Bailouts just the beginning if CAFE increased

Everything as efficient as the Prius under new Congress?

If you don't believe in an automaker bailout, you ain't seen nothing yet. Unless the economy quickly starts soaring, within the next few years, automakers could need as much as $120 billion according to recent Congressional testimony.

And, even if the economy warms, but car buying stays slow, the US auto industry isn't even "viable".

"At 10.8 or 10.5 million total market," for yearly auto sales, Bob Lutz told CNN, "we do not have a viable automobile industry in this country for anybody."

Yet, the push in Congress is to now raise fuel economy standards for the Big 3, under the direction of Congress. An aggressive increase in fuel economy means that US automakers won't be profitable for more than a decade, maybe decades. In fact, such a move will require significantly more money from the government beyond the $120 billion if the economy doesn't quickly and vastly improve.

Is socialization of the US auto industry now inevitable?