Dear GM Dealer:
Earlier today, during a GM Dealer IDL broadcast, I provided you with a GM Business update and significant information about the vital role the U.S. automotive industry plays in the health of the country in terms of employment, annual economic output, exports, R&D investment and retail business. As we’re in the midst of the deepest crisis our industry has ever faced, GM’s priority is on seeking support from various U.S. government agencies and congressional leaders. We need your help now to ask government officials to approve an additional loan package to help us deal with our current liquidity crisis.
Next week, Congress and the current Administration will determine whether to provide immediate support to the domestic auto industry to help it through one of the most difficult economic times in our nation’s history. Your elected officials must hear from all of us now on why this support is critical to our continuing the progress we began prior to the global financial crisis.
As you know, we have taken the tough, necessary actions over the last few years to strengthen our competitive position. With our UAW partners we have reshaped our business and will have reduced our structural costs by more than $13 billion by 2010 and have closed the quality and efficiency gaps with our competitors. We also are building products that have received great customer acceptance and acclaim, as we have seen with the Chevy Malibu, Cadillac CTS and our family of crossovers. And, there’s more to come with the Chevy Volt which will position GM as a global technology leader as well as more hybrids and fuel efficient passenger cars like the Chevy Cruze.
The consequences, however, of a portion of the domestic auto industry collapsing extend far beyond GM’s ability to continue its transformation. One in 10 American jobs depend on our industry, as well as the health of communities, dealers and suppliers in all 50 states. As you know, nearly 3 million employees, retirees, and their families also depend on us for their pensions and health care. Because of the economic contributions of GM and its dealers, the cost of allowing this industry to fail would be catastrophic: 3 million jobs lost within the first year; U.S. personal income reduced by $150.7 billion; a government tax loss over three years of more than $156 billion. This level of economic devastation far exceeds the $25 billion of government support that our industry needs to bridge this current period.
Today, I want you to take the time to contact your members of Congress to ask them to support America’s domestic auto industry. Please call the following number to be connected with your legislators 1-866-874-9356. To assist you with contacts to your Congressional representative, attached are two documents: 1.) Telephone call directions and script for your use in speaking with your representative, a sample letter from you to your representative and a sample “Letter to The Editor” for your use with local media; 2.) Talking points (that include the economic figures cited above) are in the attached document to assist you with the calls. Additionally, you can visit www.gmfactsandfiction.com to obtain further information on the auto industry and GM and the ability to create a letter from you to your respective congressional representative urging them to take action in support of the auto industry. Once you’re on the homepage, click on the “I’m a dealer” tab.
Support for the domestic auto industry will contribute to a stronger economy, save millions of jobs, and establish U.S. manufacturing and technology leadership in the global marketplace. As an employee, you have a lot at stake and continue to be one of our most effective and passionate voices. I know GM can count on you to have your voice heard.
Thank you for your urgent action and ongoing support.
Mark LaNeve
GMNA Vice President
Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing
There are 2 outcomes from all of this.
1) Congress will do something and will give away some billions of our dollars. As a result a year from now (or even less) we’ll learn that money has been pissed and gone and GM needs more, much more.
2) Congress does not do anything.It is highly unlikely, but they probably will blame it all on Bush and will wait and see. There is a great red-blue states battle brewing and blue and red are not designation of who voted pro-against Obama. Today we have number of states who manufacture cars outside of Detroit orbit and prosper doing so. They are NOT interested in investing in Detroit and undermining their own prosperity. Think Texas, Carolinas, Tennessee, Ohio would swing both ways.
Mark LaNeve must be shaking with fear that GM will fail before his hair transplants are complete.
GM’s CEO has his head up his ass and GM’s marketing VP has his ass (hair) on his head.
what i want to know is why they (being politicians) believe that jobs will not be lost with a bailout. that all the jobs in american will be saved and all will be well. i just dont think they get the picture even if they bail them out. they still have to make cars and trucks people do want or and not more almost there products. if they dont they will not make enough money to keep everybody working. the other thing is bankruptcy is not the end of the world. they can come back with different management and do better. a bailout with red ink rick would not help. the whole think with people not buying there products is becuase they have made good vehicles but have held out on that extra couple of dollars that could have made them a standout product. The cobalt good example the big complaints about it were cheap interior and bad sounding motor. it would not take much to fine tune it into a real fighter. the ss with a nicer interior and a few changes to the exterior(for example lights or fascias for apperacne) would outshine everything else. and yeah i would not mind contact my congressman but to tell them to push for chapter 11 not a bailout. we should not pay for executives to make millions instead of putting a little extra in their cars.
Wow. This would be an unbelievable action by any other company than GM. The end is nigh and they are still hunkered down in their fortress of disillusion.
After reading this, just feel. so. dirty. Breaking out the lava soap …
WOW!!
A new level of low.
The spokesman for Hair Implants Gone Bad LLC has sunk to a new level.
I emailed my congresspeople and told them NOT to support the bailout because the companies are just going bankrupt anyways, and they’ll never repay the loans once they do.
“Mark LaNeve must be shaking with fear that GM will fail before his hair transplants are complete.”
Criticizing an individual for their physical traits shows absolutely zero integrity. Also cruel, useless, irrelevant and plain stupid.