We'll have to make sure to rent a Mopar when we're in Detroit for the North American International Auto Show next week. Tribute Restaurant in nearby Farmington Hills is running a special promotion to honor folks who buy American. Food is half off for anyone driving a Chrysler product or who works for Chrysler the week of the show, January 11-17. But don't think the folks at The Tribute are just fans of the Pentastar.

The promotion kicked off on January 4, with Ford being the honored marque through January 10, while GM owners will get their discount during the week of January 18-24. The final week of the month (Jan. 25-31), everybody can get in on the special deal. All American cars will be featured that week and the discount will even be extended to automotive suppliers and dealers. The discounts apply to just the food portion of your bill at dinner or Sunday brunch and reservations are recommended.

[Source: MSNBC]

Tensions are high in the Motor City, with good reason. At this point, the only chance General Motors and Chrysler have of avoiding bankruptcy is for President Bush to tap the remaining $15 billion from the first half of the $700 billion TARP fund. Unfortunately, the stress of the situation has gotten the better of some folks in SE Michigan. Four vehicles with foreign nameplates were vandalized recently at a Woodhaven, Michigan strip mall, just a stone's throw away from a Ford stamping plant. Each of the vehicles had two slashed tires and the phrase "Buy American" written on them. Surveillance video caught one middle-aged gentleman as he got out of a red Ford Escape to slash one of the car's tires and write something on it. Police say, however, they have no evidence that links Ford employees from the stamping plant to these acts of vandalism. We hope that remains the case, as headlines of organized labor attacking innocent Hondas and Toyotas is the last thing the Detroit 3 needs as it awaits the cash-filled hands of our lame duck president. Thanks for the tip, Joe!

[Source: Click on Detroit]