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Big Three CEOs Flew Private Jets to Plead for Public Funds
ABC News ^ | November 19, 2008 | Brian Ross and Joseph Rhee

Posted on 11/19/2008 7:33:33 AM PST by Dukes Travels

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To: Dukes Travels
do people on this forum actually believe that one CEO could be the cause of a companies downfall?

no matter how inept, these guys are extremely powerful and their time is valuable.

companies have private jets because they do end up saving time and time is money to these people.

of course, these companies are in big trouble and there is plenty of blame to go around. so please keep your flaming to yourselves. i am not defending them. but an article about a private jet flight? nit pick much?

i blame the michigan gov't and the unions just as much as the companies themselves.

oh, and don't forget those darn foreign automakers and their goods of higher quality.

21 posted on 11/19/2008 7:45:27 AM PST by thefactor (yes, as a matter of fact, i DID only read the excerpt)
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To: Las Vegas Ron
I'd contend that any CEO of a major corporation would be NEGLIGENT if he did not approach the government in this current environment. What shareholder would not want an extra few billion on the bottom line of their investments balance sheets, especially when it is available for the mere asking?

Sure, it sucks for us taxpayers, but since is the playing field we're all facing, it is silly to assume that corporations won't try to maximize their position in it. Again, they would not be doing their jobs properly if they were not trying to maximize gains. Get government out of the insane (and anti-capitalist) business of halting all foreclosures, bankruptcies, and business failures, and these problems go away.

22 posted on 11/19/2008 7:45:37 AM PST by Teacher317 (Well, at least we know Obama isn't the anti-Christ. Satan would have more class.)
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To: Dukes Travels

At the very least, Congress should ask that any funds be matched 1:1 from the private sector with equal risk provisions

I hope they don’t get it. Pelosi and Reid are tap dancing on this one. If they force it through, Bush should veto it and let Obama do it.


23 posted on 11/19/2008 7:46:31 AM PST by cowtowney
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To: Dukes Travels

My neighbor retired from Chrysler a few years ago (before 50 years old) and he was just a low level exec. He’ll be the first to tell you that he was overpaid. When we talked about the $78 an hour cost of a union employee and he told me that it cost an estimated $400 per hour to employ him.

There are big problems with the union but they are far from the only problem.


24 posted on 11/19/2008 7:46:49 AM PST by cripplecreek (The poor bastards have us surrounded.)
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To: Mind-numbed Robot

Have they driven a Ford lately??

Come on. why don’t they drive what they sell. Would have looked pretty good in the front row parking a block from the Capital bldg. then the reporters could have shown them walking the rest of the way in support of Obama’s energy plan.


25 posted on 11/19/2008 7:48:36 AM PST by o_zarkman44 (Since when is paying more, but getting less, considered Patriotic?)
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To: Teacher317
Clearly, they want the CEO’s to be dragged down to middle-class levels, as always.

Uh, since they're after MY money, I want them dragged down to the poverty line.

26 posted on 11/19/2008 7:50:25 AM PST by Sloth (What's the difference between taxation and armed robbery, aside from who's doing it?)
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To: Dukes Travels

They need to go into bankruptcy and force them to reorganize.....including the unions. Employees need to figure out if the want a job or go on the unemployment line. It’s not all the employees fault but they put the unions in charge to get them the higher wages and benefits. The average wage is $60K for putting a bumper on a car? Give me a break here.


27 posted on 11/19/2008 7:50:47 AM PST by RC2
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To: rom
Oh come on. Here you have three companies that are bleeding money, that only have a few months to live at their current burn rate, and instead of taking a commercial flight (first class even) they take private jets that cost $5-$10,000 *an hour* to fly? For that matter, why aren’t the private jets on the auction block?

Ah, so you despise private property, too? Here's a hint: a middle-class entrepreneur's car isn't an asset of their little LLC. The CEOs' personal planes are not assets of the large corporations, either.

If you want a government loan (which comes out of OUR tax monies) then you better grovel and act humble and start acting like you’re going to slash costs and be fiscally prudent.

Ah, so you want students to grovel for school loans, too? What is it about some people who want to see the wealthy and successful be publicly humiliated? It's been a sport for mankind for centuries, but I just never saw the appeal. (Okay, so I'm relishing the current pain of Notre Dame football, myself. I'm a hypocrite, too.)

You can start by restructuring the 2010 UAW contracts to apply tomorrow and making Wagoner work for

And here we are again, using the power of government to do utterly inapropriate things. I heard some squealing Dem yesterday talking about how we need to fire the Big Three CEO's, and replace them with better businessmen... as if it's government's choice who is on the boards of the Big Three...

Of course, after they use our stolen tax money to become large share-holders, that is EXACTLY what they will do.

28 posted on 11/19/2008 7:51:21 AM PST by Teacher317 (Well, at least we know Obama isn't the anti-Christ. Satan would have more class.)
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To: Dilbert San Diego
The CEOs are ok as long as they buy their carbon credits.

The 'carbon credit' scheme is the biggest, hypocrisy ever put out by the far-left!!

So, according to them, those with money (individual and/or corporate) can BUY their way out--while those companies with less money cannot?

Yep, that's real PROGESSIVE there! /s

29 posted on 11/19/2008 7:51:26 AM PST by stockstrader (At least Biden tried to warn us of the dangers of an inexperienced and unqualified ticket)
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sell the jets & get 3 coach tickets.
there’a a start

perhaps if the CEOs & Union leaders rode together they could hammer out a deal to save those companies instead of begging

no deal - no way

perhaps after chap 11 we can help


30 posted on 11/19/2008 7:53:46 AM PST by She hits a grand slam tonight
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To: Dukes Travels

So what? Al Gore flies private jets to his GoreBull Warming meeting.


31 posted on 11/19/2008 7:54:52 AM PST by Living Free in NH
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To: Dukes Travels
It's nice of the airline execs to help support another troubled industry (the airlines)--

by flying private jets.

Put aside the extra cost, the extra carbon, the extra fuel (good thing wasting fuel isn't important) used and the horrible public relations--

I'm sure that airline service is so limited between Detroit and DC that there was no other conceivable alternative! /s

32 posted on 11/19/2008 7:55:14 AM PST by stockstrader (At least Biden tried to warn us of the dangers of an inexperienced and unqualified ticket)
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To: Sloth
Read my post #22. The GOVERNMENT set up the current system where billion-dollars handouts are obtainable for the asking. Reserve your venom for those who created this insanity, not those rational businesspersons who see the current landscape, and react to it as any businessperson would, and should. The government took our taxes, and promised to use them to help big businesses stay afloat. Here we have 3 very big businesses who are in some trouble, responding to that offer.

Don't hate the playa, hate the game.

I'm SO "street"! ;^)

33 posted on 11/19/2008 7:55:42 AM PST by Teacher317 (Well, at least we know Obama isn't the anti-Christ. Satan would have more class.)
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To: Dukes Travels
maybe they should sell the planes on ebay!
if sarah as a governor can go without one, surely these peeps can ;)
way to win support big 3 LOL!
34 posted on 11/19/2008 7:55:56 AM PST by CanadianMusherinMI (drill baby drill/mine baby mine!)
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To: Teacher317
Dead on.

Reagan's "Government is the problem, not the solution" has never been more true.

35 posted on 11/19/2008 7:57:10 AM PST by Las Vegas Ron (When homo's can procreate - they can get married)
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To: Dukes Travels

This reminds me of when leaders from my home town, Iron River, MI traveled to Chicago to convince the executives of Chicago Northwestern Railroad to keep the passenger service Iron River was about to lose. The first question someone from Chicago Northwestern Railroad had was “How was your trip here?”. When they answered “It was a long drive”, the meeting was over.


36 posted on 11/19/2008 7:58:48 AM PST by Dixie Yooper (Ephesians 6:11)
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To: CanadianMusherinMI
Great point. Governor Sarah Palin sells her's. If she can do without one--I'm sure the auto CEO's could 'rough it' too. But then again, maybe without private jets--they couldn't perform as profitably and efficiently....LOL

Here's the deal. The government gives GM a grace period on its debt and legacy costs,,,,and in return,,,

Sarah is put in charge as CEO of GM!!!

37 posted on 11/19/2008 7:59:15 AM PST by stockstrader (At least Biden tried to warn us of the dangers of an inexperienced and unqualified ticket)
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To: Dukes Travels

I will agree that it was poor PR for the boys to show up at Dulles in the heavy iron. Makes for great theater on the part of the news media. But I have a question. How does the UAW haul Gettlefinger’s butt around? Wanna bet it ain’t Useless Air coach?


38 posted on 11/19/2008 8:01:37 AM PST by technically right
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To: Dukes Travels

HEY! These guys only became ‘worthless executives’ when the s**t hit the fan. All was well while everyone was living large. “We are Americans; we want more, bigger, faster, newer. We have to keep up with our friends”. Why did we let ourselves sink to such a gluttinous point? It’s (we’re) disgusting, that’s it. Why can’t we accept the fact that life is only SUPPOSED to provide so much, not everything.


39 posted on 11/19/2008 8:01:45 AM PST by catchem (NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE STUPIDITY OF THE AMERICAN VOTER!)
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To: Teacher317
Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't you the one I posted to a few weeks ago regarding pension funds for teachers? You had commented on a thread about not wanting to fund the pensions for auto unions, but when I said we would all be facing higher taxes to replenish the teacher retirement funds after the market "downturn" you were all for it?
40 posted on 11/19/2008 8:03:40 AM PST by WhyisaTexasgirlinPA (Tagline scrubbed to prevent invitation to indoctrinization camp)
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