12-05-08, 2:05 pm
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Auto workers are fighting back. Over the past few weeks, right-wing pundits, the mainstream media, and many in Congress have opposed providing the automakers with a requested $34 billion loan as part of the $700 billion package already passed last October to help the companies avoid looming bankruptcy.
Republicans have even gone so far as to blame the workers themselves, accusing them of pushing for higher wages and better benefits and, in turn, causing the financial troubles the companies face.
Former Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney even proposed allowing the companies to go into bankruptcy regardless of the impact of such an action on the millions of workers and their families in auto and related industries. Romney basically implied that it was fine to punish working families in order to break their union, the United Autoworkers (UAW).
