President Barack Obama has been in office for just over 100 days now, and it is surely worth noting the things he has accomplished. The president has capped salaries of senior White House officials, set a deadline for the closing of Guantanamo Bay and quickened the process of applying new fuel processes for cars coming out in 2011.
The more interesting thing to note, however, was his assertion of “unprecedented government control over the auto industry,” as quoted from CNBC. This statement, made at the end of March, formally declared that the federal government would now serve as the backer of all warranties that every new car buyer receives from crumbling auto giants General Motors and Chrysler. The president is quoted as having blasted these American auto firms for their lack of progress in fixing their current economic ailments, stating that “our auto industry is no longer moving in the right direction fast enough.”
I am personally glad to see the downfall of GM and Chrysler. For years, all they made were big cars that rode like cows and ate up gas as fast as our wallets would allow. They sure were comfortable to sit in, though. Besides the federal warranty guarantee of all future GM and Chrysler sales, the president has also refused to loan any taxpayer money to either firm, stating that it would be “undeserved.” And rightfully so — at the turn of the century, when Japanese auto giant Toyota was already modeling unique and easily maneuverable “green” cars, our American auto companies were simply still mass-producing big, spacious, gas-guzzling autos for the everyday ignorant consumer (i.e. those who are immune to the ills of a 15 mile-per-gallon car). While Japan thought progressively, we thought inwardly, and now we find ourselves in a predicament.
As inefficient as American cars may be, they certainly provide an advantage for our overall economy (i.e. they employ lots of people), so I am certainly not promoting their complete abolishment; but we do need a change in policy. It is certainly about time American automakers realized their inferiority to Japanese cars and did something about it (besides asking the government for money). The president (from at least what I can see), is doing his job very well, and GM and Chrysler (as well as their ignorant consumers) must stop basing the overall quality of a car merely on its appearance and comfort level.
Regardless, the restructuring of the entire U.S. auto industry will obviously be for the better, and perhaps in the future American car makers may put fuel-efficiency ahead of “seat space” on the agenda. The automobile industry, like other transportation trades, is vital to an advanced society (provided it is run well). Rapper Jay Jenkins aka “Young Jeezy” stated, “My President is black, my Lambo’s blue and I’ll be goddamned if my rims ain’t too …” — I say that’s cool … but what about gas mileage, dog?