Will Democrats give up Volvos for GM and Chrysler cars?

Hugh Hewitt:

I won't buy a socialist car, which means I won't be buying a GM or Chrysler car for as long as the U.S. government owns huge blocks of the companies.

Today's bankruptcy filing by GM will see the end of a once-great car company and the birth of a federal government-union partnership dressed up as a business. It won't work, even with the $50 billion federal tax dollars plowed into the new entity past and present, and not even with the UAW's "concessions."

Governments can do very few things well and almost nothing efficiently.

Yes, it can build amazing armies and the weapons and technologies to support them, but only at extraordinary cost and only with often dismaying waste. We pay these prices because we absolutely need the incredible effectiveness of our military that results from the enormous investment of resources. We also recognize the sacrificial spirit of the men and women in uniform who serve in the military. They aren't in it for their jobs or the health benefits.

But a government -run car company is a very unnecessary, indeed a deeply dismaying prospect. And not primarily because it won't make good cars at competitive prices, though almost certainly neither the new GM or the new Chrysler will do so. History tells us these ventures are highly unlikely to succeed.

Rolls Royce and British Leyland Motor Corporation were nationalized by the British government, the former in 1971, the latter four years later. Neither intervention succeeded in making either company profitable.

Six months ago the New York Times ran an article that reminded readers that British Leyland "went through £11 billion of inflation-adjusted British taxpayer money, or $16.5 billion, in the ’70s and ’80s before going out of business."

...

These companies will be further hampered by the dictates of Democrats to build cars people don't want. If you really wanted a small fuel efficient car you go with the Honda Civic which will give better service, fuel efficiency and resale value.

Perhaps Obama can swoon some Democrats out of their Volvo into the crummy cars that his companies will build, but if they do it before 2012, they will have different thought=s on reelection issues.