Bailout Proponents and Opponents

The U.S. House passed a $14 billion bailout for the Big 3 automakers, and today's front pages report conflicting points of view on the bailout.

From Detroit: The Free Press, which has strongly editorialized in favor of help to the automakers, printed "House OKs Aid" at the top of its page. It again used red ink to illustrate looming problems: "But why are these senators unhappy?" An answer, "GOP opponents want more UAW sacrifices."

From Alabama: Most representatives from the state voted against the bailout. The Montgomery Advertiser pictured U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby of Tuscaloosa, the leading critic of bailing out Ford, GM and Chrysler. The Press-Register of Mobile said, "Shelby waiting to block bailout" as it heads to the U.S. Senate. Huntsville is home to a Toyota assembly plant, and The Huntsville Times quoted a Detroit automotive expert as saying Shelby doesn't understand the consequences for Alabama if a bailout fails: "Bankruptcy would hit state suppliers hard."