I agree with BA. I saw on PBS an episode of frontline that talked about the state of the Big 3. They interviewed a VP from GM and asked her the tough questions:
1) Why is it that you need money to "innovate" from the taxpayers when other companies (i.e. Toyota) did it on their own, took the short term loss, and now are extremely profitable? She basically said, well, in the 90s we only looked at what would give us strong profits in the short term while our competitors took a more long-term view and invested in alternatives and fuel economy.
Ummmm, yeah, we all know that is the problem. Why is it that you are trying to use that as an excuse for why you should get a bailout?
2) Why do you claim that you don't have the technology to produce more fuel efficient cars when you currently sell several models overseas that get 70+ miles to the gallon? Also, you sold an electric car in the 90s that you rounded up and crushed. What was that all about? She said that the cars had "reached the end of their life cycle." Well, if that is the case, I have a busted down pick-up at my farm that has definitely reached the end of its life cycle. Will GM come and dispose of it for me?