The cars that save us, the cars that damn us...an opinion or a lament

Why is it that in the United States there is talk about the government getting together some $15 billion dollars to keep the cars flowing out of the factories? And why is it that in Argentina the government of Cristina Kirschner is pushing hard to also pump God-only-knows how many million to get new cars zipping out of factories and onto the (mostly badly cared for) streets and highways in the country? Why is it that in times of financial crisis the "solution" is to help the "big guys" and look with a eye of pity at the "little guys?"

President-elect Barack Obama is understandable concerned  about putting the crisis drunk automobile industry back on its feet. True, he places his conditions. No more posh salaries for executives who are not efficient. The top players should learn a new rule of ethics. Sounds nice. But Obama has not taken office yet. What will happen when he does, when the automobile lobbies question any serious reforms in the super free enterprize free-for-all of outgoing president George Bush?

More importantly: It is true that making cars means jobs for thousands of workers. Vast resources are required, it puts the economy into action.  But those cars also are the main causes of contamination, they crowd our streets and roads and throw their exhausts into nature's clean air...

Somehow it seems that even in times of crisis the solution is always seen in terms of helping out those sectors that have the most, those sectors which in one way or another contributed to the crisis.

Would it not be of interest to change the rules of the game: help society's poor, change the rules of the economic game so that big banks and financial institutions not be tempted to make money make money rather than satisfy the needs of the majority of the population? Spend those billions on improving hospitals, building schools and houses for the needy...Well, it was just a passing thought!