For about three weeks now I’ve been rolling = over in my head what I wanted to place on the blog about the financial assistance = that the Big 3 auto makers are looking for. I had to address how I feel about = this, and complete some research that would go into supporting my = opinion.

On the first item, here is the shortest version of my opinion. I’m offended and insulted buy this situation. =

I’m offended because as a taxpaying US citizen, I have to ask = “When will companies stop getting on line for their handout?” I’m = a believer in the free market ideas, and when that means you have made bad = decisions, you have to pay the price for them. If the price is standing up in front of = your employees and saying “We made mistakes, they weren’t on = purpose, and we are really sorry, but as of Monday we are out of business”, = take it like a grown adult. Stop the stream of companies running to the = government for their infusion of cash because they are too big to fail. It’s = not about size, it’s about politics.

I recently completed my second college degree; an MBA = with significant emphasis on business and global strategy. I’m insulted by the = automakers because I know they have a lot of MBA’s at the top of their = companies and they all are making the mistakes that MBA programs teach you address: = innovation, leadership, strategy, brand management, and business communications. = Right now these guys couldn’t get credit for like experiences or test out of = a pre-requisite class. Bob Nardelli got tossed out of Home Depot and Alan Mullaly = didn’t leave Boeing in the best of shapes. These two al least got the negotiations = part right. Remember, Nardelli left HD with a huge package and Mullaly can = afford the $1 salary with that signing bonus he got for joining Ford. Rick = Wagoner just appalls me. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School. The HBS model for MBA studies is the cornerstone for MBA level = instruction, including almost all the work I did for my MBA. I know the level of = critical analysis that is expected. Rick and whoever reports to him have not been operating at that level. Maybe Rick should have kept up on his = subscription to the Harvard Business Review.  For $109 a year, GM’s collapse = could have been avoided.  

As for the second item on my list, my heart felt = thanks goes out to John Helyar and Doron Levin at Bloomberg.com. Although not = specifically for me, they did a lot of research into this situation and came out with = this (Already Bankrupt GM Won’t be Rescued by U.S. Loan) excellent piece. = Somebody has to do the hard work. I sure don’t have the time. =