With it, the automakers will stay the course the suicidal course of declining market shares, insurmountable labor and retiree burdens, technology atrophy, product inferiority and never-ending job losses.

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There was no individual market for them and few employers offered retiree coverage.

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The gap likely closed some in 2010, thanks to strong market returns, but the gains could be offset by further swelling in the retiree ranks.

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