Should The Government Stop Dumping Money Into A Giant Hole?

Okay, I'm technically still on my blogging vacation, because all the blogs are debating the Dem/Lieberman stupidity (note to Reid: he's failed as a committee chairman, and loves screwing you over, offer him nothing), trying to figure out whether to blame Mormons or black people for Prop 8 in California, enabling Palin's self-rehabilitation media blitz, and overanalyzing over hypothetical move that President-elect Obama may or may not make... and it's making my head hurt. But I just wanted to pop in and say a few things.

In particular, I wanted to note that as we see news of more economic drain-circling and a reminder of just what made-up-as-it-goes-along bullshit the $700B bailout plan actually is, it is disheartening to see so many prominent Democrats pushing for a possible bailout of the U.S. auto industry. Like the banks and mortgage giants, the automakers got where they are today-- rock bottom-- due to shortsighted, greedy, and irresponsible business decisions (ramming huge sports utility vehicles down the necks of a country on the brink of an energy crisis for starters). Show me how the money will turn that around, and we'll talk.

This election marked a moment where, after years of conservative rhetoric, the American people are finally ready to believe again in the ability of government to do the right thing and work toward solving our collective problems. Let's not throw this opportunity away by throwing more billions of dollars into holes (*cough*military pork projects*cough*).



Moreover, the Obama administration and Democrats in general have very ambitious plans for 2009 and beyond (the possibility of a Green New Deal to me being the most exciting). One would hope, though, that they're smart enough to realize that if they give in to bailout fever, they'll have exactly zero dollars left at the end of the day to spend on any of that.

[UPDATE: The justification for this seems to be a) prevent massive layoffs of auto workers, and b) force the industry to jumpstart the green revolution in exchange for the cash. That sounds fair, but again we need guarantees and an actual plan before we going around writing more checks. Because we need less stories like... this.]