I agree that people need a car when a decent busing system does not exist. Does it need to be a new car, which is considerably more expensive than a junker. The government did a disservice to the poor with the cash for clunkers program. The government destroyed over 1 million used cars, which could have been bought at substantial discounts relative to new cars for those with less than stellar credit.

As far as the natural resources belonging to the nation, you need to realize the government does not own the land. We don't get our rights from the government in this country as opposed to many European and Asian countries. We were founded on the principles of individual liberty. One of those liberties is the ownership of land and property. So just because timberlands exist within our nation's borders does not make it our nations property. It belongs to whoever owns the land.

I agree that people need a car when a decent busing system does not exist. Does it need to be a new car, which is considerably more expensive than a junker. The government did a disservice to the poor with the cash for clunkers program. The government destroyed over 1 million used cars, which could have been bought at substantial discounts relative to new cars for those with less than stellar credit.

As far as the natural resources belonging to the nation, you need to realize the government does not own the land. We don't get our rights from the government in this country as opposed to many European and Asian countries. We were founded on the principles of individual liberty. One of those liberties is the ownership of land and property. So just because timberlands exist within our nation's borders does not make it our nations property. It belongs to whoever owns the land.

Let's keep it real by considering all aspects of the situation. What if we outsource jobs, give teachers minimal pay, force our youth to memorize disembodied facts for tests and max out our support for prisons. Then, if we torture and/or kill in our prisons, who will get the money when their organs are sold? Are incarcerated citizens government property or do their parts belong to the company that operates the prison system? Maybe it would be better to have our gov profit from wood in our national forests, water flowing, national land for grazing as well as coal and oil from beneath the surface of this great land. Our national resources should belong to our nation.

This is true. I guess my bigger point is none of the auto manufacturers should be doing so…unless they want financial issues down the road. GM should build capacity to fulfill its demand from creditworthy clients. Let the others cater to the sub-600 crowd. It may give the competitors a short term boost, but when the loans default, GM will look much smarter.