CNN

"We are preparing a decree to eliminate luxury costs – the acquiring of executive vehicles, redecorating, real estate, new headquarters, promotional material and unnecessary publicity, corporate gifts."

After you read this quote, think about how it makes you feel about our government and their handling of this situation. If it makes you happy and you agree with it, paste it into a search engine and find out who said it then think again about how you want our country to behave.

Does Obama not know who put him in office?

I know he does not live in reality like the rest of us, but instead in an unattainable ideology but you would think he would know where all that money came from......

How can we trust the government to run companies when they have proved time and time again that they can not even run themselves.

What a circus that we are stuck with until it leaves town in 2012.

that is because we know that the bank CEO's can and will sabotage the economy for their own vengeance. This is what happens when deregulation is allowed to run amok that you mr. Regan for screwing our country.

It seems that Obama is taking advise from Pelosi and other members of his administration that aren't thinking this thing through.

Union workers need to shut up and keep campaigning for Obama even though he doesn't keep his campaign promises.

On the job training is hard.

Unlike gm bank of america does not have a union!I'm tired of people bashing Lewis,as a bac stockholder,my opinion is he's doing a good job!!
I for one hate unions!!

I guess no one watched the hearings on C-Span last fall with the automakers and the wild senator who openly wanted Wagoner OUT of GM. Obama didn't fire Wagoner, many others wanted him out and MANY WERE REPUBLICANS!

and don't feel sorry for Waggoner...he leaves with $20 million and at automakers...it's 30 years work and/or 55 years age for early retirement benefits. So Waggoner won't be crying in his milk...he probably welcomes the time off. He won't be pinching pennies!

Waggoner protects his retirement by leaving now and of course he won't have to take the "heat" for the GM mess. Besides, I like the new Fritz at GM. His press conference today on C-Span was really good, more information and he explained about the government and DEFENDED it. When a bank or anyone makes a LOAN there's always conditions...your car, your home, your boat, your college loan, Whatever.

Financial institutions are not car companies. So I understand the differences. The real problem is hedge funds.

GOOD JOB MR. PRESIDENT! GM CEO Rick Wagoner is gone because he FAILED to do his homework (due by March-2009) and bring President Obama and Congress a plan which maps out GM's strategy to become viable once the economy improves. No viable plan, left President Obama 'no choice' but to relieve Wagoner. Next up!

The list of CEOs who should be canned is probably longer than most of us know...

Why is it that so many of us ordinary folk understand that globalization (g. merging, merging, merging) isn't a GOOD thing? The logical extrapolation of global merging is that eventually, there won't be another company or corporation to cannibalize in order to generate false profits?

It's not rocket science. Corporate libertarianism is the root of this economic crisis here in America and across the world.

You guys and gals are missing the point.

Wagoner was asked to resign because he wasn't moving to make the changes needed for GM to survive. He couldn't understand there has been a sea change that he needed to adust his vision to meet.

For the CEO's of all companies this will be the challenge. Business as usual with some good ole Republican style tweaking won't get in as we move to create a more sustainable economic, sociat and environmental future.

Heads of all major unions should be fired also. Leaders of congress for past 2 years should be fired also.

ah the cookie starts to crumble....

Well lets just fire them all including Andy of the SEIU!!!!!

Barrack O'bama is scaring me. I fear for the direction of this country. He and Pelosi and the rest of the democrap gang are going to turn this country upside down. I don't think they care about another term in office. They did what they set out to do. Divide us further and socialize our nation. Oh GOD! Help us all.

I agree – the financial industry collapse has affected far more people than an auto industry collapse would.

"Washington will bailout out those who shower before work but not those who shower afterwards."
Leo W. Gerard, International President, USW

Truer words have not been spoken. Why do the tools in DC hate the blue-collar American?

I guess people have very short memories...
- AIG CEO... forced to resign.
- Fannie Mae CEO... forced to resign.
- Freddie Mac CEO.. forced to resign.

We didnt "takeover" Bank of America as much as we did GM, AIG and Freddie and Fannie. It makes sense that the CEO is less likely to have been dumped. Since the government wasn't taking charge of the management at the time.

If you fire everyone, then who is left to shoulder the burden? As I always say to those the screw up and try to walk away...
"Where do YOU think your going? Get back here and DO IT RIGHT!"

They are no longer "private Companies" when they accept bailout money from the US Government. What is so hard for you idiots to understand.

SEIU president should concentrate on reigning in his union and not worry about how President Obama is governing. After all, union excesses are partly to blame for the failure of our auto industry.

Just to straighten things out here: President Obama ASKED Rick Wagoner to STEP ASIDE; Mr. Wagoner could very well have told him to go some place and President Obama then could NOT have done ANYTHING! Mr. Wagoner decided to resign... it was and is untimately HIS DECISION...

Frankly, I am glad he is gone; the fact that more CEO's from the financial sector should join HIM is not lost on me here and I suspect you will see some of that in good time.

It just seems to me that their are a lot of Americans who want a lot of "Pound of Flesh" without actually THINKING through the consequences of their rabid emotionalism...

I also think President Obama addressed this highly emotional charged environment in one of his lastest talks with America. Let's NOT all be King George's here... think, reason, plan and then act...

This is unbelievable.

I love the anti-union talking points every seems to have gotten today that they didn't have available yesterday when Wagoner was fired.

Yes, of course. The car companies failing has everything to do with the UAW. It's all the UAW's fault. It had nothing to do with inflated CEO salaries and bonuses. It had nothing to do with Americans not producing cars for the international market. Nope! It's all those greedy middle class families that are to blame.

You do realize that the people who are against unions would have a much easier time governing if there were no unions and no middle class in this country, right?

Unions aren't perfect, but they're better than the alternative. Do us a favor, conservatives: go to a local book store and pick up Charles Dicken's novel "Hard Times" if you want a preview of what life would be like after unions.

Though it's true both Rick Wagoner and Ken Lewis deserve to be fired, i'm just surprised at why it has to be the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES that has to do the firing. Correct me if i'm wrong but are we still not a democracy or did i just miss something and is our country moving toward socialism. What happened to free enterprise?

@ jfs Memhis, Tn
WE MUST LEARN TO CONSUME OUR OWN QUALITY PRODUCTS.

Quality is the problem here. We would consume American goods if we perceived them to be appropriately priced and valuable. When we only buy American, we remove the competition that drives innovation. We give American producers no incentive to keep up with global competition. We make American product less competitive and valuable.

I say Buy Best, and hope that American goods will find a way to reach top standards.

I totally agree. The auto industry has been made a scapegoat while the banking industry has been allowed to retain the same CEOs who orchestrated this massive failure. BTW some of them (like Mozillo of Countrywide) have also retained their salaries and bonuses while they acted in a criminal manner. Let's see if we can get the DOJ to prosecute some of these men/women. But let's also remember that some of the investment houses (Lehman's, Bear Stearns, and Merrill Lynch) have vanished – never to be heard from again. What about the execs from these companies – have they gone on to work for other companies?

PEOPLE, FOCUS ON THE "REAL" ISSUES!!!
Last year when Congress and especially Southern Republicans were ready to dump GM & Chrysler, it was President-Elect Obama that asked Republican Senator Richard Shelby and Congress to give GM & Chrysler some time and money ($Billions) until March-2009 to come up with a plan that would make GM & Chrysler competitive. GM CEO Rick Wagoner failed to bring his homework (e.g. a good plan) for Obama and Congress to review. Now Wagoner is out. Enough said!

Let's stop acting like this is the first time something like this has happened. Didn't Bush and Paulson pick the new CEO of AIG? And wasn't the CEO of CityBank pretty much forced out of his position?

Andy is right...the banks are the culprit....giving money to fund mortgages they knew were risky (just one of many things)...and it's not just one bank (look at the credit cards companies as well)...
What's good for the goose is good for the gander as well. Make it fair.

How quickly we forget. The precedent was sent long before Obama. Freddie Mac, Fanny May and AIG's CEOs were all forced out by that socialist GW Bush.

In addition, Obama asked for Wagoner's resignation, he didn't fire him.

You may want to get your facts right before you embarrass yourselves

It's NOT the president's job to fire CEOs.
I said since August a vote for Obama is a vote for SOCIALISM.
For all those that dont agree:
Keep drinking that kool aid folks......

What's fair is fair, whats good for the goose is good enough for the gander. Let's clear the table meaning fire all the CEOs and start over.

Proud daughter of a UAW worker for 15 yrs

I am always hearing of the Hypocrisy of the Right. I remember how disturbed and down right agitated the Left was when Ronald Reagan fired the air traffic controllers back in the 80's. The air traffic controllers worked for the US government and the President had the right to fire them. Now we have a President who believes it is his right to muscle out a CEO from the private sector – He Doesn't!
Where is the outrage for this? I see people wanting him to fire a bank CEO or the head of UAW, but I do not see the outrage that the President had NO BUSINESS doing anything period! Wake Up AMERICA! How BIG does the Federal government have to get before we say ENOUGH? Stop Socialism now!

I agree with firing CEO's. If you or I don't perform the job we have been hired to do, or do it in a way that hurts the company, we get fired and replaced. Why is there this belief in the wealthy class that they are infallible and above all the rules of basic corporate standards?

FOLKS the Unions are a drop compared to Huge Salaries, Uncontrolled Bonuses and the GREED of the few who call themselves Corporate and Financial Executives !!! At least the Unions spread the same unjustified wealth amongst MANY.

That I don't agree to. It's not the President's job to fire private industry executives. One is more than enough, and it could a set a very dangerous precedent. This is still Capitalism, DO NOT BE confused on that. It's not a perfect system, but it's better than the alternatives.

Have any of you perpetual naysayers and the pundits criticizing the president's move to ask for the resignation of Wagner actually been party to the meetings and talks concerning the restructuring of GM?? Could it vbe that Wagner was not bold enough in cutting costs and making changes? Perhaps he was the one blocking needed changes.

An interview of the chief financial officer of GM, no matter how hard Blitzer was in trying him to say something negatibe about the president's and his commiytee., he was very positivbe avbout both.s actions

Resigning was a condition of the agreement between the government and GM. Pres. Obama did not "fire" him.

I believe that the same principles and conditions should be applied to the wall st. bailouts. There should be resignations assigned as a condition of receiving the bailout money.

Does this action scare me? Not particularly – if we – the US taxpayers and government – owns a majority share, they should have some say. It's a business agreement, not unlike 100's of others performed every year.

Agree with the SEIU spokesperson. But to the list must be added the head of the UAW union. He has to go also.

Obama will go on Jay Leno again and, you will all forgive him..

Get Ready March 31st, 2009 5:17 pm ET

You Obama nutcases thought you were electing a Demi-God. Now, you have a government and it's leader making determinations on who should make money, who shouldn't, who's allowed to keep their job, who gets fired! And stop with the blaming of Bush…

Good. I'm glad we can agree now, based on your argument, that 9/11/2001 was George W. Bush's fault.

Has anyone checked the campaign donations?

Hard to believe a President can fire anyone...Scary. BofA's board should have gotten rid of Mr. Lewis long ago. His company is being made whole by the tax payers not by any great quality or insight he has shown. We can clearly see that as usual "White Collar" wins out over "Blue Collar". At least the automakers tried to spread the wealth around to the workers. The same can't be said for the banking industry. The only way the taxpayer can make them ALL pay is by NOT utilizing loans or debt. Since the main source of revenue for the financial services industry comes from lending. The less we borrow the less they make.

I'm not sure why this would surprise anybody. The banks and the Federal Reserve essentially run the country. If a polititian does anything that the banks don't like, all they have to do is stop loaning money and the economy starts to collapse. Wall street loses "confidence" in the markets and stocks fall.
Here's the truth: the economy does not exist in a real sense. Maybe we should blame the falling stocks on the Media. You can't turn on a TV without some pundit talking about how bad things are. Eventually people will start believing that things really are bad. Why? because all the "sheeple" only get their info from TV.
Our money is only worth as much as we believe its worth. Why not just print a boatload of cash and give it to everybody. No one will be poor and we can all "believe" that one dollar is worth ten.
Since it's all fake anyways, we can just make it all up as we go along. Thats what the FED and Wall street does.

Seth, Michigan March 31st, 2009 5:15 pm ET

While I agree that there should be one standard, and that Ken Lewis should go down if Wagoner does, I believe it is not the President's job to fire a private company's CEO. That decision should be left up to the board of directors for General Motors. I believe Obama is setting a dangerous precedent
_____________________________________________________
Me thinks the power has gone to his head!!!!!!!

Fire the slobbering queen Barney Frank & the crook Chris Dodd AND THEN fire the UAW union thugs.

If 0bama has the guts to do that, he will have earned my vote. So far I am very dissapointed.

This is what you get for your stupid, short-sighted hero-worship attitude toward Obama.

Obama is a politician, people! Just like all the others.

You wanted it, you got it.

Stop whining and pay attention next time out.

SEIU is a reckless, self-serving entity that cares little for its membership once they are signed on and paying dues. They have repeatedly tried, and FAILED, to unionize workers in Florida. Sensible people do not choose to follow them.

Anyway, who cares if their leaders chose to endorse the candidate that ultimately won the White House. This should mean nothing to the President if he is to remain true to his ideal of not pandering to special interests.

"Since when does the President have the right to fire anyone in the private sector? Am I in Cuba?"

As soon as these PRIVATE SECTOR companies need Taxpayer's money to stay afloat – they no longer PRIVATE COMPANIES.

Do you understand that?

Hey folks, be happy with what you got; ‘The Socialist States of America’. These crooks and thieves got voted in by ‘We the people’. Obama, Nancy Polosi, Barney Frank, & Harry Ried told you long ago how radically they were going to govern. I just hope there is a country left to salvage by 2010. Getting some of these bums out in 2010 & 2012 will help.

For those of you who like this kind of government; MOVE TO ARGENTINA, FRANCE, or some other crappy 3rd world country.

Whoa!! Now everyone wants to play President! Every CEO will now feel the pressure of they masses screaming, "Off with his head!!!"

Enough! There is only one President, he decides, not the unions with a grudge. Just be grateful you guys have Obama's support.

I support President Obama but the dude is dead on right.

And to let Wagoner leave with a 20 million buyout is idiotic.

The CEO's do need to be let go, but I trust he Unions even less. they are as coruppt as any company board room and have out grew their time. They did great things in the old days but the last few decades they have contributed to out sourcing and lay offs and company failures as much as anyone else. I know the rural county I lived in lost their only manufacturing plant due to the union going on strike 11 out of 13 years in the late 70's. If a union rep. started bugging me in the parking lot or at my home like they have in Indiana as reported recently on the news, I might have to use my first amendment fist on them.

You Obama nutcases thought you were electing a Demi-God. Now, you have a government and it's leader making determinations on who should make money, who shouldn't, who's allowed to keep their job, who gets fired! And stop with the blaming of Bush...this is all about the Messiah now and his wayward decisions. Plus, the Union $$$ backers aren't real happy with the Great O. either. Much more to come...and we're only a few months in to this administration.

I would have to agree this piece has a good point. Both CEOs should have been asked to resign.

I think some people are confused- Obama asked a CEO that accepted federal bailout money to resign, not just some random CEO of a company that is going down the tubes. If our government is giving out our money, I dont think there is anything wrong with asking the CEO to step down. That is not socialism...

How can any labor union talk about firing other people? The head of the UAW should be gone very quickly, however, it will not happen due to BO's love of the union votes. It comes down to talking about others and not taking care of ones own area of responsibility. Union 'leaders' talk so much just like politicans and then do not perform just like politicans. It is always good for the other person, but they are not willing to contribute themselves. Isn't it a fact that the car manufacturers without the union are making profit??? Please keep talking about what the union has already given up . . . yes, they are just like the Congressmen . . . mostly talk and no giving of themselves.

When these corporations become too big to fail and get run into the ground by greedy, incompetent management then take my taxpayer money to keep from ruining the entire economy then YES, we the people in a representative government have every right to demand these same people be FIRED and if warranted, convicted and imprisoned for gross negligence!

Anyone who thinks that these corporations which have brought this ruination upon the nation and the world should be left to continue their ways is a fool! That is not free market capitalism, rather it is more like racketeering.

God, I just gotta laugh at the prospect of seeing these bank executives being humbled by labor unions and politcians.

Nothing brought socialism to America faster than the disasters brought on by unregulated greed on Wall Street.

While I agree that there should be one standard, and that Ken Lewis should go down if Wagoner does, I believe it is not the President's job to fire a private company's CEO. That decision should be left up to the board of directors for General Motors. I believe Obama is setting a dangerous precedent.

What a wonderful governing strategy Mr. Obama. I demand you fire the head of the ACLU. I demand you fire the head of WAMU. I demand you fire the head of the UN. I demand you fire my lousy boss.

Since when does the President have the right to fire anyone in the private sector? Am I in Cuba?

OK, people need to pick a side. Is it right for the government to demand responsibility at bailed out companies or is it right for the government to give them whatever they want, no questions asked? People were furious about the AIG bailout because of the bonuses, but now they want to make sure that the same people responsible for the collapse get to keep their jobs? Come on, if you drive your company into the ground and then come begging Congress for more money to keep you afloat, it's up to congress not only to decide if you get the money, but to decide if you get to keep your job. If you want to keep your job, don't ask Congress for more money. It's that simple.

I agree.

So, now we can come up with a petition to get others fired? This is nonsense. Let's remember that it's the Congress who gets their credit "scrubbed" & contribution $$ in return for legislative favors...

I am sorry people but you can not compare union workers to executives-that is why you are an union worker stupid. The union was good at one time but in today world no more they control the auto companies they tell the companies what to do and what to sell. They make alot of money of the backs of the factory workers but big union dues. Unions today only protect the lazy workers. Most companies today know that they have treat their employees right and pay them right or they will go someplace else.

It would be very interesting to see what sort of comments would come from people if every decision President Obama made affected whether or not they personally worked, and had an income to take care of their families. Maybe then we would see a lot less selfish comments, made by those who are not impacted by current decisions to save jobs. And more common sense comments that are not biased by selfish, self centered individuals, thinking only of themselves. But thinking of all Americans, whether impacting them personally or not, and to whether our country gets it's economy back on track. This used to be a great country because the vast majority cared about all others. Now, I'm not so sure. And that doubt is a very sad thing to experience. For the majority seem to be self minded, 'me first, all others last'. 'If I am fine, who cares about the rest?' What a shame. God help America.

The gov should NOT be firing anyone in a non-gov setting. We are so close to Socialism right now it's scary. It has also happened within 2 months of him taking office. For all the people who voted for Obama I guess you're still thrilled and agree with what he is doing and don't mind a Socialist society OR you're also scared of where it's going. Look I agree that this companies took the gov hand out and should be held accountable, but not like this.

to abc.. unions did not sink the US auto industry. it wasn't unions that decided to build the pinto blow-up mobile. it was executives that made the decisions to produce garbage. it's always been the executives. it sure wasn't the union workers at AIG, or Enron or WorldCom that screwed those companies into the ground. once again, it was the executives. and, who gets blamed ? the working-class stiff making 5-figure incomes. when this country has finally gone belly-up, i want all you knuckleheads to remember it was the executives who screwed it into the ground.

Fire Congressman Barney Frank and Senator Chris Dodd.

They caused the entire banking collapse.
They ruined our entire economy.
Fire them and fire the unions that killed automotive.

Scary, the unions tell Obama to jump, and he asks how high and which river. How come the UAW chairman wasn't fired too? In 2006, Dodd,Obama, and Franks scoffed at Bush when he advocated for a new sec chairman and tighter regulations on Fannie and Freddie, saying that these institutions were sound and Bush was trying to use "scare tactics" to further his agenda. Since Obama was the second largest recipient of Fannie, Freddie and AIG donations in just two short years as a Jr. Senator, it is time he tells the nation what he knew about the orchestrated collapse of these companies and when he knew it.

Look, you can't fire EVERYBODY, and I better not hear any Repubs saying that Obama should, because in the next breath you'll also say that the president shouldn't have absolute power over the private industry, so please shut up. We don't know the full details of Wagoner's firing, he may have been a totally grossly inept fool!

This president was wrong in getting rid of Wagoner; it's wrong for a president to tell a private company CEO to leave and there is something wrong; very wrong by this country allowing it even if he is a bad CEO. It would be a double wrong to allow the president to force Lewis out. People say Bush went against the constitution; well what in the world is this president doing???? Our country is going down the tubes in a big big way.

Why does Barack not Fire the president of the UAW.
That would be a good start.
The union is dragging down the car companies and they are not willing to negotiate.
You fired Waggoner because he could not get them to the table.
He wants the bond holders to take a 2/3rds loss.
He wants the stock holders to take a loss.
The Union needs to take a loss.

There has been greed from the top. On the other side of the coin the unions are no better. They have also gotten greedy and the last straw for me was when they walked away from the table a couple of months ago and just expected, as always, that they would get their way. The unions were desperately needed when they began but today;they are completely unrealistic and out of control. It's crazy what they expect to make.

Whoa whoa, what is going on here?! Is this a socialist revolution going on in America...now we finally know who/what the machine is behind "front man" Obama!

Listen, it is up to the Board of BMA to fire Lewis, not Congress. BMA has not asked for any further funds from TARP despite the Governments constant insinuations that they need to. BMA was FORCED by Congress to take the $ to complete the Merril Lynch deal, which they were wavering in September, much like Wells Fargo was FORCED to take TARP funds to buy Wachovia. Trust me, these guys regret taking the TARP monies and are working hard to repay the Government as quick as possible to get Barney Frank and Waxman out of their hair. Watch in the next few weeks when BMA reports a few billion in profit for Q1 2009...it seems are corporate institutions are under attack....perhaps we should look at the policies of Reid and Pelosi's social experiment beginning in 2006 which put everybody in this mess in the first place....now they are hanging out the guys who were forced to find a way to finance their hairbrain policies/movement..boy there will be some good "tell all" reading in a few years when the players can talk without fear of retribution from Congress

Yes, Lewis should go...AND...so should Stern!
The EFCA...or whatever....is NOT FREE CHOICE but opens the votes to a PUBLIC vote. Do you know anyone who has voted against what their union wants...and lived to tell about it?
Nobama is doing this as payback to all the unions who fell at his feet and drank the kool-aid with him.
The only thing lower than union leaders is an ex mother-in-law!

That's good news. I thought unions were only interested in worker safety and fair treatment. It's good to know that they think that the government has the right to fire CEO's of private businesses just because they couldn't turn a profit. If the president is going to fire CEO's shouldn't they also fire the heads of unions that are driving some industries into bankruptcy? No, that would involve being fair instead of the kind of "fair" that liberals like to cry about.

'Pete', 'Virginian', and the likes...

Thank you for reminding me of the importance of a well-rounded education.

If it were up to you I'm certain George W. would still be president.

Luckily it's not...

The whole Obama administration is double-standard. Wake up America, Obama is nothing but words.

Hold on tight, because we are all in for a horrible ride.

better watch out Mr. Stern, it's your union, and your insistance to pass the employee card bill, that will ultimately get YOU the pink slip..people in glass houses.....

Mad yet America?

Right, fire him for whom to take the helm? How about we FIRE GW Bush and R. Cheney for making the entire situation possible? Why did no one call for Bush and Cheney to be impeached and held in JAIL for the 8 years of LIES and rip-offs? Can I buy a vowel!

AIG`s CEO was fired before Bush gave them the first bail out.

The CEOs of funny Mae and Freddie Mac were also fired when the the meltdown occurred last fall.

CEO of GM has been fired now. Whats your problem?

Had these guys not been fired critics would still be asking why they didn`t get fired since they drove the banks into the ditch. Sorry guys can`t have it both ways.

@Brian Crooks: The unions have a choke hold on HOW our auto companies do business! The unions have refused for decades to let the auto industry upgrade to the teechnology that european and japanese car companies have been using! Why do you think their running our companies into the ground?? The contracts are ridiculous for instance if a company has no work UNION employees can not be laid off, instead they report to work stand by their machines which stay turned off and get PAID!!! What job have you had where you could sit at your desk put your feet up read a book and get paid??? Union contracts need to be streamlined, fiscally responsible, and yet protect workers; so far they protect workers at the expense of a whole industry! This is also the reason OUT SOURCING IS SO HIGH!! No unions over seas!

We truly are idiots in this country when we reward bad behavior. Honestly all of the institutions in this country that have failed over the last year should go away and the CEO's that fudge the books should go to federal prison.

If any CEO need to be fired it has to be done by the board of directors and not he President of the United State.
Unless we are now the United Socialist States of America.
Where are the defenders of the Constitution to raise hell on Government controlling the Private sector.

I like to know who will keep the heads of the union accountable for brining our automobile industry to its knee’s?

I have made a conscious decision to only shop at the chains that don’t hire union.

Are you really trying to compare an auto giant that has been struggling for years and has repetedly failed to address a broken business model to a bank that has been profitable in all but one quarter over the last several years, modernized banking for customers and who is (unlike the automakers) looking to pay back the government money as soon as possible? How are these the same?

Andy Stern and the rest of organized labor leadership should be fired as well. However, voters and campaign cash are what matters to Obama, so the schrill continues while the emperor fiddles.

Wow, for once I agree with the seiu, and I am shocked that these weenies are challanging the god like Obama. I think alot of people that voted for this clown are going to wake up and say.......what the hell did I do?

Thank you Mr. President for doing something to get us out of Bush's mess, amd I meam mess. We have been sliding down hill for the last six to seven years years and Bush could not do anything but sneak around trying to look like he was doing something, and we now know he was clueless. It is impossilbe to get into this mess in less than 100 days, he received this package from Bush/Cheney. Bush hid the real spending from the public, and it is just now coming out. The GOP can always throw mud, but nothing else worth while.

How come nobody is questioning the lavish union retreat down in FL a couple months ago paid with union dues? What is the pay for union bosses and how much of a bonus did they get last year while the employees they represent were laid off? Unions dictate the policies for a lot of these companies. It was their failed policies that sunk GM.

I agree.....................I support the Pres and still do............The banks and Wall Street have HUGE offshore interests that are cashing in as soon as the taxpayer dollars are used to bail all these FINANCE Guru's out. The USA cannot survive without American Autos....they are the ones in WWII who made Motors, Tanks , Aircraft engines etc. I really do not think that we can depend on offshore suppliers for everything !!!! It is in the national security to support ALL USA Manufacturing ....from Autos, to shoes, to garments, to TV's, to dog food. The Government should INVEST/INVEST/INVEST and INVEST in the USA just as all other Global economies are doing within their own countries. WE MUST LEARN TO CONSUME OUR OWN QUALITY PRODUCTS.

Sorry, but noone bailed out the steel industry in the 1980's, and the job losses at that time were staggering. When you hear of unemployment reaching the same as in the early 80's, that is when the steel industry collapsed. That was also in part to the republican party who found it wise to allow Japanese and Chinese imports of steel to underprice the US steel makers. The difference is that the auto industry did this to themselves by not progressing and acting like oil was king, and big cars were American standards. Big mistake.

Gee..... I wonder which one contributed to the Obama campaign.....

BofA was in great shape until the Fed pushed the Countrywide and Merrill Lynch deals on them. Do not blame Ken Lewis. It was the governments hand that hurt BofA. They are back on the upside too looking to post profits this year.

I totally agree with Georgia Gal. Top management at AIG needs to be fired, they keep doing damage. It never has made sense as to why the financial industry got such a sweet deal. I think the whole world can see regulation is necessary, just as laws and policemen are. Lewis needs a pink slip along with a few dozen more in the financial sector. To the Pete's of the world, what are we to do, sit back and do nothing until there is nothing left to save and build upon. My 403-b is worth less than it was 15 years ago and is worth 25 % less than it was only 6 months ago. I wish Obama would have been there to step in 8 or 9 months ago and maybe I wouldn't be down 25%. Maybe Americans should learn something from the French, youth taking the CEO's hostage. That gives a new spin to accountability.

This is what happens when the Governemnt picks the winners and the losers. If left along these people would have been bankrupt with no bailouts.
All I know is the American working middle class citizen is having the most of the strain and pain put on their backs in this recovery plan.

For those against unions remember this. Unions built the middle class, which in turn made America prosper, until the greedy CEO needed to get 400 times the money as the worker. I say Lewis should go, him and all the other CEO's that have been raping their workers and running these companys into the ground. Smith walks away with a penison worth 23 million a uaw member gets 2500 a month now who stole all the money?

The banks have also used bailout money to lobby agaInst the unions. For those of you criticizing the unions so, do you really want the caliber of CEO's we have determining the future of the American
worker?? Unions have made mistakes, CEO's have made mistakes but the unions have always been there for middle class America.
They have sacrificed and fought for our workers.. Agree wages, benefits have gotten out of hand but this happened when times were good and the companies agreed to contracts.
For those of you not aware of what the unions have done for our country to need to read some history.

Virginia, I'm not understanding your logic. I also don't think very many of us who voted for President Obama are feeling any remorse.

Just another reason why Hillary Clinton should have been President and NOT Obama. She would have spanked the financial market for their lunacy, disrespect, and out of touch acts.

He's really becoming a disappointment.

If the government is firing people & asking for concessions from union members than maybe they should take a major pay cut too!

After all most of them took money from the banks etc for donations!

I fear what the USA will look like in the very near future, God help you & all!

Does the saying "save my own hide" mean anything here! The fact is American autoworkers are grossly overpaid and are only interested in saving their hides and their way of doing business, which is one reason why the auto industry in America is going down like a sinking ship. When did this union ever care about CEO's? Give me a break! Of course the wallstreet CEO's should get canned, but spare me the false sympathy–please!

I agree! We taxpayers are constantly told to consume more goods and get in the stock market in an effort to boost the economy. Those of us who do /did are now left with dwindling accounts and things we wanted but did not NEED. If the private and public sectors want us to buy stocks in these companies, they need to be held accountable and FIRED for horrible mismanagement. Sorry, but my wife and I will most likely never contribute any more to our 401ks and IRAs. We've lost nearly 50% if our 401ks in the last year, so whey should we. THese things aren't guaranteed, and my wife didn't even receive a match at her job. We would have been better off keeping all our money in our bank's saving account!

And the obvious questions is: why shouldn't SEIU President Andy Stern get the ax for driving up labor costs across America and making the country less competitive?

Shall we do a review of his own compensation package, which comes on the backs of blue collar workers?

People who think unions are the problem should compare the average union member's house to the average upper executive's house.

And unions wouldn't exist at all if executives could be trusted. In businesses where the executives take care of their people, there isn't any need for unions. Unions form when employers screw over employees, not because employees are happy with their working environment.

I agree, and then if we can figure out a way to fire the USA's "CEO" then we ought to do it-shame on all of you who thought it was prudent to elect that man as president. Unfortunately, unless the congress grows a set, we are stuck with him for at least 4 years. I say we should have him impeached before he takes total control of everything that has been fought for over the centuries (free enterprise and basic freedoms) and send him to live with his half-brother!

Comrade Obama will tackle this issue after he meets with his socialistic commrades in Europe this week.

If Obama keeps taxing businesses and small business owners, just watch the exodus of jobs from the US to Canada, The Caribbean, Europe, and the pacific Rim. Many of our largest financial institutions can be headquestered in Hong Kong as well as New York.

Mr Obama is a dangerous, reckless individual tinkering with something he knows very little about.

And for a government leadership that would have difficulty managing a lemonade stand, it scares Americans when Obama and his comrades begin to manage the Fortune 500 companies. Get ready for an economic melt down.

Right. The SEIU are experts. Where were these idiots on the ride down if they are so smart. They are just looking for press. I say get rid of the SEIU as they are a hindrence to growth.

Am I the only person scared half to death by the thought of the president ( or who knows what other corrupt, incompetent politician or bureaucrat) firing people in the private sector on a whim? In a few years, am I going to have to worry about losing my job if the wrong person doesn't like my bumper sticker or my political views? Am I the only person who can see the slippery slope we are inching out onto? Wake up, people! Government needs to keep it's power-hungry hands off the private sector! Stop the bail-outs! Stop the firings!

One of the biggest reasons the big 3 three auto makers are in such trouble is the UAW. For example in 1998 the UAW metal stamping plant workers negotiated production quotas that they could fill in 5 hours but they got paid for 8 hours. When GM tried to move the equipment elsewhere the UAW went on a 54 day strike costings GM 2.2 billion. The employee free choice act will do to American business what the UAW did to the auto makers.

why is it that people working in theatuomobile industry asked to cut wages and pensions when the goverment is broke has to borrow money why are they not going after people on goverment pension congressman senators ex priesidents ect.

If we own part of a company through the bailout, then we should be able to decide who stays and who goes, we have become one of the "employers." I agree that bank heads should roll. I do take objection to some posters' ridicule of unions. Do you even have any idea what it was like for workers before unions and how hard they fought for basic rights? It has perhaps gone too far the other way, but to demonize unions is too easy because it's been too long ago that workers were treated like slaves and had to work in unsafe conditions with no rights whatsoever. Do some history before you take sides.

Of course... He is affraid that they will come after him next, and they should.

Perhaps we should consider that the demands made by the very group complaining about the heads of of these large public companies and the unions they represent have been just as much at fault in breaking the American auto industry as the leaders of those companies themselves. Somewhat ironic coming from the head of a labor union!

Amen, this guy needs to go along with Vikram Pandit. I'm sick of people blaming this all on the unions. The unions don't make the business decisions, and the business decisions are what caused GM to go down. The unions didn't tell the management what kind of cars to make or to kill the EV1. And they've made concession after concession over the past decade. People act like union members are driving solid gold Cadillacs and washing their dogs with Cristal. The next time you get to go on vacation with your family or take time off to deal with a death in the family or you come down with the flu and get to use a few of your sick days, THANK A UNION MEMBER.

The CEOs should get fired, and be grateful for that much. They could be facing pitchfork-wielding mobs angry at the bloated corporate parasites that have fed off America for so long.

Obama is squandering trillions of taxpayer's dollars, and handing the bill to us, with nothing to show for us...sinking not only a company, but a nation. He should resign as well.

It's all just smoke and mirrors... buy canned goods, bottled water, guns and ammo.

Really, now lets play politics with everyone that the government owns. This is what you get when you elected Obama. Total government control..
Good luck with socialism

What say we do away with the unions? Oh, that's right. Americans aren't intelligent enough to deal with their employers individually....as evidenced by unions. Nice going.

You can also add the guy that is head of AIG's London office to that list. He is the reason for the AIG debacle and IMO he probably should be the next to go. Yes Ken Lewis screwed up, but it was nothing compared to what this guy did.

I tend to agree with this. Those CEO's need to fired also hell they cost more than the auto industry and this loser did not see the need to apologize when ask if the american people deserve an apology.