Greed or gift?

Commentary by Michelle Fitzhugh-Craig

“We three kings of Orient are; Bearing gifts we traverse afar, Field and fountain, moor and mountain, Following yonder star …”
   They came first by private jets, then by fuel-efficient vehicles, with heads down and hands out, asking for help.
    Chief executives from the “Big Three” U.S. automakers — General Motors, Ford and Chrysler — said in order to survive, they need the government to provide them with some cash … $34 billion to be exact. After years of overspending, mismanaging certain areas of their respective organizations and making poor choices, the car companies are at a loss of what to do next.
    Because their request came on the heels of the Wall Street bailout package — where Congress approved $700 billion for our nation’s banking industry — many Americans were quick to call it the same: a bailout plan that appears to take from the poor and middle class while patting the rich on the back for decisions that have contributed to our economic crisis.
    But despite all their groveling and excuses, what the men offer us may be a blessing in disguise.
    On this week’s “Meet the Press,” President-elect Barack Obama said the auto industry is “the backbone of American manufacturing.” Now some may say it’s the American citizens who are the country’s backbone. But who do you think will be affected if the Big Three go under?
    It will be the working-class autoworkers in Detroit — many of them African American — whose livelihood depends on the success of the industry. It will be the thousands of middleclass men and women who work at places like Fremont’s New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. factory, which produces cars for both GM and Toyota.
    Not extending a hand to them only will cause a snowball effect that will be felt for years to come. The auto industry is one that directly or indirectly provides jobs for more than 3 million workers.
    The kings at Ford, GM and Chrysler need more than a slap on the hand. And any money the government gives them should not be considered a bailout. We need to see it for what it really is: an “emergency rescue” plan … and a cry for help the only way these men know how to ask for it.
    I do believe we need more reliable, energy efficient vehicles. I am in support of a restructure of the current Big Three companies. I agree top executives need to withhold their own personal gains, at least for the time being. I mainly believe that if we don’t do something — and soon — we will be in worse shape than we are now.
    Their mistakes offer an opportunity to stop, regroup and create a new plan for success. And hidden inside the admittance of failure are the gifts of hope, belief and security that we as Americans need this holiday season.
    They say, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
    The auto industry is definitely broke. It’s America’s responsibility to fix it.

   Michelle Fitzhugh-Craig is an award-winning journalist who resides in Oakland. If you have an individual, organization, issue or other topic that may be of interest to the Globe’s readers, contact her at talk2mfc@yahoo.com.
   Visit her blog at www.stpminute.blogspot.com.