Instead of bailing out the auto industry, put them to work...

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Permalink Reply by Jayson Feltner on November 17, 2008 at 8:14am

You are right on! Lets look at some of the things President-elect Obama and the Democrat lead Congress want to do. 1. Help the economy. 2. Reduce our imports from the middle east. 3. Reduce greenhouse gasses.

These are three BIG topics with the democrats so lets push something that can kill 3 issues with one stone.

Give the US automakers a bail-out. But make it so that 100% has to go toward developing marketable CNG vehicles. Whether that means by-fuel Tahoes and Expeditions or dedicated brand new looking CNG sedans, make them renovate some of the plants they plan on closing into a new product line! This will create jobs, reduce our dependency on middle eastern oil, and reduce emissions.

I know what you're thinking, these cars won't sell unless there is somewhere to refuel. So instead of a wind-fall tax on oil companies, something the democrats are in favor of, make them install a cng island at every company owned station. So every Exxon-Mobile, Chevron, Shell, Texaco, BP, Valero station will start putting in a pump for cng. The oil companies also have natural gas reserves so they won't really be giving away their money, they will just be forced to invest it in something that will later make them more money later. It's a win-win.

We would then make the US auto makers leaders in the fuel of tomorrow. As we've seen with the financial crisis, America sets the standard for everything. When we faulter, they all faulter. If we invest in cng, they will invest in cng and US automakers can capture that market with what they develop using American money.

We would reduce our dependency on Middle Eastern oil. With the Government investing in CNG, oil prices will not be able to rise to the $4.00 range again and the added cng competition will keep gasoline prices low. CNG drivers will be buying cheap fuel, and gasoline drivers will also reap the benefits.

With cleaner cars on the road, greenhouse gas emissions will instantly be reduced. There is NOTHING the automakers can do to a gasoline engine that will make it cleaner than a CNG engine so I think the anwer to reducing emissions is clear.

There you go. Create jobs, reduce our dependency, make US automakers leaders in the world again, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and keep money in the pockets of consumers by saving money at the pump and keeping what money is spent on gasoline, here in the USA!

What do ya'll think, should we push this plan too?

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Permalink Reply by michael Frank on November 17, 2008 at 10:56pm

Stop trying to keep up with the jones' We as Americans are overweight and take advantage of all aspects of energy.. We complain when there isn't coffeE at a coffee station in the spoiled corporate world. Hey look there is another station 30 feet away. By the way you are fat.. Get off your ass get a bike and stop being lazy.. Go home cook for you family and turn the T.V. game boys, toys and phones off..This is a good way to ge back to "family values" REMEMBER THAT PHASE...

WE WASTE AND DO NOT EDUCATE THE PEOPLE ON THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE ENERGY CRISIS..

WE NEVER LEARN!

EVERY UPSWING WE GO OUT LIKE THE ROARING 20'S.. STUPIDITY AND EGO'S..

I DRIVE AN OLD DIESEL AND DO NOT CARE.. I USE WASTE VEGETABLE OIL IN IT... THEORETICALLY 100% EVIROMENTALLY RECYCLED!!

GLUTANY, GREED AND LAZINESS IS WHAT WILL DETROY THIS NATION......THE CHINESE AND ARAB NATIONS ARE JUST SITTING BACK AND WAITING TO BUY US OUT.. FOOLISH ON OUR PART !!!

BUT STILL NO EDUCATION ON ENERGY?

HOW ABOUT GETTING OUR KIDS SOME MORE STUPID ANTI SOCIAL VIDEO GAMES(I.E. BABYSITTERS) FILL THEM FULL OF ADHD DRUGS SO "WE DONT HAVE TO DEAL WITH THEM!!"

I THINK WE NEED TO SLOW DOWN AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE!!



WE NEED TO BUILD THE INFRASTRUSTURE NOW!!!!!!!! "CREATING JOBS"

WE NEED TO BE SELF RELIANT WITH ALL OF OUR ENERGY NEEDS!!!! "THE INFRASTRUCTURE"

WE NEED TO MANDATE THE AUTO INDUSTRY TO BUILD THE CARS WE WANT!!!!! "BEFORE ANY FINANCIAL HELP"

WE NEED TO DO ALOT AND I THINK WE ARE FINALLY GETTING CLOSER TO THE RIGHT TRACK

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Permalink Reply by Mitch Smith on November 17, 2008 at 11:48pm

In WW2 the automobile industry was pivotal in allowing us to "tool up" fast enough to become the winning team. If we lose this last vestage of heavy industry it makes our Nation less able to defend ourselves. If China is threatening you militarily, it is unlikely that they will also fill your hardware and spare parts orders. Good luck re-creating lost heavy industry in a few months.

Manufacturing ability, farming, nuclear power, mining, etc. all make a nation more resistant to external aggression. "In time of peace prepare for war." is as true now as it was 5000 years ago. Never relinquish the tools of self defense. Pickens plan removes some of the ability of a foe to hurt us and enhances out ability to respond.

Obama has clearly stated that he wants to help the auto industry AND he wants to put some conditions on the money's use. 60 Million jobs are involved here. the 25 Billion is only 3.3% of the 750 Billion bailout package approved for the carpetbaggers that got us into this financial mess. Quit carping about some tired automobile assemblymans pay and start screaming to your congressmen about the Fed's stealth bailout of the Monied Elite.

As for "lack of engineering ability" being behind the poor automobiles currently produced, it is the Upper Management, Marketing and the Acccountants that determine that car companies need only sell C - - P to the US public. Our automobile engineers are at the whim of these buffoons. Ford has grudgingly recently decided to import their currently-in-European-production-only 50+ MPG production Festiva. Toyota is looking at bringing in it's Aygo, an existing Euro-produced 50+ MPG'er. GM is still apparently deaf, concentrating on some retarded 75 mile range electric sports car. There are AT LEAST 3 electric sports cars in production already, and they make real nice toys for the rich folk.

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Permalink Reply by Ted Adams on January 14, 2009 at 5:55am

Obama is all about change then let's take a clue form the Greatest Generation. Stop production of American cars for 4 years like in WW II and have them retool to make nothing but wind generators and Natural gas vehicles for those 4 years. They did it in the 40's, why can't we do it today?

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Permalink Reply by Auntie Tutu on January 12, 2009 at 3:59pm

Please steal this idea.
Every GM, Ford and Chrysler dealer in America should start giving out a cute little American Flag for the antenna, or a sticker for the back window, with the sale of every new or used AMERICAN car. Patriotism, and BUYING AMERICAN can bail us out of this mess.
Passit on to your local auto dealer, quick, before he closes up shop. And for gosh sakes BUY AN AMERICAN CAR in 2009 if you can affor d to buy anything at all.

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Permalink Reply by Cécile Stelzer-Johnson on January 19, 2009 at 12:38pm

Hear, Hear, Richard. I'm with you on that. The auto industry will be losing a fair number of its work force, and I'm all for retrofitting cars with gas saving, eco-friendly devices. My take on this, though, is a wonderful fuel additive called HHO: As water gets electrolysed ON BOARD, the gas thus produced is routed in the air intake. Hydrogen and Oxygen being both explosive, you don't want to have tanks of them on board. It gets produced slowly, and no extra is left in the car to cause problems. In the event of a collision, you might lose a quart of water mixed with 2 teaspoons of KOH. (The catalyst) The emissions are safe since the explosion produces water. Touting it as "the car that runs on water" is a misnomer, since you still use some gasoline or diesel, or biodiesel, but you may use only half as much if you calibrate things properly.
The plus of this technology is that you or a decent mechanic can install the devices. It is very cheap, since the various parts come up to $200-$400. You can see that in just a few tanks, you quickly recoup your investment. It also adds to the resell value of the car. If you Google "car that runs on water" you will get a number of sites. The one I used is www.HYBRIDwaterpower.com Their explanations are a notch above the rest, as well as their diagrams. Because this is in the public domain, anyone can market it.
Ask around and you will see that a number of people are quietly installing these things, and they work great. For some companies that are having a tough time right now, even a modest improvement of 10% in their fuel consumption does make an enormous difference. A few things that will make it easier: demand that the oil companies stop adding lead to their gas. Demand that they remove the O2 sensors along with the various computers that come attached. These autos are ENGINEERED to waste gas and keep us forever on the oil nipple. I hope the new President will be able to demand these changes, and Detroit won't need a bailout.
I know some of you are thinking CNG. I would jump on the bandwagon if it was a little cheaper and less dangerous, also if we had the infrastructure to deliver this Compressed Natural Gas. Personally, I'd go to Propane first: we have the infrastructure and it doesn't need the dangerous compression. It is still a fossil fuel, so I'm not going in this direction. However, I think we have to work in all directions at the same time: That is the only way we will make advances that are sustainable and will break the back of the OPEC nations. Get them where it hurts: The pocketbook. Also, stopping the $$$ hemorrage toward enemy nations is one of my main goals

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