Hmmm wow at first glance I gotta say it makes sense.

I will investigate the article some more.

as per the topic, that would just make too much sense, now wouldn't it?



[edit on 20-11-2008 by warrenb]

Sounds like it would be a smart move.

Another question or two.

People arent buying these vehicles anymore mainly because the price of oil and gas was so much right?

Why not allow for more drilling? That would keep the price of oil and gas down and more people would be more inclined to buy these vehicles.

or

We could bail them out only if the government says that they have to produce fuel efficent cars. If they don't do this within 5 years then all CEOs who accepted the money will be sent to jail for treason. That would incude all CEOs within that 5 year time frame.

Starred and flagged .just for making sense!

Although it makes complete and udder sense... What orginization wold have the stroke to pt it in motion?

Big oil's been putting so much money in everyone elses pocket but you know... they forgot mine

Maybe that might give the impression that the US auto industry has been churning out gas guzzling clunkers for all these years, in cahoots with the oil industry.

One thing I have noticed over the years though is that cars we have over here in Europe, are often available over in the US too but with bigger engines with considerably higher CO2 outputs and lower mpg figures. Surely, if the technology is available for mass produced cleaner and more efficient engines here, they should be an option there too?

Perhaps to justify cuts in Research & Development? Thereby further stalling non-petroleum based vehicles? At least it sounds like a good conspiratorial excuse, off the top of my head. Though after watching Who Killed the Electric Car?, I realize they don't need an excuse.

The reason this won't happen is because it would finally expose a commonly held (and touted as being fact) misconception that it is John Q. American and his love of automobiles that's using up all the oil and, in turn, poluting the environment. In reality, it is the manufacturing & energy sectors that use the majority of the oil imported into this country. Notice that the early days of this recession, when it was primarily affecting the public and their family budgets, the price of oil was still climbing. It wasn't until mid summer when the manufacturers started slowing down production and the energy companies weren't using as much fuel because there was no heating demand that the prices of oil began to decline. In truth, the fact that oil continues to plummet even while energy demand for home heating is ramping up for the winter indicates just how miserable the manufacturing sector currently is. Their decreasing demand is more than offsetting both the demand for gasoline AND the increasing demand for energy production and home heating needs. If that fact was made public and discussed right now, I believe that we'd see an even worse CHristmas shopping season because it would frighten the hell out of anyone with half a brain.

I believe that we're seeing a concentrated effort right now to tenuously hold things together as much as possible leading into the holiday shopping season. By mid to late December (after the brunt of the Christmas shopping has been done), we very well might be allowed to see the true nature of this recession and it just might be even worse than even the most pessimistic among us are predicting.

I read an interesting story to my children the other night before bedtime. It was Dr. Seuss' "The Sneetches," about a group of creatures called (you guessed it) Sneetches. Some Sneetches had stars on their bellies, some did not. A traveling snake oil salesman appeared one day with a machine that could put stars on all the Sneetches' bellies. He goaded the ones without the stars to pay him to put "stars upon thars" because the Sneetches with stars always looked down their noses at and thought they were better than those without the stars. After he had talked all the starless Sneetches into paying him to give them stars, he went over to the Sneetches that originally had stars. He goaded them into paying him to use the machine to remove their stars so they once again could be better than the SNeetches who didn't originally have stars. Wash, rinse, repeat. He did this several times, going back and forth adding and removing stars, doubling the price each time until all the Sneetches not only couldn't remember if they originally had stars or not, but also were completely broke having paid him all of their money... and then he disappeared from their midst with all their money and was never seen from again. I feel like a Sneetch right now. As soon as we pay out the nose to save a little money up, we're then goaded into spending it "for the good of the nation" (and I'm talking broadly here, refering to our government using our money to do this), and then they turn right around and chastise US for not being prepared all while the corporations stand there with their hands out to the government for our money AND another hand out to us for our voluntary money to be handed over so we can "keep up with the Joneses."

I will say this much, if nothing else my eyes have been opened to the brilliance and absolutely stunning social and political commentary that was Dr. Seuss. Call me crazy, but The Sneetches aren't the only Seuss "children's" story from which I have gained a great deal of enlightenment and pause for thought.

Big oil doesn't care if their profits come from American, Korean, Japanese, German or any other car manufacturer. Once GM, Ford or Chrysler fail and the public feels confident to buy cars again the void will be filled by another car maker and the profits will roll in again. Big oil doesn't need to bail out Detroit. Detroit needs to bailout Detroit but its too late

bye bye

Look its a bit decieving to say that the auto industry in general is in a rut.

Its just the big 3 US makers who are in the mire. That has come about because of militant unionization strategies that saw some floor workers earning in excess of 100,000 USD a year.

Why should the oil makers bother bailing out a failed, waste of time and futureless triad of companies (Ford, GM, Chrysler).

People will still own cars. People will still buy cars... maybe the new cars will even be able to handle corner

Toyotas and Hondas will replace American made cars; the companies will still sell gasoline.

Let's make the assumption that big oil is just sitting on the money they make and have no overhead or expenses.

There is a big difference between anyone's money and taxpayer money. An industry giving money to another industry, just as a bank making a loan; expects to be repaid. Taxpayer money, on the other hand, is given away freely. Anyone who really thinks we will see any bailout money back, HEY, I got a bridge for sale.