Bail me out to the ball game (or Free Market Fairy Tale)

Well I gotta say, I'm pretty conflicted about the whole government "rescue" package thing. I feel like a lot of people have these idealistic notions of the free market fairy tale, which are hindering them from thinking practically about the situation. However, I'm not idealistic one of those people. I'm not a huge free-market proponent. The words "free market," to me are synonymous to "laissez-faire" which conjures up images of tenements and sooty children, as well as the ringing four-star names like JP Morgan and Vanderbilt. I basically feel like the government should do its best to help get our economy on track and I have no qualms about how they do it.... as long as they do it intelligently and practically.

Now that we're talking about bailing out the auto industry, I'm starting to have more and more conflicted thoughts, though. Some arguments for helping them out that have resonated with me:
a) helping us will save thousands of jobs
b) America needs an auto industry to compete in the RISING car market, as more people are able to afford cars.
I heard those things and thought "yah ... yah, sounds about right."
But the more I think about it, the more I want to just let the bastards burn. Here's why:
a) I feel bad for the people who are losing their Detroit manufacturing jobs, I really do. But GM's been laying off people for years and no amount of gov't help is going to change that. Hell, Roger and Me came out when? 19fuckin89! Layoffs and outsourcing was already an issue 20 years ago, and somehow the taxpayers are supposed to see some value in this company?

I won't lie. I drive a large Chevy sedan. It was a hand-me-down, though, so don't blame me :P. What GM needs to do is start making cars that people will want to buy, build a better business model, NOT lay off people.

This brings me to point b:
b) I don't know how much allegiance I'm pledging to America and how much I care if it competes in the world car market... but assuming I care or simply taking the stance of "let America do what's in its best interest,".... THEN YES, America does need to have an edge on that market. But you know, I just don't think SUVs and Hummers are that competitive anymore. They did well in the US for a while, but I think people are looking for something more efficient and environmentally friendly. Does anyone have any statistics on that? I'm just assuming SUVs aren't doing so hot cuz... well cuz our car companies are going down!

So what I think is that American car companies need to rethink their business model and FAST, and start making more environmentally friendly and efficient cars. Either that or cheaper, smaller cars. Or both.

Or... we just let GM and the ilk die. If they're not willing to change their evil ways, you know they got to go. Since GM is doing the worst, perhaps they'll die and then the rest will come to their senses? You know, learn from others' mistakes.

But if none of them come to their senses, I think OTHER companies will step in an fill that void. And hopefully buy out the Detroit plants and adapt them for the car of the future. SolarWorld in Germany is attempting one such transaction with GM's German division, Opel Let Tesla Motors take over Detroit. I'm all for that. I hear they're trying to expand into family cars anyhow. Or what's that cheap-ass Indian car? Has anyone considered stealing THAT business model? Or something like it, but a little less horrifying?

Did I just make up my mind while writing this? I think I did!