So now that Chrysler's closed and GM's speeding along, where does that leave Ford? Well, with still about $30B in debt for starters. But this raises a theme in corporate bankruptcy of dominated industries like automotive and airlines. Will Ford be "forced" to file out of an economic peer pressure?

My initial hunch — and it's just a hunch — is no, at least not yet. Among other reasons, I'm just recalling the airline rhetoric earlier this decade about how all the airlines would have to follow United in. But they didn't all go in, did they?  I think American stayed out — and has its restructuring been impeded, or is it still holding its own (since it was able to use the filers' labor negotiations to its piggyback benefit presumably)? Won't this be the same with Ford?