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GM Posts Loss; Burns Through $10 Billion
Reuters via Yahoo News ^ | May 7, 2009 | Kevin Krolicki and David Bailey

Posted on 05/07/2009 5:52:59 AM PDT by John W

DETROIT (Reuters) – General Motors Corp said it burned through $10.2 billion in the first quarter as it failed to cut costs fast enough to offset a sharp decline in global sales and was kept afloat by a federal bailout.

Revenue dropped by almost half to $22.4 billion as the company cut production by about 900,000 vehicles and tried to run down costly inventories on dealer lots in the United States and Europe.

Chief Financial Officer Ray Young said there was evidence consumers were scared away from GM cars and trucks because of concern the automaker was headed for bankruptcy.

"You could not offset the revenue implosion that we experienced here," Young told reporters following release of the quarterly results on Thursday.

He said GM still hoped to complete a debt restructuring out of court but was ready for bankruptcy if that proved necessary. He said GM was pressing ahead with contingency plans for a quick bankruptcy process, drawing on the experience of Chrysler LLC, which filed for bankruptcy last week.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: automakers; generalmotors; thecomingdepression
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To: John W
Well, as we individual tax payers decided not to purchase autos from "Government Motors", revenues could be expected to slip.

Of course, wait until next tax season when there is a box to check off for you to prove that you purchased at least one unit from "Government Motors". You will have to include the proof purchase. Those without the box checked off will automatically be placed in the "To Be Audited with Extreme Prejudice" inbox at the IRS.

21 posted on 05/07/2009 6:31:06 AM PDT by Redleg Duke ("Sarah Palin...Unleashing the Fury of the Castrated Left!")
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To: Eric in the Ozarks
Remember GM paid Fiat $2 billion to make a joint venture with the firm. Then GM paid another $2 billion to get out of the deal...

OMG, I had forgotten about this. I remember thinking that GM was crazy to enter that partnership to begin with. Chrysler is being "shotgun wed" to Fiat, though. The end result will be interesting.

22 posted on 05/07/2009 6:32:34 AM PDT by Hardastarboard (I long for the days when advertisers didn't constantly ask about the health of my genital organs.)
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To: nyconse
If this happens, a recession could very well turn into a depression.

We're already there.

23 posted on 05/07/2009 6:35:17 AM PDT by P-Marlowe (LPFOKETT GAHCOEEP-w/o*)
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To: John W
Burned through, how many million went into numbered Swiss accounts!!!
24 posted on 05/07/2009 6:41:44 AM PDT by org.whodat (Auto unions bad: Machinists union good=Hypocrisy)
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To: John W
A $10 billion loss? It's a good thing we panicked and threw out all those billions to bail out the UAW, er, I mean, GM.

Hey, it's only tax money. It's not like it really belongs to anybody. Just print some more!

Besides, the UAW can always pick up the pieces and partner with Lada!

25 posted on 05/07/2009 6:46:40 AM PDT by Gritty (Liberals want the destruction of the USA. But they get to keep their houses in Amagansett-A Coulter)
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To: P-Marlowe

You think we are in a depression?


26 posted on 05/07/2009 6:50:38 AM PDT by nyconse (When you buy something, make an investment in your country. Buy Amrican or bye bye America)
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To: The Sons of Liberty

An American without a domestic industry is a weaker, less prosperous nation. All civilized countries have an auto industry...as for GM, they are making profits in China if you can believe it. They had the best month ever...now why can China afford to buy cars but we can’t (all cars are down in the US)...wait China makes things,produces things,thus they have cash and we do not produce much so we have deficits...what’s wrong with that picture?


27 posted on 05/07/2009 6:54:27 AM PDT by nyconse (When you buy something, make an investment in your country. Buy Amrican or bye bye America)
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To: Gritty

That ain’t all.

Their retirees are organizing to protect their benefits too. Guess who’s gonna pay for that gravy train?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2244473/posts


28 posted on 05/07/2009 6:59:00 AM PDT by Let's Roll (Stop paying ACORN to destroy America! Cut off their government funding!)
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To: The Sons of Liberty

Related video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyFyAqLtHq8


29 posted on 05/07/2009 7:41:53 AM PDT by Skenderbej
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To: nyconse

The U.S. Auto industry’s final straw was the Dem 2006 Congress with the NO Energy Policy which caused gas to go to $4.50 a gallon. The pandering to the UAW was the other problem. I would buy another Ford but never a Chrylser or GM now. Sad about GM.


30 posted on 05/07/2009 8:02:53 AM PDT by Frantzie (Remember when Bush was President and Americans had jobs (and ammo)?)
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To: Frantzie

You are right. It is sad and very damaging for the country.


31 posted on 05/07/2009 8:42:23 AM PDT by nyconse (When you buy something, make an investment in your country. Buy Amrican or bye bye America)
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To: Eric in the Ozarks

Fiat. They obviously know how to make money..., now, if they only knew how to make cars?


32 posted on 05/07/2009 11:27:27 AM PDT by norraad ("What light!">Blues Brothers)
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To: norraad
Fiat. They obviously know how to make money..., now, if they only knew how to make cars?

Heck, the US has recently named her currency after them - Fiat money.

33 posted on 05/07/2009 11:29:11 AM PDT by meyer (Obama is to the USA as Mugabe is to Zimbabwe.)
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To: Eric in the Ozarks

Fiat isn’t making any money.


34 posted on 05/07/2009 1:11:46 PM PDT by Freedom_Is_Not_Free (Depression Countdown: 55... 54... 53...)
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To: John W

EVERYONE is in the welfare line that you and I are financing, with debt being extended to our childrens grandchildren.

This crap will hit the oscillating device.


35 posted on 05/07/2009 1:14:14 PM PDT by gathersnomoss (General George Patton had it right.)
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To: nyconse
...”Obama really screwed this up”...

Mr. Head will get what he wants, corporate failure and government takeover. I never thought I would see Fascism in this country.

Up next, Universal Healthcare. America goes down for the count...

36 posted on 05/07/2009 1:20:20 PM PDT by gathersnomoss (General George Patton had it right.)
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To: nascarnation
If the GOP had any brains, they might seize on the fact that taxpayers are gonna subsidize the retirement payments and platinum benefits of hundreds of thousands of union members and beneficiaries.

If the GOP had any brains, they might seize on the fact that taxpayers are gonna subsidize the retirement payments and platinum benefits of hundreds of thousands of union members and beneficiaries.

If the GOP had any brains, they might seize on the fact that taxpayers are gonna subsidize the retirement payments and platinum benefits of hundreds of thousands of union members and beneficiaries.

The GOP IS DOA! So goes America.

37 posted on 05/07/2009 1:23:27 PM PDT by gathersnomoss (General George Patton had it right.)
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To: Freedom_Is_Not_Free

Sounds like my local Ford dealer. Losing money on every sale but making it up in volume.


38 posted on 05/07/2009 1:26:08 PM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: org.whodat

Bingo, this stolen taxpayer money does not just “go up in smoke”. Books will be written about this massive theft. Then, they will be burned.


39 posted on 05/07/2009 1:26:23 PM PDT by gathersnomoss (General George Patton had it right.)
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To: nyconse

Now, you are back at the core of the problem. The End. Roll the credits.


40 posted on 05/07/2009 1:28:00 PM PDT by gathersnomoss (General George Patton had it right.)
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