Supporting the auto bail out can have a positive cascade effect

It's understandable that many are reticent about bailing out the auto industry. Never the less there are myriad reasons to follow through with one. Three primary reasons are as follows: loss of millions of jobs, national security issues, and the potential to influence the focus of automobile technology. It appears that a bail out for GM, Ford, and possibly Chrysler, will be considered in a lame duck session. Regardless, the incoming administration will influence, and eventually control, how such a bail out will be enacted.

The incoming administration has strongly expressed a desire to significantly increase the number of environmentally friendly vehicles on US roadways. The President elect has also personally demonstrated a commitment to practice what he's been preaching. The only vehicle owned by the incoming first family is a Ford Escape Hybrid. That being said, a major requirement for bailing out the US auto industry can and should be the development of more hybrids, diesel engines (which will use bio diesel), and the research and development of cleaner vehicle technologies. The mandated research and development should include an area that is rarely, if ever, discussed. That being research into retrofitting cleaner fuel technology into older vehicles.

The focus on more efficient vehicles will also address the two other crucial reasons for the auto bail out. Not only will the direct and ancillary job losses be avoided, but there will likely be a net gain of new jobs. National security will be bolstered from the positive economic and environmental changes as well as the continued use of domestically designed and manufactured vehicles. As long as the unjust enrichment of executives is curtailed the auto industry bail out can be used as a positive step towards innovation.

Ks3(Keep safe, smart, strong),

JD

Last minute comparisons of McCain and Obama health care pla

The 2008 US presidential elections are less than 24 hours away. At this point in time there are few who are truly undecided. Never the less there are indeed some who are still contemplating which candidate to vote for(and some debating whether to vote at all). Despite all the acrimony and political vitriol that has been cast about I believe that two key issues will be the economy and health care. The differences between the two campaigns on the economic front is now clear to most rational people. The majority of individuals and small business owners, myself included, would gain more from the Obama's proposed plans.

The respective health care plans of McCain and Obama have been scrutinized quite as much. The good news is that they are both fairly straight forward and it should be clear which plan would be more advantageous for the majority of Americans. The following URLs' contain the details of each plan and will allow you to judge for yourself:

http://www.votegopher.com/issueHomePage.php?issue=12
http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/pm126

As for myself, I again fall in line with the majority of individuals and small business owners and would benefit more from the Obama plan. Putting all the salacious and capricious political issues aside(e.g. supreme court decisions) I believe most of us should vote our pocketbooks to a significant extent this year.

Ks3(Keep safe, smart, strong),

JD Blackstar