In the newspapers there is much discussion of what General Motors (NYSE:GM) should do. This discussion has gone on for many years. Until now, it was a conversation carried on by serious analysts and auto industry experts. They all said the same thing: GM needed to clear out its management, dump much of its expensive, “legacy” overhead, and produce better cars. Why didn’t it do so?

And now, it’s broke. And even politicians think they know how to run an auto company. Just read the papers. “Obama insists on changes,” says one headline.

Normally, the politicos should hold their tongues…and let an industry’s owners run their businesses. Alas, as of a few days ago, the politicians ARE the owners.

Here’s a question:

When the government takes a majority stake in the auto business you know you are:

A) In a bad dream B) In a bad way C) In a bad country D) In

...

.S. Treasury Secretary Henry M. “Hank” Paulson Jr. warned former Washington Mutual Inc. (OTC: WAMUQ) Chief Executive Officer Kerry Killinger to sell the thrift to JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) two months before WaMu failed, both The Seattle Times and Bloomberg News reported. According to the published reports, Paulson telephoned Killinger and told him that “you should have sold to JPMorgan Chase in the spring, and you should do so now. Things could get a lot more difficult for you.” The Times report quoted a WaMu executive who was familiar with the incident, but didn’t disclose the source’s name. Sign up below… and we’ll send you a new investment report for free: “Credit ...

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union will vote this Saturday on whether to end its two-month strike against The Boeing Co. (BA). A tentative agreement to end the strike was reached Monday.

Boeing’s shares soared $6.55 each, or 15.5%, to close at $48.91. They are still down 50% from their 12-month high of $98.71 and are down 45% for the year.

It was the longest strike in 13 years: The union walked out for 28 days in 2005 and 69 days in 1995.

Both sides claimed victory this time around.The union said that it “won the battle and made some significant gains,” while Boeing claimed it had “retained the flexibility necessary” to manage its business, Reuters reported.

Saturday will be the 57th day of the walkout by unionized machinist workers, who have shut down Boeing’s commercial-jetliner-assembly business since they left their jobs on Sept. 6., in a dispute over contract

...

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union will vote this Saturday on whether to end its two-month strike against The Boeing Co. (BA). A tentative agreement to end the strike was reached Monday. Boeing’s shares soared $6.55 each, or 15.5%, to close at $48.91. They are still down 50% from their 12-month high of $98.71 and are down 45% for the year. It was the longest strike in 13 years: The union walked out for 28 days in 2005 and 69 days in 1995. Both sides claimed victory this time around. Sign up below… and we’ll send you a new investment report for free: “Credit Crisis Report.” ...