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April 6, 2009
GM's New Board Drives Foreign Cars
Posted by Dave Blount at April 6, 2009 7:37 AM
Given that the Democrat Party has now assumed Soviet-style control of the auto industry, maybe party apparatchiks should familiarize themselves with the industry — by driving its products.
Oops, it seems that many on President Obama's team, including those seeking to save the American automobile industry, do not actually drive vehicles from the American automobile industry.
According to a study by the Detroit News and a White House parking lot survey by Politico.com, neither do Obama's White House staffers.
Before leaving for Europe (where the Secret Service had pre-placed Obama's new armored Cadillac), the president dished out rhetorical tough love to U.S. automakers.
He canned the chief executive of General Motors (the United Auto Workers president remained, not receiving bailout money), gave the giant carmaker 60 days to reorganize, and directed Chrysler to merge with Italy's Fiat in 30 days to remain an American company. (Let it go, it makes sense in Washington.)
The Politico survey of cars parked next to the White House found only five U.S. brand cars out of 23 — a Dodge, two Fords, a Jeep and a Cadillac. The News found that Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner, who didn't have the money to pay more than $20,000 in back taxes until they became a confirmation problem, did acquire a 2008 Acura.
Lawrence Summers, head of the president's National Economic Council, drives a Mazda. Budget Director Peter Orszag drives a Honda and a Volvo. Economic advisor Austan Goolsbee drives a Toyota. VP Joe Biden's economic advisor Jared Bernstein prefers a Honda.
At least Chairman Zero rides in an armored Caddie. No doubt when shoveling $billions of our money into the UAW's gaping maw and putting Nancy Pelousy in charge of design fails to turn Government Motors into a profitable enterprise, tariffs will be employed to ensure that only bureauweenies and trial lawyers can afford to drive foreign cars.
On a tip from Byron.
