Barack Obama Tells Detroit Automakers They Need Change

Barack Obama was in Detroit on Monday and he criticized the auto industry for it’s failure to keep up with foreign competitors on fuel efficiency. “For years, while foreign competitors were investing in more fuel-efficient technology for their vehicles, American automakers were spending their time investing in bigger, faster cars,” Obama told a group of business leaders. Obama has a plan for them that would cost Americans about 10 billion dollars. He wants to give the automakers 7 billion towards health care for their retired employees. Under this plan the automakers are required to invest half of those savings into technology to produce fuel efficient cars. Then he wants to give another 3 billion to the automakers to help them retool their plants to build these new fuel efficient cars. So Obama wants the U.S. taxpayer to pay for the automakers poor decisions of the last few decades, and help bail them out. It’s all so we can get out from under our dependence on foreign oil according to Obama. “The need to drastically change our energy policy is no longer a debatable proposition. It is not a question of whether, but how; not a question of if, but when. For the sake of our security, our economy, our jobs and our planet, the age of oil must end in our time.” Obama said we must focus more on the cars we drive and the fuel we use. Doing so could save as much as 2.5 million barrels a day. “It starts with our cars, because if we truly hope to end the tyranny of oil, the nation must once again turn to Detroit for another great transformation,” Obama said. And to the taxpayers wallets. This makes about as much sense as Bush giving the oil industry tax breaks to develop alternative fuels. Obama also wants to raise the fuel economy of cars by 4% each year, but Bush has already called for that one.
In other news about Obama, he is asking supporters to walk for Obama on June 9th. In a letter sent to supporters Obama says, “On June 9th, hundreds of thousands of people will have that experience as we take our campaign to the streets in all 50 states for a nationwide neighborhood walk. We’re calling it Walk for Change, and its success depends on you. I’m asking you for something extraordinary. I’m asking you to lead a group of supporters in your community in a neighborhood walk to let people know about our campaign.” If you want to sign up to the Walk for Obama day just click here.
Alan Cosgrove