Here's to globalization
In the '80s, years when GM made record profits, they started closing plants in the United States... while opening others in Mexico. The initial shock of the citizens, consumers, but especially the employees made way for hate.
"What?" said millions of Americans. "After asking us to reduce our salaries (particularly at Chrysler), after asking us to be loyal to the company, after asking to buy patriotically, you don't want to raise our salaries (at Chrysler again), and now that things are going better you transfer our jobs down south?"
Needless to say that these events, although they weren't necessarily announced as catastrophic at the time (although I sincerely think they were) because they were justified by the media as economic rationality, the imperatives of smart management, and a long-term vision are all bouncing back in their faces.
The side effects of the past
In 1973, the American manufacturers had the effect of surprise as a softening circumstance. Now, they don't have ANY excuse.
-They did lobbying against measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions,
-They fought against the Kyoto protocol,
-They helped George W. Bush get elected because they were afraid that Al Gore, the "environmentalist", would get the most votes,
-They accelerated the production of energy-hungry vehicles, big SUVs, HEMI engines (no comment...) and other antediluvian technologies in order to make the most short-term profits.
I can even confirm that the day after the election of Mr. Bush, there was cuts in the programs of research and development in alternative propulsion modes, whether it was fuel economy, hybrids, vehicles powered by natural gas, etc. Will they try playing their patriotism card again?
Things are definitively worse then in 1973.
-This time, the rise in gas prices was predictable (tell yourself that if I've written about it several months ago, among others within this column, so others knew about it. I'm not a psychic).
-This time, the patriotism card will have a much smaller effect.
-This time, people aren't laughing at imported cars, but often at American cars.
-This time, GM and Ford are no longer seen as powerful companies that can do anything, but as two giants with clay feet (their stock is now "junk" status).
In short, the American automobile manufacturers aren't out of the woods yet. Like I've already mentioned, remember the British Empire of a hundred years ago. It was the most powerful in the world. Now take a look at their automotive industry. Reduced to dust... that's what left.
Do humans only learn when they're getting punched in the face?
I wrote this article while I was pretty mad. It might not be as rational than previous ones, but it's so frustrating to see thousands of people suffer in Louisiana and in Mississippi, to see that this sort of situation will repeat itself and, at the same time, hear people screaming that we should lower the price of gas in order to continue consuming as much as before.
It is more than time for us to free ourselves from oil. Not simply because we feel that speculators and oil companies are abusing of their current cartel situation, but also and mainly because this resource won't be around forever and that global warming will kill millions of people, species, life forms, etc.
In the '80s, years when GM made record profits, they started closing plants in the United States... while opening others in Mexico. The initial shock of the citizens, consumers, but especially the employees made way for hate.
"What?" said millions of Americans. "After asking us to reduce our salaries (particularly at Chrysler), after asking us to be loyal to the company, after asking to buy patriotically, you don't want to raise our salaries (at Chrysler again), and now that things are going better you transfer our jobs down south?"
Needless to say that these events, although they weren't necessarily announced as catastrophic at the time (although I sincerely think they were) because they were justified by the media as economic rationality, the imperatives of smart management, and a long-term vision are all bouncing back in their faces.
The side effects of the past
In 1973, the American manufacturers had the effect of surprise as a softening circumstance. Now, they don't have ANY excuse.
-They did lobbying against measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions,
-They fought against the Kyoto protocol,
-They helped George W. Bush get elected because they were afraid that Al Gore, the "environmentalist", would get the most votes,
-They accelerated the production of energy-hungry vehicles, big SUVs, HEMI engines (no comment...) and other antediluvian technologies in order to make the most short-term profits.
I can even confirm that the day after the election of Mr. Bush, there was cuts in the programs of research and development in alternative propulsion modes, whether it was fuel economy, hybrids, vehicles powered by natural gas, etc. Will they try playing their patriotism card again?
Things are definitively worse then in 1973.
-This time, the rise in gas prices was predictable (tell yourself that if I've written about it several months ago, among others within this column, so others knew about it. I'm not a psychic).
-This time, the patriotism card will have a much smaller effect.
-This time, people aren't laughing at imported cars, but often at American cars.
-This time, GM and Ford are no longer seen as powerful companies that can do anything, but as two giants with clay feet (their stock is now "junk" status).
In short, the American automobile manufacturers aren't out of the woods yet. Like I've already mentioned, remember the British Empire of a hundred years ago. It was the most powerful in the world. Now take a look at their automotive industry. Reduced to dust... that's what left.
Do humans only learn when they're getting punched in the face?
I wrote this article while I was pretty mad. It might not be as rational than previous ones, but it's so frustrating to see thousands of people suffer in Louisiana and in Mississippi, to see that this sort of situation will repeat itself and, at the same time, hear people screaming that we should lower the price of gas in order to continue consuming as much as before.
It is more than time for us to free ourselves from oil. Not simply because we feel that speculators and oil companies are abusing of their current cartel situation, but also and mainly because this resource won't be around forever and that global warming will kill millions of people, species, life forms, etc.