“The bailout died after failing 52-35 on a Senate procedural vote.”

Thank god.  That’s the verdict according to Fox News.

Not that Fox is to be trusted entirely, but…  seems like a pretty real statistic.

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE4BA4S420081211

Any hopes at “change” from the current bailout mentality should be readily dashed.

“President-elect Barack Obama said on Thursday he hoped a congressional deal to bail out the struggling U.S. auto industry could be reached this week, saying again that Detroit’s “Big Three” automakers could not be allowed to collapse….”

It is true that the big three had no crystal ball in which to gaze and see the rise of gas prices.   So it goes.  This is the way of a free market.  You don’t always bring things on yourself, they just kind of happen.  It is unfortunate, but it is part of progress.  In the end, this progress is toward better living standards for all and newer, better products at cheaper prices for us– the average Americans.

In the meantime, some other companies didn’t have crystal balls either, but managed to create new and economically operable products…

www.teslamotors.com

and a review of the tesla located here.

www.commutercars.com

and a review of the commuter cars here.

http://www.naro.co.uk/index2.htm

and a review of the naro car here.

http://www.think.no/

and a review of the think car here.

Unfortunately, these cars won’t have a free market chance any time soon.  If they are bad products, they will certainly fail as companies.  Yet their failing competitors are being propped up for a few more months…. with money taken from you and I.  Two of the above companies are United States based companies too!   These people have dedicated their lives and careers to these products and they may even be good products but they are overpriced, poorly distributed, and under-marketed…   If they had a fair chance to compete, maybe things would be different?  Maybe?

www.zapworld.com -another U.S. company was just pointed out to me as well.

City of Lansing Michigan’s Mayor, Virg Bernero, has some muddled thinking on how the auto industry should be dealt with regarding bailout money.  He doesn’t seem to understand that the money comes from the people.

Here is his email address:  mayor@ci.lansing.mi.us

Feel free to correct him

Here is a youtube video courtesy of the Campaign for Liberty in which Peter Schiff attempts to inform Virg on a few key issues.

In a recent spotlight on the Boston Globe’s website they try to come up with reasons why the bailout might feasibly help taxpayers.  Seems to me like they have to stretch pretty far to see any light at the end of that tunnel.  Most of the “benefits” are obscure ways to maybe possibly save on your tax returns.  In other words, the government is going to take more of your money unless you can pay a good accountant to find all the little ins and outs of the new bill for you.  Even with tax deductions being the only real benefits, the Globe has environmentally friendly habits listed three times: alternative energy, home energy improvements, and hybrid cars.

Lesson learned: go buy expensive Japanese hybrid cars and purchase very expensive solar panels from Asian electronics companies and then hire wealthy accountants.  The poor man gets…. NOTHING.

View their slideshow style presentation here.