Detroiters Make the Case for a Lifeline

[LuckyTheDog]

A cross section of Detroiters say they wish they could persuade the country why General Motors and Chrysler, and by extension the city of Detroit, deserve to be saved.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/03/27/business/20090327-detroit-multimedia.html?ref=business

Related article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/28/business/28detroit.html

[liberal1973]

1. I have mixed feelings for GM

Sorry Chrysler you're all out of lifelines. You're fked.

[LuckyTheDog]

3. Chrysler is not trying as hard as GM or Ford

While GM and Ford have made VAST strides in quality and design, Chrysler has not. Sure Chrysler has put out some very cool cars in recent years. But its reliability ratings have lagged.

Now, I know a guy who sold a BMW to buy a Dodge Charger and likes the Charger better than the Beemer. But, as a rule, I think Chrysler has too many outdated vehicles. Another guy I know was a Jeep guy for decades. But he traded in his last Grand Caravan for a Ford Escape and probably will never go back.

I do not want Chrysler to go out of business. But it needs more tough love from the feds than GM does.

[liberal1973]

8. Chrysler's CEO needs to be fired.

[Urban Prairie]

2. Ain't very much left of the city of Detroit that can be saved.

My hometown is becoming the American version of Chernobyl. Most certainly it will die completely if, (or much more likely when) vehicles from China and India begin to be exported to the US. At least I am old enough to remember the heydays of the city and its domestic automotive industry, especially the musclecar era in the 60s.

[PassingFair]

4. The industry CAME here because of our resources and location.

We will attract other industries...

Too bad it might not be in MY economic
heyday....

:hi:

[LuckyTheDog]

5. That is utter nonsense

Detroit still has some strong neighborhoods and beautiful, pre-WW II buildings downtown. There have been a lot of success stories about reviving parts of Detroit. The loft development along shows that Motown has a lot of life left.

[angstlessk]

6. if only china makes autos..only china can make tanks...

the industry must exist if only to protect the country from invading forces...it must be able to produce for the military in times of crises (see WW2)

[nonconformist]

9. Well, the Detroit suburbs (which are quite nice) will look like inner city Detroit

If and when GM fails. You can bank on that... that is, if you chose a bank that got hundreds of billions in no-strings bailout money.

[Demeter]

7. You Know, If the US Can Exist Without Manufacturing

If all our manufactured goods can come from overseas, then surely we don't need farms, either. We can import all the food and throw Monsanto, Ardher Daniels Midland, General Mills and the like out of business.

Tchah! The country is run by idiots.

[nonconformist]

10. Wonderful, thanks. nt