The Trouble With Gov't Autos

As the government forces General Motors into bankruptcy, the auto giant received last week yet another $4 billion of federal funding. This is in addition to the $15.4 billion already funneled its way, courtesy of the beleaguered American taxpayer. Technically, GM had requested "only" the additional sum of $2.6 billion by 1 June to pay its suppliers and dealers -- oh, and a mere $9 billion more after 1 June to meet working capital expenses. In the real world, the leap from $2.6 to $4 would be called an increase, but in the la-la-land of government bailouts, GM said the request signals not additional funding but rather "updated timing of when certain expenses would be incurred." The outcome notwithstanding, Uncle Barack -- who is poised to own as much as 69 percent of GM -- is thrilled to oblige.

Meanwhile, politics could be playing a role in the closure of some Chrysler dealers. Blogger Doug Ross notes that there seems to be a trend developing: Chrysler dealers who contributed to the GOP are the first to be shut down. "I took all dealer owners whose names appeared more than once in the list," Ross writes, "And, of those who contributed to political campaigns, every single one had donated almost exclusively to GOP candidates. While this isn't an exhaustive review, it does have some ominous implications if it can be verified." It's worth noting that most car dealers are small-business owners, a group that is overwhelmingly Republican. It is also notable that Obama's "auto task force" is making the decisions about closures, not Chrysler. Predictably, the mainstream media isn't interested.

Yet, even as the feds seize greater control of the auto industry, they are simultaneously aiming to create "livable communities" where bicycles and mass transit trump autos. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood confessed, "It is a way to coerce people out of their cars." Too much government intrusion, one might say? LaHood didn't even try to hide it: "About everything we do around here is government intrusion in people's lives." Just another day in Obama's America.