How Taxpayers Can Profit From the New GM

Tomorrow will see the death—and rebirth—of General Motors. And with the government taking a 60% stake, it's reasonable to wonder whether taxpayers will ever see a return on their investment, writes Matthew DeBord for the Big Money on Slate. But the focus on money might be "short-sighted," he writes. The better payback will be if GM resumes its role as an industry leader, this time in the push for more efficient cars.

It's already dumped the Hummer, and the increased focus on the electric Chevy Volt bodes well. If all goes well, GM could play an instrumental role in moving the US auto industry beyond gasoline. It's no secret that the company missed the boat on hybrids, but "on mass-produced electric vehicles, the new GM may write a different story." (More General Motors stories.)