Car Czar? Why not, that whole drug czar worked out so well...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081209/ap_on_go_co/congress_autos

“House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she supports the concept of a federal overseer of any rescue plan, saying she lacked confidence the heads of the car companies could solve the problem if "left to their own devices."

I’m sorry, I have a real problem with someone, who’s a leader of an institution with a 9% approval rating, calling other people poor managers. It is so galling that this lady, who, for the last year has basically blamed all of the country’s ills on the Bush administration, and yet hasn’t done anything substantive to correct any of these issues, calls to issue the management ability of auto industry leaders.

Let’s just cut all the bullshit out for a second. For the last 30 or so years, the big three have done exactly what businesses are supposed to do. They figured out what their market(s) wanted (big, fat, fuel inefficient vehicles) and made those products by the boat load so their companies did well, and people bought their stock. And, during the process, they basically supported a mini welfare state (the UAW / unions), that perpetuated an inefficient economic model (cost structure significantly higher than the competition) that eventually put them in a position where they were unable to compete on a global stage.

Making feel good, “green” hybrid cars is not going to address the root problems that Detroit is facing. Breaking and crushing the unions, devaluing automotive wages by 30% and dropping all medical care support for non-productive retirees is what has to happen to fix their problems. Everyone knows it, but is anyone going to do that?

Car czar my ass. Just another governmental agency, that isn’t going to go away after this crises is over, and then this “czar” will have the power to force the auto makers all sorts of crazy, liberal green shit in the future.

If I was the head of GM, I’d say, thanks, but no thanks. I’d take the company into bankruptcy, break the union, throw all of those over paid, blue collar democrats on the street, and then call up Pelosi and say “How do you like me now?”