[Number 3]

Well someone had to bring the Constitution into it:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

I think there are some that would argue protecting GM was in the best interest of the U.S. from that little part there in bold type.

Keep in mind, is there any other company that after September 11, 2001 could have offered such huge discounts on their products to keep people spending and the economy moving? Would we have all felt so much better if Coke or McDonalds offered us a .25 discount?

GM did that. Most don't remember it. But if I recall correctly Wagoner met with the President to see what they could do. And they did. Self serving perhaps but it kept people more confident even if just a tiny bit.

Argue about the way the bankruptcy was handled, sure. Heck I worked there at the time and many of us were hoping GM would get to go through a real bankruptcy. But now they are still sadled with HUGE pension contributions for the UAW. Salary folks are all off pensions now and anyone slararied employee hired after 2000 has no pension.

So unlike every other foreign competitor, GM, Ford and Chrysler are sadled with large pension debts. In Japan and Europe, the government covers that. And up to the bankruptcy, GM had that health care problem as well.

So I'm curious. Other than "how" it was handled, does anyone here hope for the day when all our manufacturing plants are owned by foreign companies? The majore reason they are here is shipping costs. It saves them $500 per car to not put it on a boat. Not because they want to keep Americans working.