As I look at the automotive industry as it exists today--GM and Chrysler filing Chapter 11 after big govt. bailouts--my first thought is that Ford is the big domestic winner in all this.  I can envision Ford being the Harley Davidson of the auto industry, the last great American Motor Company.  But upon further consideration, Ford may be the big loser in the end, simply because they did all the right(?) things.  By taking out loans instead of government bailouts and by working on business strategies instead of bankruptcies they may end up at a severe disadvantage.  After all, Ford has to repay those loans, and all other debts while the other two have their debts erased.  There is something inherently wrong with this.  But then again, comparing them to Harley Davidson reminds me of why my 80s’ vintage Honda is a CB700 instead of a CB750.  After years of steadily getting their asses kicked by the Japanese, who were putting out much superior products, Harley went to the Reagan administration and asked for protective tariffs.  The government proceeded to put an import tax on any imported motorcycle over 700cc.  The Japanese followed suite by retooling their 750s to be 700s.  In the case of my motorcycle that was a good thing because Honda simply de-stroked the 750 to 699cc which has the same effect as boring out a 650 to 700--more power in a smaller package.  My CB700 is much quicker and has more torque than the 750 models that preceded and followed it. 

But, back to today.  I would like to see Ford succeed.  Not because I am a Ford fan.  I’m not.  I would also like to see them make a better product, and I have since the mid-seventies when all the domestic companies started making junk.  I would like to see Ford succeed because they have tried to do this the right way, without government bailouts or bankruptcy.  Further, I don’t think America can really support three major auto industries.  Not with the quality that is being imported these days.  In my opinion there may be a smaller role in the 21^st century economy for some of the GM products--a really smaller role.  Chrysler should fold and shut the doors.  Ford could be the big one of the formerly big three.  But that scenario is for an ideal world without so much government intervention and goofy laws.  In this world, who knows?  I do believe that in ten years that landscape will be extremely different.  And I will likely still be driving my 97 Toyota Tacoma and my 86 Honda CB700.