On the proposed bailout of the Detroit Three...

It's probably the ultimate free lunch of all, for the Detroit Three (Ford, GM, and Chrysler which were previously known as the Big Three, but have since tumbled so low in market share, valuation, and consumer image, that they are no longer "Big") to lobby and request bailout, in the midst of the financial market turmoil.

For once, the GOP and Bush are expressing commonsense, that the Detroit carmakers do not deserve saving. They've been bleeding for a prolonged period, been consistently demonstrating subpar management, in long-term vision of where the auto industry should be heading (given the growing scarcity of oil and the consumer preference of fuel efficiency vehicles), yet unable to pull themselves together to drop/trim the gas-guzzling SUV and trucks, and commit to increase fuel efficiency. Instead, all they do were to fight regulation attempt to increase fuel efficiency, and to stick with quick profit from SUV/trucks which have now all but evaporized, in the face of slumping economy and rising gas price. The financial market mess (as a result of subprime mortgage market collapse, then credit market squeeze) might have accelerated their descent, but they were not cause for the automakers' woes.

For the incoming Obama administration, and Dem senate (first and foremost, Nancy Pelosi), to propose help to the automakers show how shortsighted the Democrats are.

It's beyond argument that the auto industry has strategic interest to the nation. But if Obama and Pelosi really go down that path, they might as well nationalize the auto industry to prop it up, and to placard the labor union. If they set the precedent for auto industry, they would soon find themselves in deep shit to bail out other struggling industries like the airline.