Despite a $25 billion bailout of the auto industry in September, Congress is poised to throw an additional taxpayer-funded life preserver to rescue auto corporations from their own poor business decisions. American car manufacturers should restructure their businesses to address some of the problems that have been apparent for decades -- the same way American families have had to restructure their budgets -- rather than seeking more government handouts, writes my colleague Andrew Moylan, Government Affairs Manager for the National Taxpayers Union, in a letter to Congress today opposing the auto bailout:

USA Today reported last year that workers for the "Big 3" domestic automakers earned $73.20 per hour in total compensation, which is more than 50 percent higher than Toyota's U.S. workforce average of $48.00 per hour. When combined with crippling retirement and health care costs, it is no wonder that American automakers are struggling.

This developing pattern of private entities turning to the taxpayer when times get tough is precisely why NTU and the Competitive Enterprise Institute launched BeyondBailouts.org last month. Since Congress passed the $700 billion bailout of Wall Street, there's been a lot of finger-pointing about who's to blame -- for both the conditions that necessitated a rescue package and for allowing one of the largest-ever government intrusions into the private sector to become law.

BeyondBailouts.org seeks to answer three main questions: How did this happen? What do we do now? How can I get involved? Among the reform recommendations:

*Privatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac;
*Prosecute corrupt officials;
*Suspend destructive accounting rules;
*Repeal the Community Investment Act; and
*Clean up the Tax Code.

As part of the site, NTU and CEI have launched a new "No More Bailouts" petition to provide taxpayers the ability to contact their representatives in Congress and the President about bailout-mania. Visit BeyondBailouts.org and get involved today!