Paul Killinger

Auto Industry Recovery Once Again Postponed

Sir,

Some of us are still "fussing" about Detroit's lack of desire to help themselves, in lieu of simply showing up in Washington for the first of TWO promised $25 billion bailouts in return for Michigan's electoral votes this November. Why not send your lobbyists to help us secure lower gas prices, which would increase auto sales, instead?

At the risk of sounding redundant, I'll repeat my questions that NONE of you Detroit apologists have attempted to answer so far -

1. Why not build the 40+ mpg compacts these automakers manufacture that sell so well in Europe here?

2. Why not offer the dual-fueled (CNG + gasoline) trucks you sell in other countries (19 models in Canada alone!) in the U.S., which Boone Pickens has spent $60 million advertising for you? You could help equip your starving dealers with CNG pumps to refuel them, which would keep them in business.

3. Dealers could also do a brisk business in converting consumers' now worthless big trucks and SUV's to run on CNG, which costs HALF the price of IMPORTED gasoline.

And don't tell me you can't do the above because of government red tape and regulations. If your Congressional delegation and lobbyists can secure $50B in "loans" (Right!), they could certainly figure out how to resolve such minor impediments to doing MORE BUSINESS, instead of crying for MORE HANDOUTS.

That is, IF THEY WANTED TO !!