DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) said: “If it were up to the candidates running for president on the Republican side, we would be driving foreign cars. They would have let the automobile industry in America go down the tubes.
How could the Republicans be so wrong on the auto bailout? They were adamant and vociferous in their opposition to saving the American automobile industry.
House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.)
"I know that I don't want Speaker Pelosi and Harry Reid designing the car that I drive, and I don't think any New Yorker -- or any American -- does, either, "Washington, the president, Congress, none ... has any business running that car company. They'll run it into the ground."
Rep. John Boehner (R-OH):
“Does anyone really believe that politicians and bureaucrats in Washington can successfully steer a multi-national corporation to economic viability?” [6/1/09]
Minority Leader Mitch McConnel (R-Ky)
"Even if we grant that these companies would fail without taxpayer help, we would still have to ask ourselves whether the proposal before us achieves the goal that everyone claims to embrace -- namely, the long-term viability of ailing car companies -- and, in my view, it does not."
U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, (R-S)
Now the government has forced taxpayers to buy these failing companies without any plausible plan for profitability. Does anyone think the same government that plans to double the national debt in five years will turn GM around in the same time?”(He fails to mention that his party DID double the debt in the last 8 years)
You might think it was part of their general plan of obfuscation towards any agenda President Barak Obama tried to advance. However, President Bush tried to get the republicans to pass an automobile industry saving bill also, and he failed. Was it just the idea of bailing out companies? Hardly, most of the republicans voted for the massive financial bailout. House Republican leader Rep. John Boehner got on the floor and cried urging his fellow republicans to bail out wall street to the tune of 700 billion dollars. The auto bailout was peanuts compared to the 700 billion financial bailout.
House Minority Leader John Boehner called the auto bailout ‘neither fair to taxpayers nor sound fiscal policy’ but that statement could apply to the financial bailout also. John Boehner represents Ohio, the heart of the automobile industry. Rep. John Boehner had to have a good reason to fight against the automobile bailout. However, neither Rep. Boehner or any other Republican failed to advance any cogent argument to deny the bailout. Notwithstanding Eric Cantors ludicrous fear of driving a car designed by Nancy Pelosi.
Then came this leaked memo from the RNC:
From: Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 9:12 AM
Image by Getty Images via @daylifeTo: Subject: Action Alert -- Auto Bailout
Today at noon, Senators Ensign, Shelby, Coburn and DeMint will hold a press conference in the Senate Radio/TV Gallery. They would appreciate our support through messaging and attending the press conference, if possible. The message they want us to deliver is:
"1. This is the democrats first opportunity to payoff organized labor after the election. This is a precursor to card check and other items. Republicans should stand firm and take their first shot against organized labor, instead of taking their first blow from it.
Again, the hardest thing for the democrats to do is get 60 votes. If we can hold the Republicans, we can beat this."
This memo is incredible. It shows a callous emptiness and selfishness bereft of any patriotism. 1-3 million U.S. jobs were riding on the survival of the U.S. auto industry. It was unclear whether the U.S. was heading into the second great depression and the republicans are talking about striking a blow against organized labor?! Clearly, from this memo and the actions of the Republican leadership show their priorities were not about creating a viable economic nation with benefits to all. Rather they would see 1-3 million more unemployed and all the heartbreak that entailed to millions of Americans in order to strike a blow against organized labor and gain a political advantage. We should not have been surprised this year with the formidable assault on unions and voting rights from republican legislatures all across the country. For Republicans its all about the power, government for the rich by the rich and to hell with everyone else.
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