“He Who Pays the Piper Calls the Tune.” Rick Wagoner, CEO of GM, learned the hard way the truth of this idiom. GM took a huge bailout from Uncle Sam, GM apparently wanted more, and the Obama administration wanted Wagoner out. If I were the largest stockholder in GM and I was dissatisfied with Mr. Wagoner as CEO, I might want him out also. However, there is a very big difference between stockholders and the Federal government.

Stockholders first and often only priority is to make money. The same cannot be said of the Federal government – it does not need to “make money” because it can actually make money. It can also tax you and me whenever it wants to spend more. If Mr. Wagoner had that ability he would still be in charge of GM.

For a moment assume that Mr. Wagoner’s resignation is necessary to “save” GM. Now what? Does the Obama administration get to appoint the new CEO? Does it have veto power over the selection? Does anyone believe that a Federal administration, Democratic or Republican, would appoint the CEO of a major corporation without any political consideration?

Now, imagine that the new CEO of GM decides the company needs to build a new automotive assembly plant. Does the Obama administration sit idly by while the new CEO of GM decides to build the plant in Mississippi, a non-union, Republican leaning state? Hardly. Either the administration appointed CEO knows better, or one way or another is pressured to build the plant in a Democratic union state. 

How far down the corporate ladder does the Obama administration reach in directly or indirectly appointing people? How about the presidents of GM’s divisions? Vice-presidents? Managers?

Then there is the issue of product control. Will the left-wing, liberal Obama administration decide that the gas guzzling Corvette is environmentally unfriendly and thus should be discontinued?

I do not have any poll numbers, but I would guess that more Republicans and conservatives own pick-up trucks than Democrats and liberals. How long before there are no pick-up trucks?

Certainly, what is “good” for GM is good for the banks. Will Mr. Geitner now be asking for the resignation of bank CEOs?

It is about time Americans started calling the bailouts and stimulus packages what they are: socialism.

We are back to Tammany Hall politics, where those in political power can blatantly hand out jobs in return for votes.