BernieHund: The Political Watchdog

Could it be?

ABC breaking news

General Motors to Give Up Two Corporate Jets After Execs Were Blasted on Capitol Hill [12:28 p.m. ET]

Let’s not be cynical although my first train of thought was right down the Cynicism Express. Perhaps, GM, the home of the most seemingly arrogant CEO of the automakers, is giving up not one, but two corporate jets. Let’s not shed our tears for those who take commercial flights. GM will still have 3 private jets in their fleet. So, it looks as if CEO Rick Wagner will still be flying in high style.

GM had leased 7 jets for the jet-setters this year. As early as September, the automaker returned two, and now they will return two more at the end of 2008. Times are tough, aren’t they?

Apparently, GM is still defiant in their explanation. It seems that Rick Wagner has taken the “you can’t make me” approach.

“We’re cutting back very drastically on all travel,” said Tom Wilkinson, a spokesperson for GM. Wilkinson said the downsizing is “strictly in response to the planes not being used” and not a reaction to the harsh treatment CEO Rick Wagoner and others received from Congress this week after it was learned that the CEOs of all three big automakers flew to Washington on private planes to plead for public funding to bailout their ailing companies.

The downsizing will not affect the CEO. I guess I never thought Wagner was so important that he needed a jet plane for security reasons… unless he has pissed off so many people that he is afraid to be among the real people.

Indeed, despite the downsizing, Wagoner and the two other top executives at GM will still fly private for all business and personal travel, a board stipulation according to Wilkinson, for security reasons. The executives are required to reimburse the company for personal travel on the jets.

Ford made no comment. And Chrysler seems to be refusing to downsize.

Chrysler said it has no plans to change the company’s policy on using corporate jets, which it leases through an outside firm. “We have a strict travel policy that determines the use of leased corporate aircraft and at this moment that policy hasn’t changed,” said Chrysler spokesperson Ed Garsten.

When the automakers CEO’s return to Washington to plead for funding, they will each land in a corporate jet. And, they will still be pleading hard times.

Perhaps, if we make another major investment in the U.S. automakers we should demand that the CEO’s of each company be replaced by competent people who have the concerns of their employees at heart, not someone fearful of commercial travel.