A Great Power Goes Begging...

The USA has a Secretary of Energy? Who knew? Where's he been the last eight years? Busy with his day job at Exxon?

 

Is the US going to stop its own fuel subsidies too?

 

Hahahahahaha, what a looser. LOL All the other countries are trying to protect their citizens from US stupidity on fuel, and he goes begging them to stop doing that.

 

Would that energy be better spent begging the US auto industry to make quality small and medium size cars?

 

Yeah, That will solve the problem. (Sarcasm)

He seems to have overlooked that the "subsidies" he is complaining about is a self solving issue. India and China have a much more severe problem than the US. For example, China has to give North Korea lots of fuel oil to prevent a mass influx of North Korean refuges. How does China get North Korea to pay?...when they have no money.

The ripple effects of this price surge are going to be eye opening.....but eyes are not opening.

 

Thats because this country has been dummified for 8 years.

 

"Thats because this country's leadership has been dummified for 8 years."

Fixed that for you.

... Brad

 

If the US auto industry played its cards right it could be dangerous for the Japanese car industry but there is a massive chasm to bridge first.
Maybe GM, Ford and Chrysler could look to Japan for some inspiration?

There once was a time "Made in America" implied quality, I know this because my dad told me so, I don't recall seeing it in my 46 years but I belive my dad doesn't lie. Well there was that whole father Christmas thing ...

 

Pat!! cmon now...its easy to say that when generalizing about another country you dont live in...

we are talking families in a country where sometimes you have to drive for miles just to get from one town to another, and with all this space, sprawl is a natural result since no one wants to live on someone elses doorstep...

hmmm... ah heck!!... now i forgot if im talking about MY country or YOUR country...

 

Aww heck, Made in America or Canada still means quality in many businesses. Let's not forget all the "foreign" auto manus that build in US and Canada.

No it doesn't automatically equate to quality, but I'm not sure it ever did.

I'm 45 and remember at least until late 1970s when Made in Japan was still a joke, although their car quality was perhaps roughly equivalent or even ahead by then. And in the 1980s Made in Korea was a joke, not so much anymore; Hyundai has improved massively since the Pony.


My grandfather was from an age where quality equated to weight and size. Things that were big, powerful and "solid", like a console TV or a Lincoln or Cadillac would last and be reliable, as well as a status symbol.

Little wonder then that his generation, and the execs at North American auto companies thought and still think that fuel efficient cars are "cheap" and not worth buying.

 

have to agree with the "made in america" tag...

my paternal family is from Detroit, and "in the day" it was common to get a new car every 3 to 5 years. simply because that is when the car started turning to junk.

sure part of it was the fact we salted the roads in the winter (dumbest idea EVER) so rust was always an issue, but it was also because the interior was starting to come loose at the corners, lost some of the knobs on the door, the glovebox did not close anymore without slamming it etc...

i remember many american made cars where the weatherstripping was worn out because the door had started to sag after a while and the window rattled on rough roads to beat all hell. i can remember as a kid leaning my arm on it just to keep it from driving me crazy with the noise.

 

Bush needs to get his head out of the sand--before he buries us all.

 

Not going to happen, he has never done it in his entire life, he has screwed over more family, friends and investors, now he gets to do it to the entire country, he is one happy man.

 

For what it's worth... I've also switched from Made in USA to Made in Japan. Worked for a Japanese manufacturer here in USA and learned about quality assurance and quality control. I disagree with jobs going overseas, and I know the USA is CAPABLE of producing quality products. But like our government, industry is too greedy to care. It's shameful. And it continues uncontrolled. Earmarks, high energy profits, recalls, Rx drug deals, crane inspectors, where will it end? Our best weapon would be the vote, IF we could believe a word a candidate speaks. They're controlled by their parties and big interests. Someday we'll get an honest politician who will CLEAN HOUSE! I'm 64 - I'll likely be too cold and stiff to reap the benefit! But be sure of one thing - the Middle East is putting the hurt on the USA, and I don't believe it's coincidental! This is just a slower death than 9-11 was. If you're driving a hybrid, you're doing more that 99% of your friends who are STILL driving gas hogs! Kudos!