[1ntCobra]

Bailout is a bad term. Why isn't this just called a loan? It worked for Chysler back in the 80's.

A lot of the problem here is that banks have become cowards. They don't want to lend money, not to the auto companies and not to the consumer who wants to buy the cars.

Since the banks aren't loaning to the auto companies, how are they going to continue to operate?

Many people say that the Big 3 were just building the wrong type of cars? Well, you know that Americans were in love with the big gas guzzling SUVs and pickup trucks not very long ago. Now the American consumer wants nothing to do with what they loved so much. You don't just flip a switch and instantly change the plants from building big SUVs to econoboxes. It is a time consuming expensive process.

Just because the fickle American consumer does a 180 on what they want in a vehicle does not mean we should let the Big 3 fall apart when there is a credit crisis at the same time.