Lately I've been disturbed by the sheer amount of resistance toward any sort of bailout of automakers. Free-market conservatives have relished the death of the bailout bill in the Senate, which they actually seem to count as a victory. It's as if Ford, GM, and Chrysler were simply failed companies who deserved to be swept aside, instead of the backbone of our economy.
But it's not just the free-market conservatives who provide the resistance. I've noticed that even among those who support a bailout, there is a certain amount of reluctance to actually follow through. The reasons for this can vary. Some feel that the Big Three don't deserve money because their products have been an environmental disaster. Others would like to see improved fuel efficiency standards on American cars. Others still feel that American cars are junk that shouldn't be driven anyway.
There's a problem here. If we don't remind ourselves that fighting for the automakers means fighting for union workers, we will all lose. I'm convinced that conservative Republicans are aware of this, and are pushing the notion that "this is all the automakers fault", because they know that if we can't feel the slightest bit of sympathy, they will be able to destroy the UAW.