As the domestic auto industry falls into desperate straits, and the federal government decides whether to bail them out, we need to take a look at one of the root causes of this crisis.

John Dingell.

As the longtime chairman of the House committee on Energy and Commerce, Dingell has stymied real efforts to force the "Big 3" (GM, Ford, Chrysler) to learn from the disaster of the 70s. Meanwhile, those companies have repeatedly refused to look at what was right in front of their faces. As a result, they are in serious trouble.

I'm not fond of the idea of bailing out the very people who, through their short-sightedness and stupidity, have caused the problems their companies are facing. We should learn from the failures of the current $700 billion bailout. Any federal money spent to bail out the auto industry should come with serious strings:

First, a requirement that the auto industry invest in creating high-speed, electrified rail lines for both passenger and freight rail.