Is the money free or does the government get a cut? I know the banking deals were done with the government getting an ownership stake I figure the auto bailouts would be the same. If everything works out maybe it won't cost anything in the long run, but if GM and Chrylser have to go bankrupt so will all the parts suppliers plus the shedding of hundreds of thousands of jobs.

I agree that bailouts are terrible. The solution is agressive anti-trust legislation, breaking up companies "too big to fail", and saying "no dice" to mergers. Separating commercial banks, investment banks and insurance companies is critical. If two companies ask for a merger the government has to ask " If this new company fails will the government be compelled to bail them out?" If the answer is yes. Then no merger.