Like so many other lifelong Detroiters, I am a product of families who made their living as part of the Big 3 and in both white-collar and UAW roles. Though the bulk of the family auto employees worked for the Ford Motor Company (as my Aunt Mary always referred to the company), there have been family members who also worked for Chrysler and General Motors. I'm not sure I've met anyone who grew up in the tri-county area who wasn't tied to these companies in some way. Through a lot of ups, downs and changes through the years - both good and bad - three things were always constant in these parts and they were Ford, GM and Chrysler.
The things I've seen shake out this year, specifically those related to the recession, are things I did not think would ever truly happen and today saw one more. General Motors finally filed for bankruptcy. It was a long time coming and completely planned out, but it is still uncertain what this will mean for the future of the company, the workers, the other manufacturers, the Motor City and the U.S.A. As a firm believer in free markets, a large part of me thinks that the market would have dictated the best possible result in the end, not a majority stake by the U.S. government.
As a Detroiter at heart, I am hopeful that there may be a brighter future for GM down the road.
I hope so, as well!
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