>>Sure. Nothing is absolute in this world. Some may rightfully blame GMC, but I also think the workers and their union are making it more difficult for American car makers to compete.
>
>Personally, I think it's Japan, China and a few others who are making it more difficult for American car makers to compete. Please don't get the idea that I am a union fan when I say this, but in truth, what the unions are doing when they ask for more money, is trying to get a little of the 'American dream' for their workers. When other countries cut the auto market off at the knees, I'm not sure how you can blame the unions, and believe me, I blame them for a lot of stuff.

My wife has heard a story about an experimental series of electric cars (just a few hundred or so) that GMC built and leased to customers. The customers loved them. When the lease expired, GMC just pulled those cars back and destroyed them - they needed the parking lot for the SUVs.

And it seems GMC's not the only one - http://www.dontcrush.com/ has a few more stories.

So there's a demand, there's a market, yet the car manufacturers keep advertising the private battle vehicles. Nobody can convince me that the unions blackmailed them into betting the farm on gas guzzlers, or that they sincerely believed the gas prices won't rise in their lifetime.