My 1989 Chevy lumina break lights wont work. I checked fuses and got a new socket and bulbs nothing.

have you checked the plate light some times they will short out. unplug it and or take out the bulb and see if it still blows fuze. check wire too

Bulbs, stop lamp fuse, brake switch. Ground at lamp socket.

its not getting grounded good or its the blinker switch in the steering colum

If the bulbs are good than you need to use a test light and make sure that there is power to the light socket. if there is not power than you either blew a fuse or there is a break in the wire somewhere

Check the bulbs and then check the wiring to make sure one of the wires has not been pinched or cut. The problem has to be somewhere between the mount light and the taillights

well unfortunately you have a short. Try pulling the bulb sockets out of the lenses. You should be able to get to them from the trunk. Take the bulbs out and see if the sockets look normal under the bulb. Also see if you can trace the wires through the trunk to see if they got pinched somewhere. Let us know if you have more questions. I have a couple troubleshooting posts here:
http://www.fixya.com/cars/r6053280-lights_out_lights_not_out_bulbs_ok
http://www.fixya.com/cars/r5925550-dead_battery_troubleshooting

All you need is a new brake light switch which is mounted by the brake pedal

the break light wire on the lumina runs through the blinker switch or multifunction switch on the colum.. check there as well as at the tail light sockets. on the late 90s gm cars the sockets had a tendancy to rot away... use a test light at the brake light wire in the trunk and have a friend apply the break. if there is power then may have to get new tail lights. or replacement bulbs.

Like any bulb, it needspower and ground. Probe the contact in the bulb socket with a test light and check for power. If you have power, use the same ground you did for the test light and connect a short piece of wire there and probe the socket with the bulb installed (insert down into the socket between the bulb and socket) If the light comes on re-ground the socket.
If you get nothing for power check the harness closer to the switch...if nothing there you may need to check the signal switch to make sure an internal contact hasn't failed. I'm betting it's a bad ground though.

The ground wire in the trunk area, coming from the brake light harness, might have come off or really loose. Hope this will get your lights working again. Best wishes.