Bail This.

Gee, sounds like the auto union didn't funnel quite enough cash into a certain Senator's pocket:

WASHINGTON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - A senior Democratic senator raised doubts on Thursday that an attempt to bail out U.S. automakers had enough support to clear Congress this year.

As Republicans amplified their concerns about a bailout, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd raised the biggest red flag for fellow Democrats trying to craft a $25 billion rescue and pass it during a post-election session set to start next week.

"Right now, I don't think there are the votes," Dodd of Connecticut told reporters about prospects in the Senate. "I want to be careful of bringing up a proposition that might fail," he said.

Although Dodd said "we ought to do something" and personally backed using money from the ongoing $700 billion financial services rescue program to help Detroit, he was skeptical that enough Republicans would support a bailout.

Well, too fucking bad, isn't it? Great business plan, Detroit: Run your companies into the shitter, then act surprised that your companies are in the shiter. And then, run to mommy and daddy the government to fork over other peoples' money to subsidize your failures. I've got a better idea. Umm... No.

Fuck GM. Did the government bail out Packard? No. Studebaker? No. Auburn? No. Did we survive without them? Just fine, thank you. General Motors has been building shit for decades, so good riddance. Let GM sell off what little of their assets that are of any value (perhaps the Corvette division) to Toyota or BMW, then bulldoze the rest into Lake Michigan. At least the foreign companies can build quality cars in America, with American workers, and still turn a profit -- largely because they don't have to pay shakedown protection money to organized crime the UAW, but also because they know how to build cars:

In the 1970s a survey was taken of German and American auto executives. They were asked, "What do you do?" The Americans replied, "We sell cars." The Germans answered, "We build cars." It was a difference in corporate culture. The Japanese noticed. They decided to build cars, and they succeeded. Many Americans today, brought up on Pontiacs and Fords, won't own an American car, unless it's a car made in Ohio by a foreign company. What a stunning change.

American cars suck. I learn this lesson at great expense every 10 years or so when I decided to give Detroit another chance. They never fail to disappoint. I drive a Jeep Wrangler, purchased new in 2003, and the only reason I'm somewhat happy with it is that I bought it with low expectations; when it turned out to be mediocre I felt like I got a bargain. It's got 120,000 miles and is making all sorts of funny noises, but then again it made all sorts of funny noises the day I drove it off the lot. I'll drive it until it dies then bury it in a shallow grave. It will be the last American automobile I ever buy. Does Chrysler Corporation lament this loss of future business? Fuck no... Washington's got them covered, they'll be getting my money one way or another. Sickening.