Shelby: Detroit Woes "their Problem"

By Victoria McGrane

(The Politico)  Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, the top-ranking Republican on the Senate Banking Committee, puts his distaste for Democratic calls to bailout Detroit in blunt terms:

"The financial straits that the Big Three find themselves is not the product of our current economic downturn, but instead is the legacy of the uncompetitive structure of its manufacturing and labor force. The financial situation facing the Big Three is not a national problem, but their problem. I do not support the use of U.S taxpayer dollars to reward the mismanagement of Detroit-based auto manufacturers in such a way that allows them to continue and compound their ongoing mistakes."

Such opposition in the Senate could prove fatal since any senator can put a hold on legislation they do not support, and any bill needs 60 votes to overcome the cloture hurdle.