When Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 he told an aide "We have lost the south for a generation", anticipating the backlash that would follow. Well now it's 2008 and if the Republicans continue with their opposition of the rescue plan for the big 3 auto industry, then they will loose the mid-west for a generation. The Republicans are on retreat as it is. After the last election they no longer have any House members in the north-east and are relegated to being a mainly southern party with some representation through the conservative rust belt and out west. And if they continue with their opposition to saving the auto industry, after they wholeheartedly backed the bailout of wallstreet, they'll loose the remaining few seats they have in states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. And they'll loose the precious electoral votes that come with those states as well.
And God forbid they actually succedd and block the bridge loan to the auto industry and it goes kerplunk. They'll be blammed for millions of job losses and for spurring into action the catalyst that turned our recession into a full blown depression. The ads will be so simple that they'll write themselves, "Republican Congressman X gave over a trillion dollars to wallstreet fatcats but nothing to mainstreet Americans".
And not only will they be handing over the economic arguments to the Democrats but they'll be giving up the national security argument as well. Just as we are beholden to the middle east because of our need for oil, we will become beholden to south asia for their technology and cars. The battery is the new oil, and the countries that hold the technology will hold the power. Yes the big 3 have made mistakes, and yes they have to change their ways, but now is not the time to put ideals before country.
