GM Resumes Political Giving
- Posted on September 22, 2010 at 10:20pm by
Meredith Jessup
- Print »
- Email »
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that General Motors Co. has once again started to contribute to political campaigns, marking the end of a once self-imposed ban on political spending. The automobile manufacturer accepted taxpayer dollars last year to help finance bankruptcy restructuring and remains majority-owned by the U.S. government. GM plans to return to public trading next year, allowing the U.S. to begin unloading its 61 percent share of the company. 
In the meantime, however, GM spokesman Greg Martin defended the company’s political donations despite a potential conflict of interest. “As we’ve emerged as a new company, we’re not going to sit on the sidelines as our competitors and other industries who have PACs are participating in the political process,” Martin told the Wall Street Journal. GM’s political action committee, he said, is “an effective means for our employees to pool their resources and have their collective voice heard.”
In deciding what criteria the company should use to determine which candidates should receive contributions to their campaigns, Martin said the company supported candidates who “approach issues thoughtfully” and “support a strong auto industry.”
So far, the company’s $90,500 in political contributions have favored mostly Midwestern Democratic candidates, including Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich. The list also included House Republican Whip Erick Cantor.
Popular Stories
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 692 Comments
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 491 Comments
Obama: RNC Like Watching ‘Black-and-White TV’ Because Romney ‘Did Not Offer a Single New Idea’ 375 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 343 Comments
‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 329 Comments
Faith
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 315 Comments- Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More
- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 329 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 236 Comments- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 148 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 302 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 315 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (76)
Marylou7
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 5:26amWhy weren’t we asked if they could donate to these politicians?? Don’t we own the majority of GM?? A Ford is going to be my next car.
Report Post »Hondaman
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 4:59amLet’s see . . . . . Government Motors accepting money from taxpayers . . . . .hmmm. Just never an end to the amount they suck from us. I will never buy a GM car again.
Report Post »flamedone1968
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 3:46amI‘ll still get GM but only 70’s and earlier and restore them. I have a 2001 Silverado and the 480LE trans is a pile that I’ve had to have rebuilt twice in the last 2 years. I would have put in a 400 turbo but they tell me it won’t pass smog if I do. Makes me want to go to the California Smog Board and stick it where the sun don’t shine. It won’t be going in straight either if I do.
Report Post »flamedone1968
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 3:48amAnd yes I think that is a definate list of no vote people.
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 3:12amMy father and many friends and family members worked for GM for many years. We faithfully purchased only GM vehicles. How-ever since the bail-out and now with this latest fiascal I will now become the proud owner of a FORD. How dare GM take tax-payers money to donate to any political campaign. What suck-ups ! Shame on you GM.
Report Post »bigdeg
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 2:20amCantor should give the money back!!!
Report Post »NotaLemming
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 2:09amI am sorry for those of you that may be employed by GM. You are poisoned now and will never see another dime of my money for a new vehicle. You already have it all now anyway! I suggest you all QUIT and let a company that is big enough to fail, fail! The beauty of the free market is how it fixes corruption. In this case a large portion of a corrupt Union would have been de-funded.
The UAW destroying one company and one family at a time.
Report Post »DMD
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 1:32amMy 2006 Silverado sits in my driveway falling apart at the hands of UAW workers.
Never again will I buy another Obama Motors vehicle.
Report Post »Mike777
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 1:28amI have bought GM products all my life never more. My next car will be from a right to work state. They make Toyota trucks in Texas now. I see one in my future.
Report Post »Dyllon
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 1:25amPerhaps it’s not because GM wants more money but because they have “seen the light” so to speak and have decided that a liberal ideology economically best suits the country, economy, and therefore their well being. It‘s the fallacy of faulty causation to assume they gave money to Democrats because they want more and in fact is less logical in my opinion than saying it’s merely a change in ideology because are there reasons why GM would need more government money? If there aren’t, then that whole conspiracy theory is shot down.
Report Post »NotaLemming
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 2:13amOh yes they will need more money. They have underfunded pensions to cover and not enough people in the world can buy enough GM cars to make the payout viable. Oh I can guarantee they will be back BEGGING for more of YOUR money from the Marxist in Chief.
Report Post »carrera
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 9:47amNotaleming- GM does not need to beg at all, they recently applied for 14.4 BILLION in additional loans from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced technology. Now ask yourself, we have GM unable to pay back the taxpayers and our Government is entertaining loaning them an additional 14.4 BILLION, they have enough money for political contributions, and they had a robust amount of money for the CEO to run television ads across the nation blatantly lying to the American people that the money was paid back, they have had four CEO’s since Obama seized GM all earning Millions and now they plan on offering stock to foreign investors immediately after the November elections, and not one Senator or Congressional leader seems to have a problem with this.
Report Post »RealityCheck
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 1:22amGet some facts, this is our government not GM. That was not a bail out but a loan which %10 was paid back and now for the rest our government has ownership! This is a prime example of why we need small government. If we had supported American jobs to begin with, GM would still be over paying employees, and I mean that sarcastically. All this hate for GM and the Union should be pointed at our government. Stop and think, without some sort of workers union you end up with big business like Walmart paying $12.50 max and pitiful benefits, as well as sweatshops in China.
Report Post »printdesignchicago.com
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 9:02amthe workers in a FREE ECONOMY can go find other jobs if their current one doesn’t suit them well.
the workers in a UNION ECONOMY are pretty much trapped, as they have fewer alternatives. you are seeing the results of this now. UNIONS, Politicians and our “leadership” have nearly run this country into the ground.
Report Post »BetterDays
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 1:11amI own a dodge and a GMC, gee I’d trade them in for a Ford any day of the week!
Report Post »RobR
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 12:50amJust one more nail in Obama’s impeachment coffin.
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 12:33amGM was looking for foreign investors last week.
Report Post »Why ?
Something is not making sense
RealityCheck
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 1:15amOwned by our government, do you really think they want Americans to have good jobs? The union excuse is old and tired. Plain and simple, we won WW2 due to our auto industry (look it up), naturally the industry which basically created our middle class is going to go down so they can have us working for slave laborers like walmart. How long do you think a company lasts when competition pays its employees less gets tax breaks by our government, while countries like Japan put a %15 tax on imported cars which goes to their auto manufacturers? Tell me someone isn’t trying to destroy our country.
Report Post »shotgun
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 12:25amA Good Reason NOT to Buy GM.
Report Post »Hondaman
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 4:56amExactly !!!!!!!
Report Post »Super68
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 11:02amI won’t give GM a single thin dime of my money.
Report Post »Pizzler
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 12:18amI have an idea! Lets shut down all of the GM plants in the US,( and our offshore oil wells) send them to Brazil along with a few billion dollars( for manufacturing plants ( and oil well platforms) and start building cars down there! Americans spend their money on GM cars built in Brazil to bolster Brazils economy! WOW, we get to buy oil and GM products from south america and the President get’s what he wants, US standards lowerd to meet the rest of the world! This will help Europe as GM is offering GM shares to foregin investors as of this week! Ain’t Life Grand!!!
Report Post »Red Neckerson
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 12:04amWell I qas seriously contemplating buying me a Chevy 2500 quad cab Duramax 4×4, now I know I will be buying the F-250 quad cab 4×4 Powerstroke diesel instead. Kiss my $40k goodbye GM. Thanks for helping make the descision GM. No more GM products for me or my kids. Actually that will be kiss my $80k goodbye now GM.
Report Post »NJONY
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 11:54pmWho’s resourses are you pooling. I think they are my resourses and I don’t want you GM spending my money on political ads. Pay my money back and then you can spend as you wish.
Report Post »Republic
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 11:47pmSo the politicians stole our money, gave it to GM, and now GM gives it back to the politicians. Gee, I am so shocked! Nah. Well, I don’t see any crime here, except for the payoff’s. More of the Chicago style corruption. And they wonder why the Tea Party is virtually starting to have their way with these clowns. So, when the Tea Party people are in power, let the prosecutions of these thieves begin. I don’t see any difference from the GM/politicians to the city mayor/counsel people in California that are now being prosecuted for stealing millions by having their hefty paychecks that they did not even come close to earning.
Report Post »needanotherReagan
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 11:36pmGM is now a slush fund for democrats? I am shocked, completely thrown for a loop by this surprising development. I totally did not see this coming at all.
Report Post »DagneyT
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 5:55amOuch, that tongue in your cheek must hurt! ;-)
Report Post »RESTORATION1787
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 11:15pmThis is not surprising. What pi$$es me off, is, as an American, I have helped bail them out and in a sense a partial owner. We are paying for Union pensions and benefits yet we get nothing but the bill. If they want to donate money, do it with profits, if they ever actually earn one again. Don’t do it on the backs of the average American worker!
Report Post »megansmom
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 5:12amAnd as an added piddling point all those jobs“ they saved” will soon be going to Mexico when they open up the new plant they are building there.
Report Post »kgeorge152
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 10:53pmWell, isn’t this just great! We give them our money to save their company, and then they turn around and donate to the very people that ruined their company in the first place. I don’t get it……the corruption is so obvious and blatant…yet no one complains. Just look at the comment from BROKER101. he wants the union to have “equal power” Is this where America is? Labor and owners equal? I can’t imagine how Americans have lost sight of how we got to be the greatest country on earth….must be the education system run by the unions.
Report Post »PostProgressiveAmerican
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 2:59amLet’s see…Democrats were opposed to political contributions from Big Business (to Republicans at least), then take over a company, give them tax dollars and allow them to contribute to Democratic candidates. Sounds like a form of money laundering to me…someone should go to jail.
Report Post »Ohiowoman
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 10:52pmI heard a story a few weeks ago, but I‘m not sure if it’s fact…..supposedly there was a meeting of the UAW rank and file at a Michigan plant and they union leaders were tossed out because they are now considered management……Labor negotiations should prove interesting since they will be arguing with themselves.
Report Post »DavidFactual
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 4:19pmTrue story. It was in many articles and on YouTube.
The UAW Automobile Executive wanted to cut salaries, benefits, and retirement pensions because {they were enlightened to the fact that} the Company could not operate financially with such a heavy burden imposed by the current UNION CONTRACTS.
The Workers booed the UAW Reps off the stage.
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 10:46pmPossible loophole against non-discretionary spending rollback to 2008 levels, obtaining funds from Government Motors and other beneficiaries of Bail-Outs?
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 10:33pmI yearn for the day that the UAW strikes against itself. I hope they can’t give their shares (which will be in the form of “mandatory convertible preferred shares”) of the new GM away and are stuck with at least 17.5% (their current percentage of) ownership.. I want the UAW with equal power on both sides of the labor negotiation table.
Report Post »tepartyblog.info
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 2:21amI can wait for the death the UAW and other unions.
Report Post »LBreath
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 10:33pmThank you for the bailout. Here is some of the money back so you can get reelected and vote to give me more.
Report Post »rocktruth
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 10:41pmexactly
Report Post »american1st
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 10:53pmlbreath hits the nail on the head
Report Post »Debrabate
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 11:10pmThey are just PREPAYING thier next bailout vote.
THIS is why I dont by GM cars…. that and after 5 years it takes duct tape and a prayer to hope they stay together.
Report Post »plunderpower
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 12:51amYou forgot to add: and take over our competitors companies…
Report Post »VegasGuy
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 12:57amExactly. This stinks to high Heaven.
Report Post »carol m
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 1:00amI agree
Report Post »RealityCheck
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 1:10amYou do realize our government owns over 60% of GM right? Funny how the ban is now lifted.
Report Post »joseph Fawcett
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 1:41amI agree with you on this for sure! payback time, since the American people OWN the company not the employees, Why don’t they put it up to a stockholders vote what they do with the money, or even if they should be contributing to any one’s relection?!
Report Post »tepartyblog.info
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 2:14amMaybe GM will have a chance once the government is no longer regulating(after we take back the country) the types of cars they produce. I kind of want to see them fail for taking government money.
Report Post »tepartyblog.info
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 2:19amA few names not to vote for. I am thinking once these people(all of the career politicians) go back to their hometowns we have to make sure they cant hold any public office.
Report Post »Sen. Debbie Stabenow,
D-Mich.,
Sen. Sherrod Brown,
D-Ohio,
Rep. John Dingell,
D-Mich.
Independent Tess
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 7:34amExactly right Lbreath. What a racket! More Chicago methods.
Report Post »whereareyourbrains
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 7:56amhave you noticed that the Democrats are playing games and saying they want the tax cuts to stay.
Report Post »Another political ploy to make us think they changed. The unions are going to give heavy so they win.
We gotta see through the bull. Vote them out.
sodun
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 12:26pmHow convenient, Obama gives GM money, they build new plants in Mexico and then give part of MY tax money back to the Dems.
Report Post ».
I think I’ll have some TEA.
Eagle07
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 1:40pmThats why I will only buy Ford from now on.
Report Post »TEAmember
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 5:15pmNEVER ANOTHER CHRYSLER..N
Report Post »TEAmember
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 5:16pmNEVER ANOTHER CHRYSLER..NEVER ANOTHER GM…EVER ANOTHER HALFBREEDKENYAN
Report Post »Compete or Lose
Posted on September 23, 2010 at 6:10pmHow dare GM make political contributions while they are owned by the government—it is an inherent CONFLICT OF INTEREST!!!!!
This is really wrong!!!!
Report Post »