The End of the Beginning

The government now owns 60% of the largest industrial company in America.  General Motors, which filed for Chapter 11 reorganization yesterday, was once the icon of American capitalism--a colossus of successful enterprise that sold its products all over the world, and dictated the way Americans transport.  No longer.  If 44 has any insight he will use our government's majority stake in the company to insure that the new GM produces the types of vehicles that make economic and environmental sense in the 21st century.  He may tell the press he "has no interest in running GM", but that is a sound bite for another failure, this time at taxpayer expense.  The American people want some payback for their investment of billions to insure GM a future in the global marketplace: they want secure jobs at home; they want high quality vehicles; they want vastly improved gas mileage; and they want practical replacements for the internal combustion engine.   It is 44's responsibility as their CEO to stand and deliver on these societal needs because the "free market" spectacularly did not.