That link provides an excellent analysis. I especially liked this comment:

"Japan's new liberal government is fighting deflation using the traditional methodology, by lowering interest rates and increasing fiscal stimulus. But that's not what Washington wants. Neoliberal policymakers and their buddies in the right-wing think tanks want "fiscal consolidation" which means harsh austerity measures that will deepen the recession, increase unemployment, and trigger a wave of defaults and bankruptcies. This is how western corporatists and bank tycoons keep their thumb on the developing world and thrust their economies into perennial crisis. It's the "shock doctrine" and it's been the IMF's modus operandi for over 20 years. Japan is being stuffed into a fiscal straight-jacket by supporters of the Washington consensus whose goal is to weaken government and accelerate the privatization of public assets and services."

IMO, this is pretty accurate. And having a wave of further bankruptcies and defaults will also ensure Obama is a one term president, something the Tea Party and Republicans have focused their efforts on from day one. They don't care if the whole world falls around them ... they want power back!

Their next big push from the Right Wing/Republicans is to privatize Social Security and Medi-Care. This represents a treasonous threat to all Americans.

I've watched the Govt. hearings on Toyota here and the "so-called" govt. DOT technical experts are simply laughable in terms of how little they know and understand about the possible sources of these "problems". Truly a joke.

I DO believe there are some issues with some Toyota's but NO ONE in the US DOT (dept. of transportation) really have a clue what they might be and are really guys who need to be fired from their jobs. Useless Dead Wood.
Our Govt. is loaded with millions of useless cogs who really just push paper and are about 20 years behind on the skill required to really help understand such a problem. Pathetic.

In the end buyers will back Toyota who have smoked American companies for the last 30 years, providing better cars in every way, a cars that have always been better value than any American car. Their reputation is solid and this Tar & Feathering witch hunt will soon be brushed aside.

Many Americans are politically ignorant, after all they elected Bush, twice.
But in the end they are better about understanding and recognizing a good product. Most folks gave up on American car makers many years ago and won't be coming back anytime soon. The good news is Toyota now employs more Americans than GM! (if you count subsideries)