Monday, January 26, 2009

'Green' Will Not Be a Detroit Panacea

Well, Big Three. Ya got your bailout. Enjoy your deal with the devil.
President Barack Obama wants automakers to make greener cars at a time when General Motors and Chrysler are hanging by the thread of a massive government loan and auto sales have plummeted to their lowest levels in more than two decades.

Obama's plans could bring smaller cars, more hybrids and advanced fuel-saving technologies to showrooms, but car shoppers will probably pay more upfront because the new rules are expected to cost the hamstrung industry billions of dollars. (emphasis mine)

That will work out well for Detroit. Why is the American auto industry, nay, the global auto industry suffering today? A big part of it is because people either can't afford to buy new cars or uncertainty about their jobs is leaving them too afraid to make the financial commitment. So what is Washington going to do? Force Detroit to make cars that are more expensive than the market can bear because they believe we all want to pay more in this time of economic paralysis for a car because it'll save Gaia. Bub-bye Detroit. We'll miss ya. All hail Toyota!

No comments: