Reply #31: Automakers want a bailout!!! A couple years ago when

[doc03]

the steel industry ask for help we got no sympathy from the auto industry. The American auto industry fought against the tariffs the steel industry begged for back then. What you see happening to the auto industry is exactly what happened to steel. The steel companies from asia and the former Soviet states dumped steel in this country at well below our production costs. Over the years the US companies gradually lost market share and could not afford to modernize to compete with these government subsidized companies. Then the American auto industry said no let the US steel industry die, if they can't compete, we want cheap steel, screw the steel workers. Well we also begged for the federal government to take over our health plans but Noooooo! the Bush Administration said why should the taxpayers pay for their health insurance and pensions when many of them don't have them either. So the steel companies went bankrupt and eliminated the retirees pensions and health insurance and most companies have been gobbled up by foreign owners now. One close by the former Weirton Steel was bought out ISG and then Mittal, last week Mittal announced it will permanently shut down the hot metal part of the mill eliminating 800 more jobs because they can produce steel cheaper in other countries. Weirton Steel once had 13000 employees they are down to 1300 now.