With Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen and other foreign factories dotting the I-65 corridor stretching from Kentucky to Alabama, southern Republican senators relished this week's chance to take a swing at Detroit and the UAW simultaneously. The "bailout fell victim to a nasty confluence of home-state economic interests and anti-union sentiment," write Alex Koppelman and Mike Madden in Salon. Here are some of the big players:
- Bob Corker, Tenn: He's got two Nissan plants, along with the company's US headquarters. Volkswagen is coming, with at least 2,000 jobs.
- Mitch McConnell, Ky: A weaker UAW makes organizing labor at his state’s Toyota plant tougher. (Kentucky is one of the few states without a right-to-work law.)
- Richard Shelby, Ala: He's got Mercedes, Hyundai, and Honda plants, making his opposition to Detroit easy.
- Jim DeMint, SC: He's an outspoken union critic, and he's also got a BMW plant.
- Saxby Chambliss, Johnny Isaakson, Ga: A Kia factory is opening soon.
For the rest, click on the Salon link below: (More
auto industry stories.)
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