To the Big 3 Auto makers (op-ed)

[O'Dannyboy]

Send a Clear Message to the Auto Industry

I think this article is very "to the point". IF we we're to help Ford, GM and Chrysler we should only do so conditionally. For the last 30 years their focus has been on luxury, safety and emissions. They have not put any effort whatsoever into improving fuel efficiency and recently have even gone as far as to tout 30mpg (hwy) as "economical". Perhaps 30 years ago it was but any one of us can name a make/model of car from that era that got the same, if not better, fuel economy. At some point they even stopped offering diesel powered cars on the U.S. market. No doubt due to their durability and longevity. Where would they be if everyone had cars that would last 20 years or longer and got 65mpg or better? Of course theirs is not the only industry in the U.S. that survives by intentionally building substandard products. Our economy seems based on this strategy.

Of course the international markets are more competitive and where their competition is stiffest they actually shine, as most usually due. There's a saying that goes "you're only as good as your opponent". Apparently the Big 3 have, up to this point, had relatively little competition in the U.S. market or they certainly would have risen to the challenge long ago.

"I do not prize the word "cheap". It is not a badge of honor....It's a symbol of despair. Cheap prices make for cheap goods; cheap goods make for cheap men; cheap men make for a cheap country!" President William McKinley (1843-1901)

I'm reminded of the story about the Tucker and how it was ahead of it's time in every way yet the Big 3 couldn't stand the competition so they conspired to bring him down, or so the story goes. There is also a two year old documentary called "who killed the electric car? that tries to explain how yet another technology was stifled. Just FYI but this video can be seen at you-tube for those who haven't seen it. It's pretty lengthy so some have it broken down into ten parts. It's not there hasn't been any innovation in the necessary fields. It's that they have been suppressed by those who wish to keep us dependent on them.

Again, is there any wonder we are in the predicament we are in?

[Matthitjah]

Grace to you,

Brother,

Part of the reason that diesals were dumped and the Auto Industry is failing is due to Government regulations. Part of it is in fact poor management. The American Auto Industry is plagued with High Labor costs and should have moved to lean itself out years ago. Chrysler has been selling Minivans for years as their main line when other Automakers had long sisnce abandoned them. Look where Chrysler now is. It appears the Automakers also had no contingency plan for high fuel costs relying instead and very heavily on the American appetitie for gas consuming vehicles. They only produce what sells and what has sold are the large SUV's.

That is what happens in a Fickle Free Market economy. However, and again, you cannot absolve the current crop of Liberal Progressive lawmakers for years of bad policy.

Why were Americans in Love with the SUV? One only need to look to the failed Liberal Progressive policies of the 70's. Folks Love the SUV because their family fits in it and it is safe. Why couldn't we have large cars that everyone fit into and were safe? The Government mandated Cafe standards made those auto's unbuildable and very unprofitable. Trucks were exempt, thus the SUV a hybrid between a family vehicle and a Truck.

We would be terribly remiss a s a society to turn on an Industry that nly ffered us what we wanted and we would be doubly remiss to not acknowledge the failed policies of years of failed Liberal Progressive policies.

Now we want to push more policies that will make energy, fuel as a Chief example, very expensive.

I think we are under a curse personally and need to repent rather quickly instead of pointing fingers.

Peace,

Dave

[O'Dannyboy]

I was watching part of the documentary I mentioned when it occurred to me again to inquire about LED bulbs. Consider how many flashlights these days have LED bulbs in them. Now ask yourself, why don't they make LED bulbs for the home? Some cars even use them in the third brake light assemblies and various other applications yet they do not offer them for the home. Can anyone tell me how this can be? They cannot use the cost to produce excuse because they are too widely available in flashlights. Again it seems that they would rather keep us addicted to inferior products rather than make anything that might last long enough to limit potential sales.

[Matthitjah]

I was watching part of the documentary I mentioned when it occurred to me again to inquire about LED bulbs. Consider how many flashlights these days have LED bulbs in them. Now ask yourself, why don't they make LED bulbs for the home? Some cars even use them in the third brake light assemblies and various other applications yet they do not offer them for the home. Can anyone tell me how this can be? They cannot use the cost to produce excuse because they are too widely available in flashlights. Again it seems that they would rather keep us addicted to inferior products rather than make anything that might last long enough to limit potential sales.

Brother,

Won't matter in 2009. Beginning in 2009 the Government is mandating that only Fluorescent bulbs be manufactured and sold in the U.S.

More Liberal Progressive policies that will impoverish more people.

Peace,

Dave

[Matthitjah]

I was watching part of the documentary I mentioned when it occurred to me again to inquire about LED bulbs. Consider how many flashlights these days have LED bulbs in them. Now ask yourself, why don't they make LED bulbs for the home? Some cars even use them in the third brake light assemblies and various other applications yet they do not offer them for the home. Can anyone tell me how this can be? They cannot use the cost to produce excuse because they are too widely available in flashlights. Again it seems that they would rather keep us addicted to inferior products rather than make anything that might last long enough to limit potential sales.

Brother,

Won't matter in 2009. Beginning in 2009 the Government is mandating that only Fluorescent bulbs be manufactured and sold in the U.S.

More Liberal Progressive policies that will impoversih more people.

Peace,

Dave

Liberals may have passed the Bill...but a "conservative" signed it into law. Give both sides the credit.

We've been using these bulbs for a couple of years. Rather than impoverishing people, they actually save people money. They cost a little over twice as much, but last 10-12 times longer. This comes out to a big savings.

KatyAnn,

Who ever said GW Bush was a Conservative?

Saving energy won't soon matter when we bankrupt the coal industry.

Consequently, I was watching a show last night. It was all about how coal is processed, tranpsorted, and burned for electricity production in the U.S.

Personally I think Nuclear is the answer but since that isn't going to happen for some time here, if at all, we need to keep using coal because it accounts for a huge part of our electricity production in the U.S.

Flurescents also contain dangerous substances that pollute groundwater unless disposed of properly. They will impoverish the poor who can ill afford the increased cost associated with their initial purchase. I know folks who would have to decide between the $12.00 cost of a pack of 6 fluorescents as opposed to the .90 cent cost of a pack of four traditional bulbs and food. Not too mention the factorys overseas who will be producing the bulbs with cheap labor and even cheaper environmental controls. Third world countries and Nations who care little about Human Rights won't care a slip about the mercury spilled into the waterways of Impoverished peoples and the subsequent birth defects and other maladies that will produce. (See China )

If you need Environmental Absolution that bad you go right ahead. I sleep just fine at night.

Back to the point, Pointing fingers at our Nations corporations right now isn't the answer. Neither are the Liberal Progressive policies. If we don't collectively find ourselves on our knee's and swiftly there won't be anything to worry about.

Peace,

Dave

[Guest yod]

Send a Clear Message to the Auto Industry

I think this article is very "to the point". IF we we're to help Ford, GM and Chrysler we should only do so conditionally. For the last 30 years their focus has been on luxury, safety and emissions.

The auto makers aren't the problem. They are making the cars that the American consumer wants. In Europe these same American car companies make smaller, more fuel efficient cars because they wouldn't have any market share if they didn't.

The price of fuel is so much cheaper here that we choose to have nice cars/trucks with room for the whole family and luggage too without feeling like a sardine. I kinda like it and don't care if the Chinese or the Swiss envy me.

[O'Dannyboy]

I would be interested to know if any of you watched the documentary I mentioned (who killed the electric car). They interviewed many industry insiders to create it and they give a very compelling argument. The American auto makers have made their bed and we should not be bailing them out without first trying to reign them in. Watch the video and you will see that the EV1 was not even advertised yet every person who leased one ultimately wished to buy it but GM instead crushed every one. Why would they destroy something they could have sold and made a profit on? Anyone? Anyone?

Oh.BTW I did find a website online that sells LED bulbs (120v) for the home. http://www.besthomeledlighting.com/category/3388 anyhow they are rather pricey. I guess I simply find it strange that they are not yet being sold in Wal-mart or at the local Lowes or Home Depot. they are far more efficient than the fluorescents and last something like 3 times longer. I use mainly fluorescent anywhere I expect to leave the lights on for extended periods but elsewhere I still use brighter incandescents such as in the bathroom or dining area.

[Guest]

[kat8585]

We've been using these bulbs for a couple of years. Rather than impoverishing people, they actually save people money. They cost a little over twice as much, but last 10-12 times longer. This comes out to a big savings.

Those bulbs are also dangerous. If one breaks, the gas it emits can make you very sick. It's yet another thing the environmentalists should never have gotten away with.

[irishcowboy]

the U.S. auto makers were told in the 70's that every so many years, their vehicles needed to increase their milage every so many years.....

the 1985 ranger i had got 34 miles a gallon, and that was with a vacuum leak with over 120,000 miles.....

the 1998 ranger i have has yet to get close to that milage, and it does not have a vacuum leak.... lucky to get 25 mpg.

seems like they are going backwards.... both vehicles have the same size engine.....

I think alot of it has to do with all that junk under the hood...... to coin a phrase wendys use to use...... "WHERE'S THE ENGINE"

people need vehicles that they can use for work and use for moving their family around, that does not dip so far into their pockets, not just for fuel, but also for repairs and maintenance. when it cost a weeks pay or more to do what use to be simple repairs, people tend to let them go. when it cost a hundred bucks just to get an estimate on repairs, people tend to let it slide until it becomes a dangerous problem.

it is to the point a person can not even really do their own oil change, much less, other things.... such as just doing a simple tune up.....TUNEUP???? WHATS THAT?????

give me a set points, plugs and a condenser..... I even have my old gauges for setting the points....

full size trucks (1/2 ton ) have not changed in the milage they get less then 20 almost across the board...

bail out? Hey can I get bailed out if I run up a debt? if i mis manage my household is the government going to step in and make things right? is the government going to pay me for the dead beats that bailed out on paying me for work done?

I do not think so..... bail out the auto makers? I do not agree with it, I did not agree before, I dont agree now....

if a small business owner fails, they call it mismanagement and he is on his own, when a big company fails, and the to execs still get their bonuses and the employees are being shafted, they get help so they can continue paying the bonuses to the execs.

I do not agree with it... .if anything, it is tax payer money, split it evenly between all the tax payers.....

mik

e