Both of you gentlemen have left one ingredient out of your bailout formula and that is the political process. Washington will react only from direction given to them by the lobbyist. The process more specifically dictates that the public is not considered in most decisionmaking, but rather the monied gentry and political interest will assure that they are satisfied. If at the same time it benefits all of us in the trenches, then so be it. Most of us are of the position that GM, chrysler, et al, should not be given a pot of gold so they can continue to make an obsolete product which few will buy. In six months when that pot of gold runs out, do we give them another pot? Without the aid package, they will not go out of business. They will be forced to declare chapter 11, look at their organization in its totality and make the necessary changes. But Washington being what it is, you can be sure the big 3 will shortly be financially bigger.

Next week Exxon will be coming in for financial assistance because of the decline in gas prices. I, for one, would advocate that we do not give them more than 50 to 100 billion.