Should the US bailout the big three automakers?

[Dwight]

I worked at the Louisville Ford truck plant is '98. The workers told me that a truck cost $7,832 or some close to that at the time. They sold for $21,000 plus. The cost is per unit, six wheels, four wheel, two door, four door, it did not matter. They look at unit cost. In 2001 I worked at the Ford plant in St Louis. One day I asked a guy in a white shirt and tie how much is cost to make the 4 door Explorer. His reply was " Corporate pays me $10,500 per unit". I asked "who are you"? he replied "I'm the plant manager". We talked more about the cost of the Explorers. Very nice guy. The Explorer sticker price was $28,000 to $34,000. I have worked in a couple of Toyota plants in Ky and Ala. Toyota builds their plants with union contractors but most are non union production/maintenance.
Without UNIONS everyone would have 70 hour work weeks, no holidays, no insurance, no retirement, no child labor laws, nothing. Only what you as an individual could negotiate with your boss. Read the history of America 1800's thru 1940's. Or look at Russia last year.

Union are not perfect organizations and we have our share of greedy corrupt people but I know that I'm a lot better off because of my union. They gave me a chance to go to school for 4 years to learn my trade and work to provide for my family. I was out of work 5 months last year but did not lose the house or Cobra because I had saved some of my money to get me through hard times. This year could be a lot worst.

If enough people lose their house, car, TV, whatever, it will trickle down to you. Even doctors and lawyers (I use them because we all think they have lots of money) will feel the pain.

We are all in to this together. If the rich importer cannot sell his cheap made goods in the good old U.S.A. can he make "more" money? Every service and product has to have someone to pay for it. We make money off of each other. The Doctor builds a new house or office, I get to do the electrical work. He pays me. I pay the dentist to work on my kids teeth. The dentist buys a car. The car dealer puts his money into the bank and my buddy borrow it to buy a bass boat. We are all into this together.
Please don't tell me that Unions are the cause of "all" our problems.
Dwight