Who does Detroit think it's fooling?

Although I believe CEOs are dramatically overpaid (as are sports figures, but I'll leave that for another post), does anyone really think that Ford CEO Alan Mulally pay will make one bit of difference to Ford's financial situation? Or whether they sell their 5 company aircraft will have any impact on the long term viability of Ford? Or for that matter how the Detroit automotive CEOs travel to Washington makes any difference?

I think it's a total mistake for the government to spend even $1 dollar to help maintain the US automotive industry's failures. The market has voted on their vehicles. Wall street has voted on their confidence in the industry. Why does the government need to intervene? Let nature take its course. If Ford, GM, and Chrysler dry up and disappear, then others will step up to fill that void if it needs to be filled.

Spending tax payer money to prop up an industry with so many ills makes no sense. Let the bankruptcy courts determine what if anything will survive. Maybe after the management has been replaced, the union stranglehold broken, and viable long term goals established, maybe then there will be something worth rescuing. Perhaps if Detroit figures out that it isn't in the fashion industry and that just maybe people want safe, fuel efficient, reliable, functioning transportation, and not a new fancy hood ornament, they'll be able to compete again. Who knows.