Obama Throws Some Face!

The New York Times reports: Obama Criticizes Automakers on Fuel Economy. U.S. presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama courted Detroit recently

Senator Barack Obama of Illinois delivered a stern message to Detroit auto companies on Monday, saying they had done little to lessen the nation’s dependence on foreign oil and needed to improve the fuel efficiency of their vehicles.

"In your face, Detroit! It's all your fault! And you suck. I'm driving a Toyota." Hey, who said that? Obama or Ford CEO Alan Mulally? Haw!

It's hard to argue with much of what Mr. Obama said. You can hop in a 2007 Honda Civic for about $17k and get 40mpg on the highway. Can't do that in any Ford. At any price. It's a bit disappointing that Mr. Obama has to offer incentives to get Detroit to do anything

As a carrot to the industry, Mr. Obama would provide up to $3 billion to Detroit auto companies and their suppliers to retool factories to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles.

If the companies invest in these vehicles, Mr. Obama also would offer the Detroit companies assistance in dealing with their burden of paying for current and retired workers’ health care expenses, estimated at $1,500 per vehicle.

Help with those pesky retired union workers who built the cars that get crappy gas mileage? Yes, those people. Damned unions!

So why is it that Detroit can't make cars as fuel efficient as some competitors? Is it brain drain?

Comments

[Cars From Japan]

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[Scott]

>>Help with those pesky retired union workers who built the cars that get crappy gas mileage? Yes, those people. Damned unions!<<

Can't tell from the tone of your message. Are you blaming the union worker for the crappy designed car that doesn't get 40MPG? Not the designers, managers or the CEO who made the decision to produce fuel inefficient cars?

Next time you take your meal break, get paid overtime, take a vacation, go to the doctors, etc. - thank a union member for getting you those benefits. Don't blame him or her for a bad design or decision. Why don't you go after the CEO's retirement? After all, he is getting paid a LOT more for that bad decision than the union worker.

[Brian]

Is it that Detroit is still stuck in the muscle-car heyday? It's either engine power, or fuel economy. Detroit banks on American hunger for Power... not Economy.

Someone else said if the CAFE rules weren't in place, Detroit would drop passenger cars altogether. It doesn't matter how fuel efficient they are, they can't make a profit on them. Ever. Why bother sinking money into research for a product you'll never see a return on?