It seems that one of the next contestants in line for a federal bailout
will be the automobile industry. Years ago, I would have argued that we
should just let it fail, but I've changed my mind on that point -- and now
I don't think we can afford to let it fail. But I do think that we should
take this opportunity, rather than just handing it a bag of cash and our
best wishes, to prod it into the 21st century. So here's my (incomplete,
I'm sure) list of non-negotiable demands that should be attached.
- Stop designing and building cars that go 150 MPH and start building cars that get 50 MPG. NOW. It's idiotic and irresponsible to build vehicles that go double the highest speed limit in the country -- all that wasted engineering effort and expense should be going into safety and fuel efficiency.
- Then aim for 100 MPG. Don't whine that it's too hard: get it done. Or stand aside in favor of those superior to you, who can.
- Stop building cars that seem designed for the mid-life crises of balding, bulging men. Cars are transportation, not fashion or ego statements, and it's time that both your product line and your advertising reflected that.
- Stop whining about emission standards and not only meet them, but exceed them.
- Everything that goes into a car needs to come out of it eventually. Design and build for recycling.
- Strict executive compensation limits need to be enforced. I propose a ceiling of 10X the assembly line workers' wage. No doubt some executives will resign rather than accept this. This is a feature, not a bug.
- This is loan, not a handout, and a repayment schedule needs to be attached.
I'm sure that other folks differ with my list, and/or have their own. So what should we demand from automakers as a precondition for bailing them out out of their own incompetence, stupidity and greed AGAIN?