The "Republicans are for it, so it must be bad" phenomenon

I seemed to notice that when Republicans took a stand against the Big Three bailout, sentiment around here to a decided turn *for* one.

Same thing happened with the financial handout bailout, which took all of three weeks to evolve into a completely different plan than the one proposed.

On a personal note, I just took my 12-year-old Ford Windstar for Ford dealer service because the clutch was slipping. After spending $255 on "diagnostics" it was suggested I replace the transmission ($3,000) - the same crap that the local shop told me for free. I told them politely that for $255 I expect more detailed analysis than that, and that that was one reason why American automakers were in the toilet - service departments who sell major overhauls when a skilled repair would suffice, and new cars when a major overhaul would suffice. Wasteful, bloated and inept.

IMO there are a lot of possibilites for supporting the UAW but not the status quo entities of GM, Ford, and Chrysler. It's going to take some imaginative thinking and I'm fully expecting Obama will be up to the task.

Although, as far as the repairs to your car goes ... one of the biggest complaints about American cars is the designed obsolescence.

Meaning that you might need a new transmission, because they're designed to fall apart so that you are forced to get a

and even though everyone is tired of hearing me harp on antitrust, that's the bottom line.

When you have three giant automakers there is no room for a company that makes a car that lasts, because consumers overall *want* a new car every three to five years.

Me and others like me, we don't need it. Give us a car that lasts twenty, with pieces that can be replaced economically. If there were lots of automakers a niche company like that would be viable.

For proof all you need to do is look at history. In the 1920s there were over a hundred American car companies and that kind of company did exist - it was Ford. That's why they're around today.

It seems to be like a truly "build-your-own" vehicle.

Not a big fn of abailout when demand for the product is low.

Of being wrong about everything..

And the pragmatic centrists mostly agree with the Repubs.