Congressman Ron Paul continues to embarrass Capitol Hill with common sense, dignity and clarity. In this video, Congressman Ron Paul asks for a freeze on the salaries of Congress, the Federal Reserve’s ability to create money out of thin air, and much more.

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Powerful remarks from Congressman Ron Paul on ending the war in Afghanistan. Whether you’re a democrat or republican, it’s hard to take sides with this video. They aren’t any. Enjoy it. Share it.

I don’t profess to be an auto guy or anyone of influence. However, behind closed doors, I have managed to convince a multi-billion dollar corporation to switch gears and embrace new concepts. Today, the news is out that Ford is once again mulling a decision to sell Volvo. Last July, I suggested a sale to Honda, who could probably use the Volvo brand to bolster its luxury segment.

Ford: Get rid of Volvo and focus on a strategy to buy General Motors and Chrysler in bankruptcy, because Detroit doesn’t deserve a taxpayer bailout. What Detroit needs is change, which is long overdue. The city’s my hometown, so I think I’m in a great position to state the obvious. No bailout. The auto industry is as brittle and hollow like the many abandoned homes in Detroit, like this one:

Ford is the only automaker in town with almost $30 Billion worth of cash and credit at its disposal. This places the company in an incredibly powerful position to ‘throw its weight around’. It’s time for a consolidation in Detroit:

• Develop a plan to acquire the brands and assets of both General Motors and Chrysler in bankruptcy
• To gain government approval, the company MUST divest its interest in several GM and Chrysler brands, plants
• Approach congress for ‘future financial support’ in the event more capital is needed to save jobs, retool factories
• Get rid of those blood-thirsty union commitments — They’re just as much the problem as Detroit’s lack of innovation to be competitive in the global economy. Renegotiate. Get concessions
• Improve employee morale by inspiring them to feel like stakeholders (I have a creative approach to achieve this) — This means doing more than simply improving product quality

Now is the time to consider all options, because no idea is a bad idea. Sink or swim. The foreign automakers are ready to dine on your front porch.

I’m currently having a late-night thinking session where I’ve been thinking about social programming (TV, radio, etc.) and other interesting social concepts. The thought that came from left field was this:

Congress will not grant a bailout package to the automakers. General Motors (GM) would be the first to collapse by January 18, 2009, followed by Chrysler on February 6, 2008. The lone automaker will be non other than Ford. Alan Mulally will then flex his negotiation skills and convince Congress to grant them the $25 Billion bailout on the condition that they purchase the assets of GM and Chrysler, while attempting to save as many jobs possible.

When one considers the hemorrhaging of money in my hometown by the automakers, almost any scenario is possible. This is just one of a few scenarios that might play out should Congress not approve a bailout package for the industry. Consolidation is nothing new to Detroit. There were dozens of automakers in the earlier days. Some failed, some merged and the others collapsed. That’s life.