Bail-Out?
I'm no Economist... but here's MY two cents in the whole "US Car Industry needs help!"
... The US Car Industry is in jeopardy not only because it's badly managed, but because people aren't buying their vehicles. It doesn't matter how much money the US Government throws at the companies if customers aren't buying the merchandise. However, so many jobs rely on that industry for their own employment that to just let it all fall apart could be catastrophic to our economy and civil security (seen what happens across the big pond when other countries have too much unemployment?) Just letting the American People become destitute when we can do something about it isn't an option I want to see.
On the other side, I don't think the government should force corporations to change their products because they as a bunch of law-makers, they think it's "just a good idea." If there were substantial health concerns, or if they were going to make some sort of legislation that encompassed all vehicles in the US, sure... but just to say "because we're giving you money, we want you to make electric-cars" is silly. Doing so is not only over-stepping what I think government should do, but also is pan-handling where there are more important things to do. You can tax the fuck out of civilian usage of gasoline. You can increase fuel milage. But don't tell a company that they can't do something just because you want to put your fingers in their business.
Bailing out the industry shouldn't bail out the "company" but be an effort to keep folks at their jobs, or at least employed.
THIS should be the focus of it all.
Sooo.. here is my suggestion...
Put the workers into a Government funded Public Works program, or give the companies the money to pay for employee training and retooling to make new items that won't go unbought in a re-tooled economy.
... a public works program using the workers of GM/Ford/Chrystler/etc. workforce (or maybe even the companies themselves if under Chapter 11 restructuring) creating, perhaps, alternative energy equipment, or maybe Mass-transit vehicles, or some other items nessecary. It may not be the consumables that they were used to, but maybe we're beyond a day where every person has a car in the garrage, one in the drive-way and one on the street? I think the market for vehicles was built up as the false-cash was spread around. Now that credit is far harder to get and folks are suddenly realizing (duhr!) that they don't have the money to pay off their debts. With the new direction of the economy, even with $1.55/gallon gasoline, saving $20/week isn't going to make up for being out $200/week because your hours have been cut back or because you're on unemployment and still looking for a job. So even if GM/Ford/Chrystler made FANTASTIC cars... who could afford them?
So, yeah... I'm sure it's got LOTS of flaws and not fully thought out, but I haven't heard anyone come up with anything similar yet. It seems like it would at least be floating around somewhere... how to keep the people employed and not just keep the CEO's comfortable.
No one's buying cars, so why bail out the companies if they're going to continue to produce unwanted merchandise?
... The US Car Industry is in jeopardy not only because it's badly managed, but because people aren't buying their vehicles. It doesn't matter how much money the US Government throws at the companies if customers aren't buying the merchandise. However, so many jobs rely on that industry for their own employment that to just let it all fall apart could be catastrophic to our economy and civil security (seen what happens across the big pond when other countries have too much unemployment?) Just letting the American People become destitute when we can do something about it isn't an option I want to see.
On the other side, I don't think the government should force corporations to change their products because they as a bunch of law-makers, they think it's "just a good idea." If there were substantial health concerns, or if they were going to make some sort of legislation that encompassed all vehicles in the US, sure... but just to say "because we're giving you money, we want you to make electric-cars" is silly. Doing so is not only over-stepping what I think government should do, but also is pan-handling where there are more important things to do. You can tax the fuck out of civilian usage of gasoline. You can increase fuel milage. But don't tell a company that they can't do something just because you want to put your fingers in their business.
Bailing out the industry shouldn't bail out the "company" but be an effort to keep folks at their jobs, or at least employed.
THIS should be the focus of it all.
Sooo.. here is my suggestion...
Put the workers into a Government funded Public Works program, or give the companies the money to pay for employee training and retooling to make new items that won't go unbought in a re-tooled economy.
... a public works program using the workers of GM/Ford/Chrystler/etc. workforce (or maybe even the companies themselves if under Chapter 11 restructuring) creating, perhaps, alternative energy equipment, or maybe Mass-transit vehicles, or some other items nessecary. It may not be the consumables that they were used to, but maybe we're beyond a day where every person has a car in the garrage, one in the drive-way and one on the street? I think the market for vehicles was built up as the false-cash was spread around. Now that credit is far harder to get and folks are suddenly realizing (duhr!) that they don't have the money to pay off their debts. With the new direction of the economy, even with $1.55/gallon gasoline, saving $20/week isn't going to make up for being out $200/week because your hours have been cut back or because you're on unemployment and still looking for a job. So even if GM/Ford/Chrystler made FANTASTIC cars... who could afford them?
So, yeah... I'm sure it's got LOTS of flaws and not fully thought out, but I haven't heard anyone come up with anything similar yet. It seems like it would at least be floating around somewhere... how to keep the people employed and not just keep the CEO's comfortable.
No one's buying cars, so why bail out the companies if they're going to continue to produce unwanted merchandise?