Poor Mittens...
That bang and scream you just heard was Romney 2012 shooting itself square in the foot.
To understand how bad this is for Romney, first consider the impact of those bonus checks financially: For most of us 99%'ers $7k is a LOT of money, especially if it comes all at one time. It could represent a year's tuition at a community college, or a semester at the State U for your kid. It's about half a new car or a decent down payment on a home (hell in some places in Detroit it's enough to BUY a home outright, and still have money left over).
Now, since there are about 47,000 Union workers employed by GM, that means the bonus payout will total about $329,000,000.00 which, added all at once to the economy will very like have on HELL of a stimulus effect, particularly in economically depressed areas like Detroit and Cleveland; and it won't cost taxpayers a dime.
Then consider the moral and political statement it makes. UAW rank and file workers made concessions and put "sweat equity" into saving GMr, and now they are seeing a real and tangible reward for their sacrifice. GM's rising tide is indeed lifting ALL boats not just a select. It gives you the same kind of warm and fuzzy feeling that Eastwood's "General Patton meets Coach Taylor" Halftime In America Speech does, a feeling that we are all in this together and we CAN do this.
But according to Mitt Romney it was all a horrible mistake.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/02/1 ... y-Michigan