[jyl]

Some people resent the government pressure on GM to shift its mix toward fuel efficient vehicles. Those people are as short-sighted as the GM executives who ran the company into the ground.

The global recession has driven down the price of oil and gasoline, which has given a respite to the low-MPG large SUV and 1/2 ton+ pickup truck that is GM's bread and butter.

With oil in the $30s to $50s, many oil projects have been shelved, which means future supply has been cut. Oil projects take many years to yield production, and delays now will affect production for the next 10 years.

When the recession ends and global growth resumes, oil prices will go right back up to $100, $150, or higher, and gasoline will be $4+ again.

If GM remains dependent on large SUVs and pickups then, they will collapse again. I cannot imagine that the US govt or voter will tolerate bailing out the company twice in a decade.