Bailout Watch 113: WardsAuto Calls Bailout Providers Commie Bastards

Detroit’s movers and shakers have a chip on their shoulder larger than the Rock of Gibraltar. They feel besieged, besmirched and belittled by the feds and liberal elites. Of course, that was BEFORE the Beltway Boys lavished bailout bucks on Motown’s moaners to retool their factories to build better cars than their competitors. Detroit’s playing kissy-face with their former antagonists now, right? Wong. “Clearly, now that Washington is loaning Detroit auto makers $25 billion to begin repenting their evil ways, legislators will try to turn the fuel-economy screws tighter so they can limit the number of unhealthy vehicle choices General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are able to sell weak-willed consumers.” Well, duh! What part of CAFE doesn’t WardsAuto scribe Drew Winter not understand (other than, you know, the actual regulations)? The part where everyone does the same thing, apparently. “When I see pictures of them [Chevy Volt, Toyota Prius], I can’t tell them apart. It reminds me of Soviet-era central planning. Yes, all these cars further The State’s goals of reducing carbon emissions and consumption of foreign oil, but comrade, they look boring and not everyone can drive one… Forgive us for our decadent and unhealthy choices, oh wise members of the new Washington Automotive Politburo. Fast red convertibles and big utility vehicles are the opiate (or tobacco) of the people. But this still is America, where people should be allowed to buy what they want and auto makers should be allowed to make a few dollars off our human weakness. Pretend the profits are from something politicians like, such as casino gambling. This still is a capitalist society after all. At least, it still was at press time.” Wow.