Levin, Stabenow and Bond (D-R--Big Auto) are pushing to lower fuel-efficiency standards

[BurtWorm]

Michigan is hurting because Big Auto has to make fuel efficient cars for a change? Something is wrong with that picture.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/13/AR2007061302225.html?nav=rss_politics


Senators Try to Limit Fuel-Efficiency Rules

By Sholnn Freeman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 14, 2007; Page D01

Allies of the U.S. auto industry stepped up a campaign yesterday to soften strict vehicle fuel-efficiency mandates in proposed energy legislation before the Senate, even as momentum for the tougher measures continued to build.

Sens. Carl M. Levin and Debbie Stabenow, the two Democrats from Michigan, and Christopher S. Bond (R-Mo.) are leading the effort to craft an amendment that opponents say would water down measures already approved by the Senate Commerce Committee.

The Senate bill's current provisions would require automakers to meet combined fuel-efficiency targets for cars and trucks of 35 miles per gallon on average by 2020, with 4 percent annual increases from 2021 to 2030. Levin wants 36 mpg on average for cars and 30 mpg for trucks by 2022, without further increases. The final text of Levin's proposal has not been released.

...

"Michigan has been hurt very badly," Levin said, "The bias that exists here against the American automobile industry is a hurdle."

Stabenow complained about a meeting this week in which senators were simply "throwing out" fuel-efficiency figures, some as high as 40 mpg. "These numbers at some point become arbitrary," she said. "There's not a context based on what's achievable."

A vote on the Levin-Bond amendment is expected next week. Sen. Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.), who is opposing the auto industry, said this week that he thought there were enough votes to defeat the attempt to weaken the legislation....

[LisaM]

1. In reality, Michigan is hurting because the Japanese companies don't play fair

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/19/automobiles/19auto.html?ex=1305691200&en=88c4a9b0c7347298&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

They claimed that they would not have a competitive advantage when they broke into our markets. All they've done is break the back of the unions and given Toyota and Honda huge advantages in manufacturing costs.

Hold the Japanese companies to the same worker standards.

[kestrel91316]

4. Michigan is hurting because Detroit makes POS cars and gas hogs.

I've had two Detroit cars, and one Japanese car (now 19 yrs old), and I'm not going back to Detroit anytime soon.

[yurbud]

7. if they still made the EV1 or equivalent I'd by it. Otherwise, I'm Toyota & Honda for life

[yurbud]

9. rather than making good cars, Detroit is trying to do Enron and other corporate bookkeeping tricks

to make the company look good: "well, if we lay off X number of workers, cut corners on the product to make it just barely tolerable to customers who will never consider a foreign car until one of ours kills all their kids and their dog, we will turn a third quarter profit and drive up the stock prices (then we can sell our shares short during that little bump).

[leftchick]

20. not only that, they have been manufaturing all wrong for decades

that is why they lose money. One model per manufacturing plant. It has nothing to do with emissions standards.

[wuushew]

11. How is having a younger workforce "playing unfair"?

those plants were built in reponse to harsh import restrictions on Japanese cars.

Are you suggesting some course of action?

[LisaM]

19. Yes, I am. I think that the Japanese autoworkers should get the same benefits

as the Big Three autoworkers. Did you read the article I linked to? We're all going to end up paying for their retirees because they aren't going to do it.

I also don't agree with Levin and Stabenow on this, though you have to understand that Michigan's economy is really, really hurting and the state is bleeding jobs. I think there should be stricter fuel standards.

[corkhead]

2. to their defense, reich wing radio is blaming them and Granholm for all the "big three" woes

of course the auto industry's poor management and collusion with the oil industry have nothing to do with the problems.

[LisaM]

3. And the fact that they have historically treated their workers well

Having unions with workers' protections is not something Republicans like. How dare companies pay a fair wage?

[blondeatlast]

13. Are Mexican workers unionized and embraced by their employers?

I don't think so--prove to me otherwise before you spin for the US mfgs doing EXACTLY what the foreign companies do.

[GeorgeGist]

5. Go Blue

phuck the Globe.

[yurbud]

6. that's like helping a crack addict by throwing money at him. Detroit needs some serious

guidance on this shit.

Raise CAFE, get some hybrids going, sell some electrics too, and maybe we'll throw you a bone of some bucks.

[Giant Robot]

8. My thoughts are

That what our Senators do not realize is that pandering to the auto industry in Michigan has gotten us no where, in fact it has gotten us to the hole that we are in. They still are a major source of employment in the state, but that is shrinking each year I believe.

[Horse with no Name]

10. Levin and Stabenow were sent to Washington by the folks in Michigan

to represent the interests of their state.
They are doing that. I may not like it but they are just doing their job.

[BurtWorm]

12. I just wonder if the world can afford this kind of representation.

I'm assuming they know this is not going to pass and Detroit will have to swallow some standard it doesn't want to, that they're just jerking their knees the way the system has set them up to have their knees jerked. It's unfortunate that the game has to be played this way. Detroit needs make more environment-friendly vehicles or get out of the vehicle-making business. It would be great if their reps in Congress could facilitate them doing the right thing.

Why not give them tax breaks for meeting socially responsible standards, instead of lobbying to get rid of standards all together?

[Horse with no Name]

16. If Levin doesn't do it, someone else will

Personally we have to take a concession here. Of course it won't pass but maybe it can lead to something workable for the citizens of Michigan as well as the rest of the country.
I wouldn't expect the representation of California to vote against the interests of the citrus industry anymore than the representation from Michigan against the auto industry. It's just what it is.:(

[BurtWorm]

18. It's just that nothing gets better if the game is always played the same way.

I don't blame Levin and Stabenow for following SOP, but it would be nice to see more creative thinking and proaction.

[LSK]

14. Michigan is hurting because we dont have Universal Healthcare

[LisaM]

15. I agree that the Japanese cars are better

But what I'm saying is that they have an enormous competitive advantage. When they broke into the US markets, they AGREED that they would run their companies like the US car companies did. That promise was broken almost immediately. I think that all the companies could (and should) all make good, fuel efficient cars, but since the Japanese companies have come in, the rights of union workers at the auto plants have consistently dwindled, and since the UAW was historically one of the strongest unions, that has had a devastating effect on all unions in this country, and, I would say, on the entire workforce.

Toyota was also guilty of price-dumping in the early 80s.

I would love to see the Big Three put out a competitive product. The most recent mistake they made was concentrating too much on SUVs. I wouldn't drive an SUV myself, but I know plenty of people who were happy to buy them when gas was cheap.

[leftofthedial]

17. that is flat-out insanity

[TwilightGardener]

21. No better or worse than farm-belt states like Nebraska expecting

ag welfare goodies from our Senators.

[wuushew]

22. kick

:kick: