At first Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said she would never support an auto bailout bill that used money originally set aside to help Detroit develop fuel-efficient vehicles. But she relented. Then Pelosi claimed she wouldn’t support a bailout bill unless the Big Three promised to drop their lawsuit against California’s emissions requirements. Now Pelosi says she is willing to support the bailout without the Big Three dropping the lawsuit, but only if Republican lawmakers support the bill. Nobody should fall for Nancy’s head games.

This Monday Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) was overheard at the White house bragging that “we’ll get the $15 billion done” and that the cost isn’t a problem, because “it’ll come out of the existing money now, but we’ll replace it next year.” In other words, Pelosi’s fuel-efficiency fund concession was really no concession at all. And don’t expect the left to keep their promise on allowing the Big Three to continue their emissions lawsuit either. Everyone knows this bailout is just a down payment. When the auto makers come back for the second installment, Frank and Pelosi can easily slip that no-lawsuit provision back in.

Let’s hope no conservatives fall for their false promises.