(AP Photo)

Washington (CNSNews.com) - On the same day that President Obama made comments suggesting that the federal government’s 2009 bailout of General Motors was on the path to being a success, House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said that the bailout had been an example of government overreach and had hurt many Americans.

“The government’s reaction to General Motors and the bailout from the government I think could have been handled in a more orderly way from a bankruptcy judge, without the heavy hand of the federal government in the midst of it,” Boehner said in a Thursday press conference at the Capitol.

“When you look at the people who lost because of the government’s actions, we’re talking about tens of thousands of Americans who were punished as a result of the government’s action,” he added.

Boehner spokesman Michael Steel told CNSNews.com that the Republican leader was referring to “both the bondholders and the employees at the dealerships that were arbitrarily closed by the White House.”

GM reported raising more than $20 billion Thursday, when, for the first time in nearly two years, its stock was offered to the public. President Obama claimed the taxpayer takeover was a success.

“Today, one of the toughest tales of the recession took another big step toward becoming a success story,” Obama said Thursday. “We are finally beginning to see some of these tough decisions that we made in the midst of the crisis pay off. Our automakers are in the midst of their strongest period of job growth in more than a decade.”

However, even if all available shares were sold, the government would still have a nearly 33 percent stake in the company.

Boehner will become the new speaker of the House in January when the 112th Congress convenes in January.