We’ve tried, but we just can’t take it anymore!

It is hard to sympathize with anyone who is willing to fly a private jet to a meeting to ask for more money because their company is failing.  However, that’s what the fearless leaders of the “Big Three” auto companies did today.  I understand that there might be some safety issues with them flying commercially, but they could have taken the same jet or something (they were going to the same meeting).  Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-New York, was quoted saying "There is a delicious irony in seeing private luxury jets flying into Washington, D.C., and people coming off of them with tin cups in their hand, saying that they're going to be trimming down and streamlining their businesses,… couldn't you all have downgraded to first class or jet-pooled or something to get here? It would have at least sent a message that you do get it." (finally someone with a pair, who will say what the American people are thinking). 

Now I am the first to agree that something needs to be done about the auto industry.  But, I don’t think throwing a bunch of money at companies that have been failing for a while is going to work.  I could see if they had a plan of some sorts to get out of this problem, but they don’t.  The auto industry is inefficiently run, with poor planning and terrible R&D.  I refuse to believe that the three major US auto makers cannot make a fuel efficient car when there are so many out there from smaller companies (i.e. Testla).  I refuse to have my tax dollars go to helping these corporate fat cats.

Here is some food for thought… Since this was a meeting for the auto industry couldn’t they have carpooled or something.

 http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/11/19/autos.ceo.jets/index.html?eref=rss_topstories