President-elect Obama is thinking about possibly naming an auto czar, once he comes to office. This person would oversee any auto-related emergency aid that may be forthcoming.
If this does come to pass, I'm with David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, on this.
"It can't be some ideologue or someone with an ax to grind or someone who read about the auto industry in a pamphlet two years ago," states Cole.
This person really needs be somebody who truly understands the auto industry, and not just someone who is out to punish these companies for past transgressions. Long-term survival solutions need to be established--solutions that everyone involved can live with.
Full story here and here.
orangutan says:
09:25 AM, 11/13/08
Not someone to reward utter failure with billions of dollars of bandaids, either.
crowb says:
12:27 PM, 11/13/08
Hopefully someone will suggest working with the Europeans, and Japanese to develop some emissions/fuel economy rules that everyone can use. That way automakers can cut costs on drivetrain options and make the best product for a world market.
Hopefully China and India would get on board with that too at some point. I've never understood why these governments can't sit down and compromise on some universal emissions standards.
desmolicious says:
05:24 PM, 11/13/08
I vote for Bob Nardelli. He's done a slap up job with Chrysler. And Home Depot.
cwc1 says:
08:06 PM, 11/13/08
The government should just stay out of the car business, and stop handicapping them with so many burdensome regulations and costs. I know that won't happen now, with a bunch of liberal Democrats in control. But that is one of the factors that has contributed to where they are now, that seemingly few people realize. Bad strategic decisions in the past and labor unions out of control are some others.
But -- I don't want our future cars' designs to be even more influenced by Washington bureaucrats who doesn't know a thing about the car industry or business, and with little understanding of market economics. They never reign themselves in when they've gone too far, and instead get more power and influence. That is what is killing the creation and growth of business in this country.
ateixeira says:
01:50 PM, 11/14/08
The car market collapsed under Bush' watch.
They could realign regulations to line up more with the EU, but that may help the euro brands and hurt the Big Three even more.
desmolicious says:
04:33 PM, 11/14/08
Yes, the government should stay out of the car business. So no bail out.
estreka says:
12:36 AM, 11/15/08
If this had happened a few years ago, I'd have nominated Iacocca. He's relatively unbiased and have unparalleled knowledge of the market. But he's too old, now. I don't think there is anyone like that anymore. Please don't give the position to Dingell. He'd drive the imports out of the country.
For the record, I'm also anti-bailout. Sure the economy would suffer a massive wave of layoffs, but it would bounce back once the remaining automakers compensated for the void. We'd be a lot healthier without one of the Detroit 3 (particularly Chrysler). The big problem we have is, as things are going, all 3 are going to crash at the same time.