This is an interesting article. Joe is fighting raising CAFE standards, even though our mileage standards are the lowest in the world, even below China. I guess Joe has no faith in American ingenuity.
The Royal Oak Tribune published this article about Joe's fighting raising the CAFE standards because it would hurt the Big 3. If we had been raising CAFE standards through the years, the Big 3 wouldn't be in the mess they are in and they'd be competing on mileage with the foreign transplants and probably profitable. Anyone else think Joe is shortsighted?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
No, you have no faith in American inqenuity. If our industry was so brilliant, it would have competed on its own. That's the nature of competition though - sometimes you wind up behind, because of the other guy or gal is trying hard too.
You're model assumes that government regulation can force companies to innovate. While it is possible years of government pressure may have created more efficient vehicles, it is also possible the fines and failure to attain an arbitrary standard may have driven the industry into a deeper morass than it is today.
How about we use carrots instead of sticks?
I'm all for some incentives to the auto industry for efficiency and to reduce carbon emmissions, but let's use tax credits, research incentives, etc.
I'd also note that Sander Levin, Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow
are in agreement Congressman Knollenberg in speaking out against higher CAFE standards because they - DEMOCRATS - also believe it would kill American auto jobs. Even John Dingell has a years-long voting history against CAFE standards. Do you criticize him (yes, I know this is "anti-Joe" blog - but I'd challenge you again, to criticize those folks here in a response, to maintain your consistency).
Knollenberg supports efforts to improve fuel efficiency and lower our dependence on foreign oil. He believes the federal government should invest more money in alternative fuel research. He voted to eliminate billions in oil subsidies and redirect the money into alternative fuel research. Sander Levin joined Joe on this vote as well.
Sounds like some productive work from Joe Knollenberg on this issue, thinking with common-sense and working across party lines on this one.
Your way off on this one.
But aren't carrots a lot harder to combust as fuel than sticks?
I could be wrong but I always seem to get better mileage when I burn sticks.
OMG. I agree with you on one issue. I do not think making CAFE standards more stringent are appropriate right now. Auto companies should respond to the market.
They didn't respond well when gas shot up to $3.00 per gallon. Of course given the nature of the business and their product plans, they are incapable of responding very quickly to that sort of issue.
The answer isn't CAFE. The answer is that consumers who are concerned about the environment should use the power of their own purse to influence the market.
If our domestic auto companies want to survive, they will need to learn to anticipate the market and not just respond to it.
However, CAFE standards did not cause the problems the domestic autos are suffering today. They mismanaged themselves into this situation all by themselves. And if the new Toyota pickup catches on, it could be the end of Ford and/or GM.
Given their desperate state though, it would be good for Congress to attempt to give the domestic autos a boost by providing tax incentives, etc. to consumers.
Thanks secret one.
I agree with what you've said here too. Yes. CAFE is neither the solution or problem. And the car companies themselves are mostly to blame.
Post a Comment