GM : Government Motors Steals #1

In the State of the Union address last night President Obama announced, "General Motors is back on top as the world's #1 auto maker."  Is this statement suppose to make everyone happy?  Image you own stock in Ford and you hear that GM is the #1 auto company.  Ford chose to work through their financial difficulties and and they are now #2 to GM.

For year GM was mismanaged and allowed the unions dictate the direction and quality of their product. Union bosses and leaders where more concerned about employee benefits then product quality.  When the company was about to go bankrupt and liquidate the strongest parts of the company, employees and assets they where bailed out by the federal government.  

Ford, through some poor decisions was also in need of a bailout, but they decided to work though the problems and right their ship.  They did right and now have to listen the the CEO of GM, President Obama talk about how great GM.  Did GM have to pay for that free advertisement?  

Imagine yourself as the owner of a business in another industry and your lagest competitor is now owned by the government.  You knew they where in financial trouble and where considering acquiring the best people and parts of the business to strengthen your company.  But not your largest competitor is own and managed by the federal government.  Would you feel like you are at a disadvantage? Would you think that this same government may look the other way when running safety tests on their products (Chevy Volt).  Do you think you lost your competitive edge.   What happens when the government rules in favor of their business and not yours?  Who are the impartial legislators and judges?  They are have a vested intrest in seeing the government run business working.  Why else did they invest in it?

You see the biggest problem with government owning and operating companies in the private sector is not that they broke the law, but it is that they are now creating conflict of interests.  How do they fairly represent GM  and the auto safety agency that oversees the safety all products in the industry?  How do they say to you as a private business owner, "Compete with us?"