Maybe We Can Help The Auto Industry?

It takes a crisis to end our lethargy, a crisis which convinces us that aggressive lifesaving, previously unthinkable, action is needed.

We have our crisis. GM, Ford and Chrysler are moribund, in part, because of crushing health care costs. The Big 3, and its entire American supply chain, is burdened by excessive health care costs, adding to inflation in the price of American automobiles and automobile related services paid by American consumers. America's auto industry is emblematic of our lack of competitiveness in the global economy.

It's time for the multifaceted approach described in my October 10, 2008 blog . Bail out American industry, including but not limited to the auto manufacturers, by giving them a level playing field in global commerce: remove their burden of crushing health care costs by enrolling the entire auto industry's workforce in a plan which is equivalent to that available to Congresspeople, preferably one which has a federal component which (on an even-playing field) competes with major health insurers and systems. Will the public lose? Not if American automakers can sell "green" reasonably priced cars; not if plummeting employment begins to rise again; not if Americans can pay their mortgages and send their kids to college because they are working and optimistic; not when hope is restored to capital markets; not when America is already paying for health care costs which include a 25% wasteful administrative overhead for some insurers; not when millions of Americans have no health care insurance and either don't pay or become public charges; and not when appropriate regulatory oversight of the American automobile production industry is included.

We have a crisis which may soon reach epidemic proportions. We have reasonable solutions at hand which may remediate the health care financial drain on our collapsing economy. Before the patent's eyes close and rigor mortis sets in, let's take action.