Kim Rossi

Auto Bailout Dead.

(Thanks to HD for sending me this photo. It's kind of funny in a sick way. What a mess!)

Note: I think the management at the American car companies, mostly GM, is pathetically shortsighted, afraid, uninspired, greedy, did I mention shortsighted and should be shitcanned.

But...... the banks can have hundreds of millions of TAX PAYER dollars so they can hoard it, continue to charge usurious interest rates on loans, pay penurious rates on savings. No one outside of the Harvard PhD program in economics knows what the hell their finanical instruments actually are or do (the computers basically modeled programs no human can understand.)

The banks still aren't lending the money to consumers. You need to have the credit rating of a sultan to get a car loan, a home loan, etc.

Meanwhile, the auto industry is needing more than CPR.

WE ARE AMERICA! How the hell do we not support our last major manufacturing industry? If we have to go to a world wide war (and we may) what will we be able to make to protect ourselves? Credit card offers and french fries for the troops? I'm in CT - I used to live in Ohio - lots of car industry companies, suppliers, etc. there. But, last night I talked to a friend whose company here in CT saw sales drop 40%+ due to the auto industry. Another friend works for the company that makes the pigments for the car paints. Uh Oh.

Southern senators did not support the bailout. (Home of the Japanese auto plants.) Most Republicans did not support the bailout (do they really hate the unions so much did they suddenly find fiscal restraint?) As my husband said, "If they were voting $14B to Evangelize the nation it would have passed."

Voting "yes" were 40 Democrats, 10 Republicans and 2 independents.
Voting "no" were 4 Democrats and 31 Republicans.

Democrats Yes

Akaka, Hawaii; Bayh, Ind.; Bingaman, N.M.; Boxer, Calif.; Brown, Ohio; Byrd, W.Va.; Cantwell, Wash.; Cardin, Md.; Carper, Del.; Casey, Pa.; Clinton, N.Y.; Conrad, N.D.; Dodd, Conn.; Dorgan, N.D.; Durbin, Ill.; Feingold, Wis.; Feinstein, Calif.; Harkin, Iowa; Inouye, Hawaii; Johnson, S.D.; Klobuchar, Minn.; Kohl, Wis.; Landrieu, La.; Lautenberg, N.J.; Leahy, Vt.; Levin, Mich.; McCaskill, Mo.; Menendez, N.J.; Mikulski, Md.; Murray, Wash.; Nelson, Fla.; Nelson, Neb.; Pryor, Ark.; Reed, R.I.; Rockefeller, W.Va.; Salazar, Colo.; Schumer, N.Y.; Stabenow, Mich.; Webb, Va.; Whitehouse, R.I.

Democrats No
Baucus, Mont.; Lincoln, Ark.; Reid, Nev.; Tester, Mont.

Democrats Not Voting
Biden, Del.; Kennedy, Mass.; Kerry, Mass.; Wyden, Ore.

Republicans Yes
Bond, Mo.; Brownback, Kan.; Collins, Maine; Dole, N.C.; Domenici, N.M.; Lugar, Ind.; Snowe, Maine; Specter, Pa.; Voinovich, Ohio; Warner, Va.

Republicans No
Allard, Colo.; Barrasso, Wyo.; Bennett, Utah; Bunning, Ky.; Burr, N.C.; Chambliss, Ga.; Coburn, Okla.; Cochran, Miss.; Coleman, Minn.; Corker, Tenn.; Crapo, Idaho; DeMint, S.C.; Ensign, Nev.; Enzi, Wyo.; Grassley, Iowa; Gregg, N.H.; Hatch, Utah; Hutchison, Texas; Inhofe, Okla.; Isakson, Ga.; Kyl, Ariz.; Martinez, Fla.; McCain, Ariz.; McConnell, Ky.; Murkowski, Alaska; Roberts, Kan.; Sessions, Ala.; Shelby, Ala.; Thune, S.D.; Vitter, La.; Wicker, Miss.

Republicans Not Voting
Alexander, Tenn.; Cornyn, Texas; Craig, Idaho; Graham, S.C.; Hagel, Neb.; Smith, Ore.; Stevens, Alaska; Sununu, N.H.

Others Yes
Lieberman, Conn.; Sanders, Vt.

If HEALTHCARE were under control our auto companies, who are trying to hold up their bargain to retirees (union only, the white collar workers lost their healthcare last year) would save billions. All roads lead to healthcare. It's killing us.

You want to talk trickle down economics? Here comes a flood of unemployment friends. And if you need to sell you house next year? Try to find a family with 30% down and 750+ credit so they can get a mortgage.

Don't worry, Mark and I will save you a place in the soup kitchen line.