GM to end the Employee Discount program

Doesn' it figure?

Geo and I buy a Saturn the end of March this year.

In April, GM does about 75,000 recalls for their Saturn model (O.K., maybe three).

In May, they were crying "boo-hoo-hoo" and there were rumors of bankruptcy. Why? Because the powers that be in GM didn't have the power of foresight to realize not everyone in the US wants a gas guzzling SUV when gas is at an all time high.

What? Don't GM execs go to the pump? I read an article in either Newsweek or the WSJ (I forget which) where one GM rep said GM was not cutting produciton of their SUV's because Americans will pay whatever price for gasoline. Ummm, no, we won't. And that article was over a year ago. So, when the Prius and other hybrid vehicles starting kicking in GM's bloated ass, the moron execs went scrambling and came up with the "employee discount" campaign. Nothing like be reactive than proactive, eh GM?

Now the program will end as of August 1. GM is stating their sales are so high right now, they project running out of 2005 inventory. I can tell from the empty new car lots in my neighborhood (that was a joke). Their new pricing strategy for 2006 will be no-haggle - just like the Saturn division. All that means is they are not going to jack up they sticker prices thousands of dollars and leave them closer to base with a set percentage gain. Strange but I thought that's how commerce worked in a free economic system.

So now the employment applications will flow again with people wanting to be hired by GM so they can get the discount. Unfortunately, GM closed so many plants those jobs no longer exist.

My grandfather gave my dad two pieces of advice. One was never volunteer. Dad broke that one in the Army back in the 50's. Good thing he did. His volunteering to be a company clerk guaranteed him stateside duty which meant no Korea. The other was to "remember there are more horses asses in this world than there are horses, and never buy a Ford."

Thanks, gramps.