Brilliant!
The idea came to me in that half-asleep state you sometimes experience as you first wake...
We're intent on saving the American auto industry and the jobs they provide, right? No matter the efficiency of these efforts or the economic sense of pouring money down a rat-hole... Jobs are to be preserved!
So... Why not "save" Studebaker?
Studebaker shuttered their auto making business in 1966, idling a big plant in the heart of the nation and leaving thousands of production workers, dealers, salespersons, parts suppliers, mechanics, and other associated workers out of jobs.
But all Studebaker's problems could be overcome with an infusion of, say, 15 Billion dollars, and the economy of South Bend Indiana would be revitalized by the plant's reopening.
The 1964 Studebaker Avanti shown above still looks like a car from the future. With a rust-free fiberglass body, an integral roll bar, and the first use of disc brakes by a major (?) U.S. automaker, it was YEARS ahead of its time. Take a look at the 1953 Studebaker Commander Starlight Coupe and I think you'll agree, Studebaker built beautiful, innovative cars. If we're gonna save this industry, why not reward folks that were making interesting, cutting-edge automobiles?
President Bush.... If you're gonna throw tons of money at a problem, logic be damned, throw a few Billions toward South Bend, Indiana!
