GM: Investing heavily in China

President Obama spent 80 billion taxpayer dollars (money taken from you and me) to save General Motors and Chrysler, and, according to the president, to protect American jobs. How did GM use our money? In their process of getting their business in order the company shut down 1,100 dealerships and put thousands of people out of work. Most of the dealerships that were shut down were owned by Republicans who did not contribute to the Obama campaign.

As sad as that was what is even sadder and more outrageous is the fact that GM used our money to expand their operations in communist China. According to General Motors CEO Dan Akerson, shrinking U.S. operations and expanding Chinese operations is important to GM’s future. According to Dan Akerson, GM will be reducing research and development activities in the U.S. and expanding them in China.

GM presently has 11 joint ventures with the Chinese and more than 2,700 dealerships in China. Since the bailout, 70 percent of GM’s auto production has been outside the United States — that is a quote from their CEO Dan Akerson.

I think it is incredible that the liberal press has not had any criticism of the Obama bailouts and his failure to produce American jobs. Oh, I forgot to mention, Obama’s job Czar is none other than the General Electric Chairman Jeff Immelt who is planning to move its 115-year-old X Ray division from Wisconsin to Beijing. In addition to moving the headquarters, the company will invest $2 billion in China, relocate a handful of managers, but hire 200 Chinese engineers and create six research centers.

As job Czar, I guess the president forgot to tell Immelt in which country he was supposed to be creating new jobs. It really is disgraceful that General Motors took our money and is using it to expand their operations in China, essentially turning General Motors into China Motors.

LARRY KETTLE

Coeur d’Alene