Auto bailout team no fans of American cars
posted at 2:50 pm on February 23, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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Instead of a car czar, Barack Obama and Tim Geithner have settled on a committee to manage the domestic auto-industry bailout. But do the members of the team have an issue with American automobiles? No more than the rest of American drivers:
The vehicles owned by the Obama administration’s auto team could reflect one reason why Detroit’s Big Three automakers are in trouble: The list includes few new American cars.
Among the eight members named Friday to the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry and the 10 senior policy aides who will assist them in their work, two own American models. Add the Treasury Department’s special adviser to the task force and the total jumps to three.
Only two of eighteen own American cars? Include the Treasury Secretary and Obama economic adviser Larry Summers among import aficionados:
Geithner owns a 2008 Acura TSX, registered in New York. He once owned a 1999 Honda Accord and a 2002 Acura MDX, according to public records. … Summers owns a 1995 Mazda Protege that’s registered in Massachusetts. He previously owned a 1996 Ford Taurus GL.
The people tasked to rehabilitate the American auto industry and convince Americans to fund that rehabilitation largely avoid their products. That certainly sends an interesting message, although one in consonance with the buying public. It underscores the reason Detroit is in trouble — people with the funds to choose buy other products. They can’t solve their economic problems without solving that problem first.
But this could be a stroke of genius, rather than a disaster on the optics. Would we trust people who bought Detroit’s product to tell both the automakers and labor the truth about their predicament? A panel of skeptics sounds like a better idea than a panel of true believers.
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Anyone not notice the “shadow” government Obama has created? Cabinet appointments are complete idiots, but the real power and control is consolidated in non-vetted, non-elected advisors answering directly to Obama. Advisors who have executive privilege protection from Congress (enforced by G W. Bush).
Neo on February 23, 2009 at 7:08 PM
I have had three Ford F150 that have gone 200,000 plus. I just change the oil every three thousand miles and I use the best oil I can get. I have owned several Honda’s with similar results.
Johan Klaus on February 23, 2009 at 7:08 PM
As long as UAW runs the show I will never again own a big three car. Sure wish Washington had let them and Granholm go down the tubes.
OmahaConservative on February 23, 2009 at 7:09 PM
“Do as I say, not as I do” is always an apt answer to the behavior of these critters. The elite get to make the rules and the plebes get to obey them. We just need to know our place on the lush plantation of the worker’s paradise.
Dilbertnomore on February 23, 2009 at 7:52 PM
My business ownes two Nissan pickups and one Chevrolet. I needed a 3/4 ton so I had to buy a domestic because Nissan or Toyota did not make a 3/4 ton. Labor Unions can get their money from someone else.
My wife drives a Lexus.
Bear Grass on February 23, 2009 at 8:37 PM
Oh, I forgot to add I also ride a Honda Goldwing motorcycle.
Bear Grass on February 23, 2009 at 8:40 PM
Where does this ploy about comparable pricing come from?
My girlfriend (because of her father) swears by Toyota.
She drives the Lexus RX400h and the Toyota Highlander Limited.
I know the RX400h is technically a CUV, but I will use it for comparison purposes.
She states that, “The Lexus has better acceleration and ‘pulling’ ability up hills – but the Highlander feels better during the ride.”
However, she drove my Mother’s Ford Explorer and she was amazed at it. She could not get over how it pulled better up hills, accelerated, and rode better than her two cars.
I second her opinion, as well, but I believe I have a bias in this matter.
The thing is, my Mother paid about $10,000 less than the Highlander and a God-awful amount less than the Lexus.
She also loves my Mustang GT.
But, she will not own a Ford. I am not sure why. I’ll have to ask her tonight.
People still say “Fix or Repair Daily,” but I will put any of my Fords up against anything in terms of value and quality. Knock on wood, but there has not even been a single minor repair done to any of the vehicles we have ever owned from Ford (and that is over a million cumulative miles logged over 5 people within the last 10 years).
reddxero on February 23, 2009 at 10:27 PM
Their is nothing wrong with owning a foreign branded vehicle and working for the government trying to save the domestics. You can, believe it or not, do both. I have never owned foreign but at the same time think they have gotten themselves into a hole of their own making largely and need to fundamentally change, ie, bankruptcy. I also admire what the foreign companies have done in building their products, managing their workforces, and making themselves viable in tough times.
Detroit could and needs to learn a lot from them.
JoeinTX on February 24, 2009 at 3:57 AM
I’ve always believed in practicing what I preach and putting my money where my mouth is. I have also never been led astray by someone who practiced what they preached and walked the walk, not just talked the talk.
I have, however, been financially hurt and morally thrashed by people who did not.
DuctTapeMyBrain on February 24, 2009 at 6:54 AM
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