The next contender in the category of "too big to fail" appears to be Big Steel. Through the first three quarters of 2008, the steel industry was going gangbusters. By late December, however, weekly production had fallen by more than 50% from August levels. Prices have fallen like lead. Tens of thousands of workers, mostly unionized, have been temporarily laid off, with future prospects exceedingly grim. Now industry execs are praying for an Obama miracle of government investment and subsidies.
From the New York Times: