In recent years perhaps no other American industry has taken a bigger hit than the auto industry. Yes, construction and banking were damaged by the subprime lending fiasco and the subsequent foreclosure epidemic. But in the middle of all of that, two of the big three American automakers had to go to Uncle Sam with their hands out. Then, after they were given a ton of money, they followed that up with a series of devastating public relations gaffes involving unreported issues and late recalls, some of which led to deaths.
