# Should banks have to repay the auto bailouts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 16, 2010, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-banks-have-to-repay-the-auto-bailouts/529260 "2010-02-16T23:08:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Keweenaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Keweenaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keweenaw)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-banks-have-to-repay-the-auto-bailouts/529260/21 "2010-02-20T05:05:57Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > It is my understanding that GM is already trying to figure out how to pay the money back, since the fact that Ford didn’t take any money was a competitive advantage. Chrysler is in worse shape. There is definitely a risk, but if GM recovers the government can make a tidy profit by selling the equity as soon as feasible - which they should do and will do. In any case, they haven’t lost any money yet. [GM paid $1 Billion back in December](http://imarketnews.com/node/7655) and plans to have the outstanding debt repaid by June of this year. I agree that in GM’s case at least, the government stands to make a profit ultimately when they sell their equity as well. I don’t have any problem with the banks sharing some of the burden taken on for the auto companies bailout. The financial collapse and credit market freeze was part of why it was needed in the first place. Not the only factor certainly, but a contributing one. ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Dastardly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@Dick\_Dastardly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dick_Dastardly)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-banks-have-to-repay-the-auto-bailouts/529260/22 "2010-02-21T22:04:29Z")
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