The Detroit News reports that most Americans are not in favor of giving more taxpayer money to the struggling automakers. A New York Times/CBS poll asked Americans if struggling automakers should receive taxpayer money to help them survive. 70% of them said no.
In a Washington Post/ABC poll 68% of Americans oppose providing additional loans to automakers, even if these funds are to stave off bankruptcy.
According to US News, it isn’t just the average American who is feeling tight-fisted with regard to the automakers. Even New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman wants to pull the plug on the automakers: “[the auto industry bailout] leaves me with the sick feeling that we are subsidizing the losers and for only one reason: because they claim that their funerals would cost more than keeping them on life support.”
Instead, Mr. Friedman wants to give money to biotech, info-tech, and nano-tech. He believes taxpayers would get a better return attempting to invest in clean tech companies and searching for the next Google. Probably true.
Maybe info-tech includes bailing out the NYT. Who knows.
Here’s a thought.
Why don’t we not get the government in the business of picking the next technologies and leave that to markets? We could call it Capitalism.
Sadly, I don’t think the poll numbers or what Americans think matters to the folks giving away taxpayer money. I think the American people are against the bailout because they know it won’t work.
Or maybe they aren’t in the mood for a bailout because their 401ks have dipped considerably since the Obama prosperity program started.
I don’t know.
The Congress will keep on passing auto industry bailouts. Likely it would be cheaper to give every licensed driver a Corvette or Escalade or Dodge Viper to keep GM and Chrysler afloat.
I’d love have the chance to drive a Dodge Viper or drive a Corvette. It makes about as much sense as what they’re doing. (Mr. Obama, if you’re reading this, I’d like mine to be red with white racing stripes.)
Too much fun.
Instead, we will all be issued a government approved car with a top speed of 18MPH. The cars will run on sparrow farts and spit. (They won’t be nearly as roomy as this SMART car.)
Maybe we won’t even own the cars. They will be part of government run car sharing program administered by the Treasury Secretary. It will work like lawn watering. On even days, you can requisition a car…. Don’t worry we will pay for it all with a modest tax increase on the top 2% of taxpayers.
This post written by Seo content writer Eric Anderson. The opinions expressed are solely his own.
