“We need to revive manufacturing”
Manufacturing does quite well when Big Brother manipulators get out of the way.
“The auto industry is essential to this country”
The Auto industry is NOT sacrosanct...it survives Only if the consumers freely support THE PRODUCT IT MAKES..and for a while now the consumer does not! Manufacturers need to throw off the burdens of unionized parasites AND RIDICULOUS GOVERNMENT REGS so they can have a chance to revive themselves.
Really, you might want to take a look at the trade deficit. We essentially manufacture almost nothing. What little we manufacture will disappear if the Auto industry goes under. I love all the Free traders who argue against all evidence that manufacturing is fine. We do not make clothing, electronics, or much steel (this will evaporate if the big three goes under). I go to the store; I can’t find hardly anything made in this country. The government is even trying to force Chinese food on us despite the complete lack of safety standards. During the bird flu epidemic...they wanted to import chicken from China. The free trade policies as practiced now are bad for America period.