Ford, the only member of the Detroit Three to decline a federal bailout, recently reported a surprising $1 billion profit. That's right, ... an automaker turned a profit in the worst economy in a generation. GM, meanwhile, is still trying to find its footing after taking billions in federal aid.
Feeling pressure from the American public on the size of the U.S. deficit and runaway spending, the Obama administration has begun to formulate a deficit reduction plan.
Gov. Granholm has been urging people to beat on the Republican-controlled state senate to adopt "narrowly targeted" revenue increases. And Senator Bishop has been busily saying "No, no, no, no." Until now, I've been content to watch as this spat played out.
The United States Senate has been described as the world's greatest deliberative body. The term is based on the notion that senators can -- in a collegial atmosphere -- sit down and discuss differences in a way that produces compromises on contentious issues. The Senate, however, is not immune to America's growing ideological rift.
The issue: Four years ago the Bay Area Transportation Authority secured a $4.7 million federal grant that was to build a wind turbine to power a small fleet of hybrid buses. Now BATA finds itself scrambling to keep the grant. Our view: We're paying the piper.
I've done some exhaustive research on the matter, and I'm afraid there's nothing to be done other than to face the awful truth with a steely resolve: There is absolutely nothing we can eat. Oh, there would seem to be plenty of food around. The trouble is, whatever you're thinking of eating is going to kill you.