With some Republicans now behaving, well, like Republicans, the Democrats are poised to take full political possession of the controversial $700 billion bailout of financial institutions and its aftermath.

The current issue is whether this lame-duck Congress will rescue the remaining three U. S. automakers with more billions instead of letting them go into bankruptcy like a million American families will this year. Will American Express be next in line for a handout?

The Big Three’s appeal came as Republican Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina warned that because of the rush of Congress “to do something” in October, “the American taxpayer is being gamed.”

“The bailout was an incredibly bad idea in the first place,” Sanford said, and “it’s being made worse by loose rules and oversight that are putting taxpayers on the hook for billions more.”

There are loud advocates with strong arguments on both sides.

Proponents of a bailout say that the industry is a victim of the global financial crisis. Wall Street has been bailed out, so why not Detroit?

They say millions of jobs could be lost and more than $100 billion in wages sliced out of an already-fragile U.S. economy.

On the other side are those who feel just as strongly that the automakers’ problems are their own doing, born of bad business decisions, uncompetitive labor agreements and vehicles that Americans have decided are second-rate.

They say a bailout will only postpone the inevitable, and that the failure of one or more of the companies is necessary if the economy is to work properly.

It is funny in a way, funny as amusing, not as Ha-Ha, that Repubs are so hard against this move.  Could it be that they are thinking that since the people in Michigan did not vote for them anyway–then screw ’em.

Beyond that, in my lifetime, about 30 years ago, I believe that the industry got a bailout amd promise to do better and to retooling to meet the new demand.  They crapped on all that once they got the money, so why should we believe them now?

I have not yet made up my mind to get behind the bailout.  I will continue my research and post as it is cllear what is to be done.