Detroit is showcasing itself to the world this week as the North American International Auto Show sets up shop at Cobo Center. Returning to the 2011 show after a brief hiatus is the German sports-car builder Porsche.

Also making a comeback at this year’s show is a renewed sense of enthusiasm, regional pride and, most importantly, relief as the good news continues to flow out of Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. All three are hiring back workers, and all have exciting new vehicles on display.

GM, whose world headquarters is four blocks away from the exhibition hall, has begun selling their Chevrolet Volt advanced hybrid, and Chrysler has its new Fiat 500 small car and a new Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV, built just down the street from Cobo Center at Jefferson North Assembly.

Ford’s stock price has climbed to $18/share from a low of about $2 in 2009 and is expected by some analysts to climb even higher given the company’s solid profitability. GM, too, is seeing success at the stock market following its re-listing on the New York Stock Exchange this fall and has also been reporting profits.

However, we would not be here today if congress and the Obama administration had not “bailed out” GM and Chrysler during the summer of 2009. If not for the government loan guarantees, which both automakers are paying back, there would be no auto industry in Michigan, nor would there be in any of our neighboring states and the Canadian province of Ontario. Millions of other jobs would have evaporated as well from people who dry clean suits for executives to the cooks at Miller’s Bar in Dearborn who serve lunch to many an autoworker.

Many congressmen from southern states opposed the aid to automakers and said unlike large banks, automakers should have been allowed to fail. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) in particular voiced his opposition. In November 2008, he said even if the Detroit automakers failed, it would not be a bad thing for the country because cars would still be made in the southeast by other car companies, otably foreign companies like Toyota and BMW that gravitated to southern states such as DeMint’s because of cheaper labor.

Fortunately, DeMint and others like him were not allowed to benefit their foreign friends at the expense of our state of Michigan and our storied car companies. Fortunately, we have proven the critics wrong and outperformed even optimistic expectations for the rebounding of our automakers. And fortunately, it’s all on display for the world to see at Cobo Center in Detroit this week.

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