I believe a bailout loan to the domestic auto industry is necessary to prevent the nation from falling into a depression.

Four dollars per gallon for gasoline sent the nation into free-fall. Collapse of the domestic car industry would be worse. Millions of jobs are at stake.

Think of how many people are employed at Lewiston-Auburn dealerships and Formed Fiber Technologies.

It has been predicted that more than $150 billion in tax revenue would be lost. A loan to prevent that seems to be a no-brainer.

Critics of the bailout, including president-elect Barack Obama, say the industry has had its head in the sand, and didn’t build what people want. I guess the millions who bought large pickups and SUVs didn’t want them.

GM alone has 19 models that get over 30 mpg – more than Toyota and Honda. The domestic car makers will all have plug-in electric cars in the very near future. GM alone will have 15 hybrids by 2012.

The car makers have planned for the future. The root cause of the mess that the nation is in now is Congress’ lack of a comprehensive energy policy.

The country needs the domestic car makers to succeed.

David Heikkinen, Lewiston