The Democrats are saying the money to be given to Detroit based auto makers is a 'bridge loan' rather than a bail-out. To arguments that the 'brideg loan' is not likely to be repaid, they say that when loan money, you have to assume it will be paid back, and that there will be a lot of strings attached to the money to ensure that it is paid back. Since the comapnies have no assets, I wonder how it is ensured that the loans will be repaid. Besides, isn't that how we got into this credit fiasco in the first place? Money was loaned to people buying homes who were unlikely to pay it back, with no money down, and an over-valued property. It seems unlikely to me that the auto makers will ever pay the money back, so it is a bail-out.