Detroit Paper to Congress: You Cannot Turn Away

In an open letter to members of Congress, the Detroit Free Press insists that the government cannot turn its back on the auto industry. If it does, "there will be economic hell to pay—not just in Detroit, but all across America, including in your state, in your district." Millions of jobs woven throughout the economy are at stake, as is the very fate of the nation's manufacturing base. "You don't want all this blood on your hands," says the editorial. "No one could."

Yes, some of the wounds are self-inflicted. But "the losses from an auto industry failure are about more than dry statistics. Every job associated with the industry is a family, a home, a college education, a cancer treatment or a secure retirement. Every one of those jobs is about someone making a living doing work that's vital to the nation's economic interests." (More Detroit stories.)