OK I’ve held myself back as long as I can about me bailing out first the banks and now the domestic auto makers. The banks made bad loans used bad judgment and because of that we all must pay. Of course no one was fired for that lapse in judgment and of course loans for a small business like Maine Outdoors were difficult to get during the good times and are now impossible. If banks are not interested in helping me I need a better reason to want to help them. The automakers seeing a good thing are now lining up for a share of my cash, explaining that they have no reason for why their businesses have slumped.
Perhaps I can explain it to them. Let me relate a story. I drive a 2004 GMC Yukon. Pretty good vehicle that cost more than our first house when I bought it used, so far so good. It has had a few things wear out again not a problem. I use it and moving parts wear out.
When I put on a new set of tires this fall one of the valve stems was leaking around its O-ring. Simple enough I thought. Valve stems used to be disposable and this one looked a little more rugged than that so off I went to the dealer. The replacement is not a couple of dollars or even taking it apart and replacing the leaking O-ring for a quarter. Not so lucky, $125. Now for the best part, it was not installed correctly and I am getting an error message on the dashboard. Another trip back to the dealer, another couple of hours spent waiting and another days wages invested in a simple repair. Assuming that they have someone on hand more talented who can actually make the repair this time.
Total of $125, six working hours and three trips to Augusta for a repair that should have cost a few dollars and been done by the tire mechanic. What was I thinking?
I want my share of whatever bailout GM gets taken from that $125. That should be more than enough. Keep in mind that the gross domestic product of Maine is only slightly more than they are asking for. Should every man woman and child in Maine work for the automakers for one year to prop up that sort of behavior? I think not.
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