Thursday, November 20, 2008

And then sometimes, congress really gets it right

Congressman Urges Automaker CEOs To "Jetpool" When Heading To DC Begging For Money

There’s a delicious irony of seeing private luxury jets flying into DC, and people coming off of them with tin cups in their hands, saying that they’re going to be trimming down and streamlining their businesses. It’s almost like seeing a guy show up at the soup kitchen in high hat and tuxedo. Kind makes you a little bit suspicious as to whether or not…we’ve seen the future. There’s a message there. Couldn’t you all have downgraded to first class or jet-pooled to get here? It would have at least sent the message that you do get it.

There's so much I could say about the state of the auto industry [living and working in Detroit and it directly affecting my livelihood and all,] but I don't even know where to start. Bless you, Congressman Gary Ackerman for cutting right to it. Unfortunately, the three men you were addressing will never get it through their skulls that this is indeed all their fault. [Not them specifically, but the deep rooted rotted corporate culture of Detroit.] They will smugly mock you later on their private jets, Congressman Ackerman - even as those jets are being nicknamed Titanic, Hindenburg and [insert third major disaster of choice here.] Going before congress and putting their arrogance and ineptitude on display was probably the worst thing the industry could have done for itself.

In unrelated news: the 40 mile range Chevy Volt is still not ready, BMW's 150 mile range Mini E was launched today [with 200 already shipped] and Toyota will debut the third generation Prius in a few weeks.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

While agree with your post, the unrelated news is one of the reasons the big 3 are in trouble; Public Misconception:

Volt is more then an electric run around which the Mini E is (and the Mini is for lease only in limited areas, not knocking it just saying).

Ford launched their much improved Escape Hybrid and is launching the brand new Fusion Hybrid, which gets better mileage then the Camry Hybrid... but ooh yeah another Prius the world is saved.

This is the same type of misconception that leads people to believe the Big 3 make unreliable cars, hwoever Ford and some of GM's brands are now equal or above many of the Japanese brands; all while Toyota's quality has been sliding as they have grown.

Overall the Big 3 are guilty of putting their eggs in too few baskets (big trucks, too many products without enough world cars), having legacy issues due to the lack of national health care, and possibly the biggest issue: being horrible at playing the modern PR game.