Hi GenSeneca, sorry it took me a bit to get around to this, I have been busy the last few days. So ill take a few minutes and reply now.
One example or even a few examples of individual companies that have government ownership is not at all indicitive of a form of economy. There are millions of privately owned companies out there.
You might want to talk to someone who was alive during the great depression about the banks and a lack of government control.
No I call it absolute utter communism! 
Here is the fact of the matter, letting any of the big three car makers go under would have a much more signifigant negative impact on America and the government. Besides the share holders and direct employees of the car companies, we also hurt the metal producers, considering the auto industry uses about %20 of the steel production in this country. Not to mention the aluminum, copper and platinum and other metal producers that goes into cars. Not to mention all of the other components that are in modern cars, plastics, fabrics, glass, etc.
By putting those industries under further economic stress, you take away one of the main sources of income for them.
Those people end up losing thier jobs, and they go on direct welfare, and probably take jobs that dont pay as well, thier houses go into foreclosure, they spend less money in the general economy laying down a massive dominco effect that I dont think is fathomable outside of someone who is an economic specialist.
Those are the opposite ends of the spectrum, if looking at a 2D model of where America lies in this system, we are still very much so a capitalist country. Among the most in the world.
Lets go over this again since you are still confused on what qualifies as being a welfare state:
Interesting definition.
If by the above definition is what you want to use, then yes we are a welfare state and should be doing more to make that vision happen.
In the short term, we have taken on more socialistic methods due to the necessary pragmatic approach to save the American economy. But only in some directed and targeted areas. We are still much more capitalistic then we are socialistic. Considering the socialist/communist movements of the 20s-30s, and the era of the new deal, when it was critical the government step in to do something about the conditions of America in that period, I think it is tough to tell in which direction we are moving in in that regard.
