deeply into the management of the company, Obama makes himself central to its future. If Obama lets the company fail, having already extended credit, he will have all of Michigan on his case. If he keeps coming up with more and more tax money, he will earn the contempt of the voters.
Socialism has its price. By taking over the management of a company, you become the determinant of its fate in the public’s mind.
Obama does not seem to realize that government takeover is the beginning, not the end, of the problem. He should have stuck with being president and left making cars to others.

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"For me, Truth is a kind of holy grail. I believe that Truth and Ideology are often at war with one another, and my allegiance is to Truth"

I love it! Brarack is flexing his muscles a bit, kinda reminds of when Reagan fired the air traffic controllers back in 1981. No more Mr. Nice guy then or now!

The Republican Minority( the "No" Party) whined that he fired him him, and they surely would have whined if he didn't.


PS : Dick Morris is a bottom feeder.

He didn't break it, but he's trying to fix it!

I'd like to see some of these pundits & columnists have to actually DO something besides criticize those making an effort to change things.

Bunch of do-nothing whiners!

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"Chemicals should not be innocent until proven guilty."

As I stated in another thread, I'm impressed with his handling of this. It's exactly what the Republicans were calling for in January when the dems where looking to just bail them out again. I have to imagine Pelosi and Reed are stewing over this big time.

I'm glad he finally mentioned the ugly 'bankruptcy' word.

That's exactly the direction GM should be headed!

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Helping others is a gift.

they are going to downsize the operation to reflect market share, and screw everyone involved....should have happened long ago, but what's that saying about free market capitalism?? you know, the kind that helped the banks.

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peacemonger

I don't see a similarity to the controller strike. Since they were federal emplyees, Reagan was their boss all along, so that gave him the authority to take disciplinary action for violating the no strike clause of their contract. The idea of disciplinary action in this case doesn't make sense because running a private company into the ground is not a violation under any kind of federal jurisdiction. I guess in this case, Obama is saying to GM, "I'll help you, but it's going to be on my terms". This bailout and it's terms may be necessary, but it doesn't make me feel comfortable at the moment.