[marshmallow]

Folks, sorry to break the news but this ship sailed long ago.

We're talking about approx $14 billion, right? We've already spent or allocated trillions in the course of attempting to fight this economic melt down. The amount likely to be funneled to the automakers is a small percentage of this and is already sitting in a cookie jar on Bush's desk, thanks to Paulson's "the world is going to end" TARP plan, now revised and modified many times. They don't know what to do with it. Some was used to directly inject capital and buy stakes in financial institutions when Paulson went to Plan "B" but the rest is there asking to be spent.

Symbolically, of course there's lots of room for indignation in the fact that Bush is probably going to, in effect, veto his own party, but financially, this is a non-issue really.

[PerConPat]

...but financially, this is a non-issue really.

Yes, in the context of what has already been spent, I agree. And the market is apparently anticipating a Bush announcement of a TARP funds injection at any moment, now. The impact, however, will be very unfortunate in the long run.

The UAW must be brought to heel, if the Big (?) 3 have any chance of survival. A White House end run that effectively underwrites the union's position will only embolden the socialists who refuse to make any concessions at this point in time when constructive change could be initiated. If Bush caves, I believe that the handwriting will be on the wall for a collapse of the domestic auto manufacturers.

The stock market, as well, is now in perilous territory where it seems to wait each day for news of government bailouts to spark rallies. No doubt, there's lots more trouble ahead.