JUST GIVE DETROIT THE BAIL OUT AND QUIT WHINING

SPECIAL REPORT

I normally publish MY AMERICAN OPINION on Saturdays, but this week has been full of news that has demanded my prompt and studious responses to pressing situations.

Yes, we know that the auto workers have gotten far more than any comparable segment of the work force for decades. In recent years their union, the UAW, has really overdone it, providing that laid off workers go into a pool and collect nearly full pay anyway. But, UAW has certainly been generous in give backs, and we should consider that fact. Who in their right minds would want to put those nice guys out of a job?

Now, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frankfarter and the rest of the House reached an agreement and voted to give the Detroit automakers $15 billion now and they say they'll be ready to give more after the new Congress gets sworn in. Over in the Senate, however, the Republican Senators managed to scuttle the deal and that has really upset Nancy, Barney, and even George Bush. Although the Senators are saying that the deal was not going to solve anything and should not be passed, and although the American citizens and financial experts were saying that the deal was going to end up being bad for the country, this Republican Senate stuff just isn't fair play in Washington political circles.

Thankfully, Hank Paulson is going to come to the rescue and provide the bail out money, anyway. In other words, the bail out has been sealed, signed, and not quite yet delivered for several weeks now. But, if Hank comes up with the bucks, that means he has less to give away to other needy institutions, industries and state and local governments. That was the whole thing about having Congress kick in the money themselves, so that Hank would have more to play with.

Realistically, however, if Hank runs out of money Congress is going to give him more, anyway. So, this is just one, big, circle-jerk and a waste of my time and your money. Let's just quit the speeches and the grandstanding on Capital Hill and fork over the money or, like Ron Bigfinger of the UAW says, "We're not going to give in."

Besides, what's a paltry $50 or $60 billion more in handouts when compared to the $800 billion already given plus the $500 billion more scheduled for next month? $50 billion is only 3.7% of the total give-away. Quit squirming and fork over the money. Good God Almighty, it's Christmas, man!

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.