Propping up the failing Chrysler and GM companies with $15 billion bailout monies flies in the teeth of anti-trust laws and should be considered criminally intended. At best this constitutes nationalization and socialistic governing.
You can quote me on that. In fact please do. The word on this should get out as far and wide as possible across the social media sites, letters to your Congressmen, state legislatures, anywhere you are heard.
Laws to prevent unfair practices by industry giants in forming monopolies has a shoe on the other foot. When the giants no longer provide a product the consumers want and will buy the business must be allowed to go where the consumers will buy. Government subsidy of these companies is so absurd it is utterly amazing any US civil servants would even contemplate it.
It may be possible, should this bill pass, to take a class action suit against the government in light of the anti-trust laws. Even viewed as a socialistic nationalization it does not reconcile with our Constitution.
The consumers have made it clear they want alternatives to the gas guzzler and they want genuine long-term value. With 20 new start-up companies in plug-in electric vehicles alone the consumer interest is clearly no longer on cars with mpg ratings in the 20s or cars that have designed in parts lifetimes of just beyond the warranty life.
The big 3 auto manufacturers are ailing because consumers are going elsewhere. There are better values in autos and the consumer knows this. Overseas companies are getting the business as they have greater gas mileage, are built better and hold up longer.
GM has cut its own throat by deliberately providing vehicles that are not so good that the consumer will hang onto them. In the 70's consumers could be heard to say "Why should I buy a new car, this one is going strong and still works just fine". The cars today can be demonstrated to be "just good enough" but not so good that it will cut across the sale of new cars. The truth is if you don't provide a car that lasts a long time, has great performance and low maintenance the consumer will stop coming back to that car company.
Which is precisely where the Big 3 are today. Poor long term value is the first thing the consumer will shuck in a stressed economy. Provide a terrific, exceptional car that lasts and the public will buy these even in a recession.
Throwing billions of dollars into GM and Chrysler (Ford has said they do not need bailout monies) will not stave off bankruptcy or downsizing for those companies; this will only prolong the time we have to endure their shoddy productions.
If they have to close plants, that's great, it makes room for companies the people want to support. Tesla, Lightening, Fisker Automotive or any other new contenders can take over the facilities and hire the laid-off workers.
Speak out to your Congressmen and anyone who will listen and stop this charade happening on Capital Hill.
GM claimed it had to take the EV-1 off the road because no-one wanted it and it wasn't selling. That is a falsehood. First off GM never offered it for sale. The EV-1 was released only on a leasing program. When the leases finally ran out GM came and picked the cars up telling the owners the lease was not renewable and if they don't return the cars they are guilty of theft.
GM said that it was too costly, that it was costing the company over $80,000 per vehicle. What really happened is that the company produced only 1117 of these which of course makes the cost per vehicle sky high.
The PR line from GM is that the electric battery technology was not advanced enough at the time to allow a workable EV to be produced. Actually GM didn't even try to put in a decent battery when the car was first released. It was equipped with cheap, garden-variety Delco car batteries. Only after these were found to be inadequate and consumer outrage forced a change did GM switch to a better battery, available all the while, that resolved the problems and also gave a little better range.
The GM "solution" to failure to deliver a sincere product was to recall them all and shred them at the wrecking yard. Even GM has now come to admit this was a poor way to handle the EV-1. Now GM is trying to stave off bankruptcy, an event that comes on the heels and is related to the EV-1 fiasco. Don't think they are disrelated. For a limited production of 1117 cars the bad press from killing the production resulted in a huge campaign of negative press. This continues today with the DVD documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car?" that undertows a company which must have consumer confidence to survive.
Our great country was founded on opportunity. It was populated by immigrants that knew here they were free and could have a better living as entepreneurs through their own ingenuity. This free enterprise made our country great. Let it run its course now without this massive government subsidy.
Be A secret Santa, here.
