December 15, 2008

I have great sympathy for Detroit autoworkers and the subsidiaries who may be out of work because of the failure of Congress to reach agreement on a bailout package. But I have no sympathy for the United Autoworkers Union that refuses an immediate pay adjustment to bring Detroit in line with the pay of American workers employed by Japanese plants.

The union is stalling, hoping it will get a better deal from Barack Obama and additional Democrats in Congress.

But Congress is at fault, too. It has mandated Detroit build certain cars that few people want. And now Congress says if it gives Detroit bailout money it wants a “car czar” to monitor how the money is spent. It’s just more government interference with the free enterprise system.

We are faced with problems of our own making. Believing we are entitled to ever more stuff and pleasure, we have lost our self-control. Instead of standing on our own two feet, we are taking other people’s shoes. There will be much settling out, but we will survive this.

Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.