My inclination is that it shows whose pockets the politicians are in. If you think they're a "loser" then you are pandering to Detroit and their unions, or the

My inclination is that it shows whose pockets the politicians are in. If you think they're a "loser" then you are pandering to Detroit and their unions, or the auto dealers. If you aren't in their pockets, it's easy to see why the direct model is preferable. It's hard to be called a small government conservative if you want to legally mandate middlemen.