NICK GILLESPIE ON BAILOUTS AND EASY MONEY: “Twas easy money that got us into this mess, say the experts, and it’ll be even easier money that gets us out. . . . Our long national nightmare of inflationary pressures, unemployment, and nationalization of key industries is just starting.”

And yet, the auto bailout, like the Wall Street bailout, is polling badly:

The Washington Post reports that its poll finds 55% of Americans oppose the Detroit handout, while only 42% support it. Democrats have become the party of corporate welfare, with 52% supporting the bailout; majorities of Republicans (69%) and independents (57%) are opposed.

Most surprising finding: “Union households are no more apt than those without a union member to favor the plan, 44 percent compared with 42 percent.” The United Auto Workers wants government money so as to protect the work rules and artificially high emoluments that have helped make Detroit uncompetitive.

So this is really a top-down political-class thing, not a pandering-to-the-masses thing.