Hard for there to be much corporate greed when GM is BILLIONS in DEBT, and the stock is sinking faster then the titanic. The EPS on the company is now NEGATIVE 74.29. That's a number so extreme ( comes out to something like 42 billion in the red), that it doesn't even seem possible for a company still operating. I don't know how they will be able to stay afloat much longer.

Does anyone here realize that labor at GM accounts for only 20 % of the whole picture? Everybody blames the workers for being overpaid when in reality it is the ceo bonuses and corporate greed that is taking GM down.

Maybe he just saved up his money by skipping out of his Thursdays to by beer?

Becareful about implying that all GM people can buy a $100,000+ car. You don't know where people get their money. Maybe he inherited it. Maybe he had a spouse pass away and he had a life insurance policy. Don't assume that because of what people have is tied to their salary. Sounds a bit like jealousy to me.

Welcome to the real world GMers! Try Making $11/hr paying $220/month for health insurance for your family and guess what we still eat! Sure we don't live in a $200k house and my Tahoe with boat/jetskis/ATVs/snowmobiles ect. are still just a dream but we make it. BTW I would like to see the Gazzette run that story on the unskilled GM guy that bought that 100K+ Ford GT a while back.

How about putting the GM memorial park next to the Beloit Casino that is still sitting on the govs desk. Then we can all sing cry me a river for the GM workers that will be getting 2 years unemployment, that no one else will ever get if our companies were to close down.

One of the posters wrote about buying American made.Thats great,the problem is that our economy is driven by people that buy crap they dont need.This has been coming for years.Do you have a plan?No.Lots of toys,expensive house?You did it to yourself.Be happy with what you had,now its time to pay

The whole world is falling apart right now. There are more important things going on then GM closing. It's a tumble effect that will reach everyone in every community except for the wealthy who can buy up properties and make money off of other people's misery. If everyone would stop worrying about themselves we could all come together and fight the people in our nation's government that are raising gas prices, continuing the war, and flushing this great nation into the toilet. We need to stop hiring overseas, get rid of our horrible health care system, use our own reserves for fuel, and stop being so greedy.

To sunnyday..I'm not just an American, I'm a realist. Corporations endure and endeavor to "make money". If they don't make money, their purpose is zero.

To momof5..Skilled trades people in the plant do make $35 per hour with double and triple time in some circumstances.

People at GM don't work one bit harder than the average American.

I've seen quite the contrary. Including a solid year of inverse job bank where 800 people were paid all of their wages to only sign in once a week.

And Yes I'm talking about the so called "hard working" GM'ers

More pompous posturing and hollow-promise lip service from Governor Duhhh-le.

"We are in serious need of new ideas and fresh minds in our elected officials." - Well said Billnewbie!

Come election time, let's all remember what Doyle DIDN'T do for us.

FordCars32: I know I will get hollered at by the anti-troll committee, but seriously. Before you start spewing insults, perhaps you should find the facts. The local 95 guys (GM workers) who were on the picket lines had NO choice. It was the NATIONAL union who was striking--not local.
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Yes "they" will have to adjust to the real world pay and benefits as you say. But, the men and women at Janesville's GM did NOT cause this closure nor did they FORCE GM in Detroit to compensate them richly. I have not worked at the plant, but I can tell you I couldn't do the work: despite the pay.
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PS--Where in the world did you get that they make $35/hr.
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And, from your username I deduced that you are a Ford fan. Ford has their issues as well and they pay and compensate their employees well also. It WAS a trend in the American automotive industry that is coming to an end.
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The world needs blue collar workers who make $28/hr building cars just as much as it needs $100/hr doctors and $6/hr burger flippers.
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WE, as a nation and humanity, are in this race called life TOGETHER. I am sorry that many feel GM is catered to and treated with a higher standard than others. Perhaps this is true. However, I can tell you that MANY of the folks who work at GM (and their suppliers) are just average Joes trying to put food on their tables and shirts on their backs. Those who buy all the toys, drink on the line, do pot, show off, etc..,--they have ruined it for everyone and are not the majority of the 2400 PERSON workforce at GM.

Hey Bingo Doyle! How about doing something to improve the business climate in Wisconsin instead of whining about businesses leaving? Maybe you could pursue building a new refinery in Rock County to replace some of the jobs you've helped drive out of the state?

You all are very cruel to this city. If it was your employment and your family in jeapordy, i bet you would think alittle different. I think all you people whinning about hearing about gm have no idea what is even going on. Buying american made is what we are suppose to do we are Americans, we are suppose to support our country and everything american made, maybe you dont belong living in america then. And i also think you all need to grow up and stop thinking about yourselfs.

Well I'm wondering what everyone in the rock county area will be complaing on next now that GM is leaving? I can't wait until two years from now who will be in the headlines to be the next whine story for you non-GM workers and side company's for GM. Boohoo I hope its not you!

The blame of our state reps is not where it is at do to the big house and blame the fool in charge of our country, remember this when you vote in November. We have lost more in the last 8 years and it is time to wake up at a national level. We need to bring our jobs back to this country,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,And I hope we get a government that is for all levels of income not just the wealthy...

dragonstail

If you were working security, and your tires were slashed under your watch - You were not doing your job.

and another thing, I worked security for six years at GM, while going thru tough times I borrowed my brothers toyota truck and drove it to work....six days straight my tires were flattened....thanks GM......boy do I love my new economy Toyota truck and my state job in madison!

I can't feel sorry for anyone at GM, you had to see it coming, you can't sell vehicles that get 9-12 miles per gallon at $4.00/gallon for gas. Gov. Doyle thinks GM is the backbone of the state, what state does HE live in? Doyle just wants GM to be his backbone in elections and popularity. take care of the people that take care of you Gov. How about taking care of our farmers, the real backbone of the state.

NAFTA and OPEC. we are Sheeple, running off a cliff.

Don't worry Doyle will fix all this. His answer will be the same as it always is:
RAISE TAXES!

to bringingintoyota: Those I call "greens and Libs" have kept the US from using the massive oil deposits we have here in America. 62% of KNOWN deposits of oil in this country are totally "off limits" to drilling and pumping, due totally to the policies of said same greens and libs. Now they express "shock" at oil prices and blame the oil companies, that they have hog tied.

I have had 3 temporary supervisor stints at GM Janesville. Believe me when I say that sympathy is not something I'm able to have for either side. Not empathy. Nothing.

My biggest concern is that our government is likely to prop these hourly people up with some other sort of entitlement program (to my experience, that is what GM has been. Good ol' boys entitlement program) A government supported false sense of security for these folks at the expense of the lttle guy will be a gut buster.

I've seen more people find ways to sleep, be drunk or escape responsibility in that plant...Lets be real about what this union and corporation created. It's created sickness.

Amen to billnewbie. Well said, I might add.

I am not opposed to any renewable energy source, unless of course it is subsidised by my tax dollars. But I think it is foolish to tank our economy to meet that end. Why don't we drill the oil we have, solving many of our current problems, and committ the royalties to research and devlopment.

We don't have the infrastructure to support gasoline and diesel powered vehicles, either. That is why the price of fuel is rising with no end in sight.
GM is closing 4 plants so that they can transfer the work to their remaining facilities and hire new, 2nd tier workers at a considerable savings. They will not be changing their mind.
We need tax incentives to attract new development. To do that, we need to decrease spending at all levels of government, state, county, city and school board. No sacred cows and no pet projects.
We are in serious need of new ideas and fresh minds in our elected officials, people who are not primarily interested in re-election and are not engaged in the partisanship that currently stymies the search for solutions.

Switch to the production of flex fuels?

What flex fuels? Ethanol? We don't have the current fuel infastructure to support it! We don't have the current fuel production to support all flex fuels. What are you talking about?? We don't even have the infastructure to support electrical cars.

Why are we all pointing fingers? The fact of the matter is that within two years a large number of Janesville citizens will be jobless. The General Motors plant is closing and that means companies like Leer and SSI will ultimately go bankrupt. Gilman is already leaving and if the other companies go they will drag our whole economy with it. We can't wait for or depend on Governor Doyle or anybody else to solve this problem.

Rick Wagner should have been fired from GM a long time ago. That company is in need of some serious restructuring. One thing which might help would be to cease production of all standard vehicles and switch entirely to the production of flexfuels.

Anytime someone is paid not to work it's trouble for the company.

The cost difference between the Japanese and the US automakers is not the salaries, but the legacy costs. The Japanese have not been in the US long enough to carry retirement burdens like the big 3 which have been here close to a century. The salaries are very close. The other difference is the cost to carry outdated and unflexible Union employee rules. This is why they have an advantage.

Did anyone hear Doyle say he was sorry? It is people like Doyle, Robson, Hixon, Kohm, Feingold, etc that created the policies that have led to the high gas prices and thus the low demand for SUVs and trucks. Want to point fingers? Point them at the "greens" and "libs". This is what they wanted, this is what they got. Lets remember this the next election.

What? Libs? The oil industry here in the US is essentially a monopoly that is currently under investigation right now. How is it the fault of all those folks you point out?

As we are discussing blame for the closure, consider this from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sept 26, 2007 "With total labor costs roughly $25 an hour higher than those at the U.S. operations of Japanese automakers, GM has struggled to compete." Combine this with a lack of leadership from our state reps and this was inevitable.

I have been talking about the failure of our economic strategy for some time now. I don't have the answers as I am not that knowledgeable. But I do know that the state has a reputation for being tough to do business with due to the power of the DNR. My complaint is that you don't wait for GM to close the plant and then ask each other what can we do? The answer would have been why were we not doing something before the decision was made? Again, they should have put GM on the spot a while ago and make it lucrative for them to build a new factory with incentives at the expense of the taxpayers. Yes, that is right. The taxpayers. The amount paid back with GM still on the payroll in Wisconsin would have been infinite, maybe even not measureable. You can't have that size of payroll just evaporate without any implications. The city of Janesville will not be a ghost town, but it will for sure have a huge impact.

Did anyone hear Doyle say he was sorry? It is people like Doyle, Robson, Hixon, Kohm, Feingold, etc that created the policies that have led to the high gas prices and thus the low demand for SUVs and trucks. Want to point fingers? Point them at the "greens" and "libs". This is what they wanted, this is what they got. Lets remember this the next election.

Do the majority of Rock County voters just not get it?? They support the likes of Robson, Benedict and Hixson. People who publicly say that businesses don't pay their share of taxes, but when something like this happens in their backyard, they want the "government subsidies" that they rail against. They say they want jobs...but they support more regulations and taxes that makes Wisconsin look unattractive to business owners. You can't have it both ways Rock County.

Doyle's real kick in the gut is that he did absolutely nothing to stop this. And now that it has happened he blames everybody but himself.

It is like a death in the family, a death in our state's business family. Maybe incentives could have been created years ago (when the GOP ran the Legislature and Tommy was at the controls) that could have encouraged other huge corporations like GM to move to Wisconsin and to remain here regardless of economic changes. Doyle should have seen this coming and it is a slap in the face of every good UAW member who kept the governor in office.

Governor Doyle,
Are you sure this isn't more like a "kick" to your ego? You've been rubbing elbows with the union and GM for a long time to keep your perch in power and this is what they do to you? How dare they!

I hope that Doyle looks at and helps EVERYONE affected by this, NOT JUST GM so that they land on their feet also. these people didnt make near the wage and dont have sub benefits with their unemployment. IF he intends to help GM then the rest of the companies that this affects need his help also.

The DNR gets $80 million a year for the Stewardship Fund, to buy sensitive wildlife areas.
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Perhaps Rep. Mike Sheridan can pass a bill to take 10% of that - $8 million - to hire laborers for the demolition of GM.
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And, with all the scrap metal in that place, imagine what the UAW can recoup to add to the health care kitty.
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To my mind, if GM is walking away from Janesville, then they walk away without so much as a desk pen & pencil set.

Well put by one of friends:

"It's all due to the free trade agreement. I've got a great idea, even though we have a high unemployment rate let's go ahead and move more jobs over seas. That will boost the economy. Let's have credit cards raise their interest rates on consumers anytime they want, and lets charge them FEES, many FEES, since thye can not raise the interest rate anymore. Oh, and then the credit card companies will give the lobbyist's money to keep the government quiet. I have another idea how about we charge a lot for health insurance and not cover someone when something goes wrong. We can call this "experimental" and deny the claim.

Now, who is looking out for the fellow american?"

Doyle likes to blame the corporation for this but, it truly is the state of the government that is to blame with the high cost of oil. Ease the restrictions on drilling and boutique fuels.

Doyle should have said, "Sorry guys. I really thought this bio-engineerign thing would go over a lot better. I guess I should have focussed on manufacturing jobs and lowering taxes making it attractive for Wisconsin manufacturers to stay here instead... woopsy," as he puts his hands up and makes a crazy face, "I'm so crazy!"

How making a park where GM is now. Call it GM memorial park

Wouldn't Doyle have been better served to say, "It is over. We can't subsidize GM vehicles by giving them the state's blank check? If Janesville has a shot at keeping GM, we will, but we don't..."
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To say anything else is simply cruel to the autoworker.
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Doyle should have announced that the state will provide X amount to Janesville to hire the laborers neccessary to completely demolish the plant. Knock it right down to the ground.
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Then, Paul Ryan should convince the geniuses in DC to forego any and all environmental claims against GM - no slapping the plant with a Superfund status.
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GM gives-up title to the real estate in exchange for no EPA liability, GM laborers have a job during the 3-5 years it will take to demolish the factory and plant grass seed, Janesville has a huge and marketable piece of real estate, and the pain of seeing those smoke stacks rust to the ground for the next 20+ years are gone.