President Obama was touring a Chrysler plant in Kokomo, Indiana and he made the following statement:

"We're coming back. We're on the move. All three American companies are profitable, and they are growing," Obama said to applause. "So here's the lesson: don't bet against America. Don't bet against the American auto industry. Don't bet against American ingenuity. Don't bet against the American worker. Do not bet against us."

The Washington Post reported that Obama told workers at Kokomo that:

...hiring is increasing and Chrysler is investing more than $1.1 billion to boost production.

Finally, at the union rally, Obama said:

"We're coming back. We're on the move. All three American companies are profitable, and they are growing," Obama said to applause. "So here's the lesson: don't bet against America. Don't bet against the American auto industry. Don't bet against American ingenuity. Don't bet against the American worker. Do not bet against us."

It's the last part of the quote that gets to me.  The auto bailouts worked?  Maybe in Indiana, but here is the scene in Fenton, Mo. at the former Chrysler plant - once employing 6000 workers, cut to 700 and which now no longer employs anyone.


You can see more images of the now shuttered Fenton North Plant here.

The result of the auto bailouts was thousands of jobs lost in Fenton which I have seen the damaging ripple effects where I work.  I have seen my car hauler friends retire or transfer to other terminals.  Once in a grand while, I will see one of our old drivers come in.  Indiana wins, but Missouri loses.  I have also seen the hundreds of empty Cassen car hauling trucks parked at the North Plant.  Such is the nature of picking winners and losers by our federal government.

I would be remiss if I laid the entire blame at Obama's feet.  Part of the problem also lies with the unions.  Legacy costs and other cadillac deals helped put the companies in horrible fiscal straits. 

The union protected themselves as evidenced by the union takeover of GM as their workers were sent to the unemployment line.  So much for brotherhood.  But Ron Gettelfinger, President of the UAW, kept his job.  Some of my friends who still come by and are car haulers (union) praise the bailouts up and down.  But when I ask them about their concessions and their friends and co-workers who lost their jobs, nothing is said.  But yet James Hoffa, President of the Teamsters, gets to keep his job.  So much for brotherhood.

The bailouts didn't work, all the bailouts did was consolidate jobs to a few plants - all which could have been done under bankruptcy - but the unions got theirs and Obama got to reward a key constituency of the Democratic Party.  I would hope that the voters, and especially for the former union workers at Fenton, St. Louis and surrounding areas remember that Obama and the union chose Fenton to die, while Kokomo lived.