GM’s strategic plan
Car trends
Regarding “GM and oil industry” (Editorial, Thursday): It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that small cars do not sell anymore. As a driver, I only see huge SUVs and trucks. Couldn’t those people at GM see what was coming? This layoff announcement could have been avoided, if they had started phasing in facilities for building large vehicles a long time ago.
They can talk about the economy all day and night, but poor people are the ones who will suffer. Noel Foreman, Houston
Obligated to U.S.
Regarding “GM and oil industry” (Editorial, Thursday): I couldn’t disagree more. GM is closing the plants because that is where they make the janky little cars no one wants. I look for them to expand into all-electric vehicles which helps their mileage average, so they can build the vehicles that are popular and make the most money: Trucks.
The oil industry will be around long after many of us are gone.
President Trump is right. President Obama shoveled a ton of money to General Motors, and the company has a responsibility to perform. Robert Anderson, Spring
Free markets
A few of the headlines from Tuesday’s Chronicle: “GM to close 5 plants, cut jobs,” “Bankruptcies up for Midwest farms” and “Black Friday sales of firearms down.” Three key constituencies of President Trump’s base — manufacturing, farmers and the gun industry. I bet they never thought that winning would look like this.
True to form the president threatened GM with an end of subsidies. Does he realize that move would result in additional job losses? I thought Republicans were all for a free market.
If GM needs to cut costs to stay solvent for the long haul, why is the president trying to sabotage that effort? The tariff on imported steel is partly to blame for GM’s woes, making the cost of manufacturing a car more expensive. The president is good at creating a problem then doubling down on it. R. D. Hellyer, Houston