Armed with her lunch for work, Debra Barton heads to the check line at the grocery store on her way to work at the Chrysler plant. Right now everyone's buzzing about the bailout debate on Capitol Hill.
"We're talking about it everyday. It's coming up all the time," Barton said.
Barton supports the measure. And says it's not out to nail taxpayers as some fear.
"I consider it a loan, like Lee Iaccoca did in the 80's. He borrowed the money and turned Chrysler around and made it successful," Barton said.
She believes the bailout can do the same for the other hurting auto giants and save millions of jobs in the process. As for her job, she's optimistic the local Chrysler plant won't close either way this plan goes.
"We have products that people want and it's just been redone," Barton said.
But she'd still like to see it to happen for long-term security. She has eight years left to get a pension from Chrysler and wants to re-join her family in Delaware when that happens.
"It's a sacrifice I've made so I can get my pension so I can have a nice retirement too," Barton said.
A wish today that she hopes "checks out" down the road.
Barton has worked in the auto industry for 22 years, the last two and half at the Belvidere Chrysler plant. She was discouraged by Friday's news from Capitol Hill about the delay in bailout discussion. She'd like an answer as soon as possible.
We also talked with Belvidere residents about the bailout plan and heard mixed feedback. Some support it to save jobs and prevent a big hurt to the Belvidere community. While others say the automakers executives overspent money and don't deserve a handout.