My Dad is a GM pensioner and spent 30 years working the line.  The deal was, give us 30 years and we'll take care of you.  He worked at an Oldmobile plant in Framingham, MA and when that closed 3 years shy of retirement he finished out his time in Baltimore, working the 3rd shift since he had lost plant seniority. 

He's 68 now.  Due to the GM contract he was forced to go on Social Security at 62 and not wait a few years for the savings to accrue further.  If he loses his pension he'll be at a stilted lower social security payment.  

I voted for Obama, but he seems to have taken responsibility for the final nail in the GM coffin.  I hope he remembers how many lives GM actually touches in the US and how many votes that could be down the road.  He needs to protect the ones who gave the "30 years" and did no wrong.  

We do not need an Enron redux.