Candidates vow to aid ailing auto industry

[Duppers]

Source: AP

McCain, Obama support $25 billion loan program for domestic automakers
The Associated Press
updated 5:03 p.m. ET, Fri., Oct. 31, 2008

WASHINGTON - In Rust Belt states home to thousands of autoworkers, Barack Obama and John McCain have offered plans to develop advanced vehicles key to rebuilding U.S. automakers. But the next president may face decisions that run to the domestic auto industry's very core: their survival.

In the final weeks of the presidential campaign, General Motors has been discussing a potential acquisition of Chrysler and pressing the Bush administration for government assistance that could seal the deal between the two industrial giants.

Both campaigns have declined to take specific stands on the auto talks, which have been private, but they have vowed to help the industry build a green economy and reduce its dependence upon imported oil. Obama said Thursday that, if elected, he would meet with the leaders of the U.S. automakers and the United Auto Workers union shortly after Tuesday's election.

The falling fortunes of General Motors Corp., Chrysler LLC and Ford Motor Co., along with auto suppliers, have brought promises of billions of dollars in aid from the two campaigns to develop plug-in electric vehicles and advanced batteries.


Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27476286/

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Well, this is fine, BUT....IF they do indeed decided to help these idiots who could have made the changes that would have saved them YEARS AGO, the first thing they should do is fire the arrogant and stupid GM's Robert Lutz. Anyone who has thumbed his nose at environment issues for so many yrs does not deserved any position of power. See:

"Lutz is on record as a global warming skeptic, on one occasion calling global warming 'a total crock of shit.'"
See http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/02/bob-lutz-global.html

[Downtown Hound]

1. Good. Then fire their CEO's and replace them with men

and women who are actually willing to make cars other than SUV's and Hummers. The American auto industry's mess is it's own fault.

[Duppers]

2. I totally agree!

thanks.

[bean fidhleir]

4. 100% agreement

The whole *style* of personal transportation should change. The idea that it's okay to build 2000-lb cars to lug around 200-lb payloads is just NUTS!

[MichiganVote]

3. Yeah well, in Michigan...we'll believe it when we see it babies.