Toyota doesn't need help from the government? Who pays for the health care of Toyota's Japanese employees? The Japanese government. Who's been artificially devaluing their currency to protect their automobile imports? The Japanese government. Who's been rebating value added taxes on their exports to American while imposing the same taxes on imports from America? The Japanese government. Who uses a variety of non-tariff barriers to protect their auto industry? The Japanese government. The way some people talk you'd think that Japanese car makers are existing in some sort of Milton Friedman wet dream where only the free market's invisible hand has pushed them past their American competitors.
Critiquing the present day relevance of the term "hippie" automatically makes one a hippie? Well then I suppose that I'm not only a hippie but also a Zippie, a Beatnik, a Mod, a Greaser, and a Pachucho.
Using the term "hippies" in 2008 is like George Bush saying he uses "The Google". It makes you seem a wee bit out of touch and stuck in the past. Just an opinion.
Too bad these CEO's weren't in a labor union. Congress might have asked some tough questions then like, oh I don't know, what will you be doing with the 700 billion dollar bailout?
People are still going to need to by fuel for their cars. What difference does it make to the gas station owner if they're are buying gas or some sort of alternative fuel?