The Barack Obama administration's latest moves toward the control of the U.S. auto industry has been one huge leap forward toward socialism in our country, any way you look at it.
The establishment of the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy guidelines is an action toward telling Americans what size and type of cars they must buy. The manufacturers will be forced to build small, light and underpowered vehicles to meet these standards, and that will be the buyer's only choice. Government will be telling us what we must buy and drive. Al Gore approves!
Also, the federal government being involved in running the auto companies will be a disaster. The politicians will all be fighting over where factories are to be closed and built, and where dealer locations are to be opened. I can't wait until General Motors introduces the new Pelosi GT coupe or the Barneymobile rear drive pickup.
This administration seems to have forgotten that the OPEC-driven high oil prices of last year are what drove the final nail into our uncertain auto market and brought car, SUV and truck sales to a screeching halt. Uncertainty drove the collapse.
Where is the legislation from Obama's administration to tap our vast oil reserves to compete with OPEC in the world oil market to drive prices lower? It has completely fallen off the congressional radar as an option.
I'm an old guy, and the last time that I can recall the type of controls being pushed now was rationing during World War II, and that was for a united and supported effort, not because of a desire to change our free-market way of life.
Be careful, Americans, or they will be telling us how we must dress and where we can live. Sound familiar?
-- Ron Busick, Camarillo