Question: Why do the car makes just go away?

In the auto bailout, it seems several car makes (mostly GMs) will simply cease to exist.

Why doesn't the government buy these lines and use them exclusively for 5 years to replace the entire federal automobile fleet, including government limos and mailtrucks which are apparently currently manufactured by someone ashamed to put their corporate logo on them.

The government could start an entire company with these pieces of different companies, sort of like the "bad bank" model. It could have Pontiac, Hummer, Saab, Saturn, even the old Plymouth, Oldsmobile and Geo lines under one banner. Call it the American Motor Company (Sorry, Chrysler, you don't use, you lose).

At the end of five years, sell the company back into the private sector.

Hey, it beats just throwing money at the companies without gaining anything for the taxpayer, like the current plan.