Rational Human

Will CDSs Push GM into Chapter 11?

The point on CDS is interesting but one must dispute the argument that a Chapter 11 filing is somehow massively more expensive to the taxpayer than a Govt. led, UAW directed repackaging and bailout

What's an American Car These Days?

Great post. If some people <cough>protectio... xenophobes<cough> want to wash their hands of all the benefits of international trade (remember you can't get the benefits unless you're willing to pay the costs), I'd suggest they look at what will happen (to let's say just the US dollar)if the foreign owners (e.g. UK) dump their US holdings,and the US debt holders switch from their currency,

Oh yes, the only way to truly spend the money internally,i.e. Buy American, is on pizza delivery and haircuts. Federal haircut bailouts anyone? And, considering second order effects, where do you think the barber / stylist is spending that money? On the least expensive goods, you protectionist morons!

Cheap Chindian Cars and High Priced Oil Don't Mix

@Chris B,

The whole point is that the average Indian (I don't know about the Chinese) doesn't drive 12k miles a year- that's what the average American does. The average middle class in India lives within its cities not in far flung suburbs. Also India is a far more geographically compact nation with much smaller driving distances. Therefore these numbers are completely meaningless

Cheap Chindian Cars and High Priced Oil Don't Mix

You fail to note that these cars are FAR more fuel efficient than even the very best US cars (54 mpg)
These vehicles will carry an entire family safe from the vicissitudes of the Indian monsoon yielding an even better fuel cost per person
Meanwhile, In the US you've got SUV fuel hogs on highways carrying all of one person and a bag of shredded carrots. Ask who's really causing fuel prices to be where they are, look in you personal vanity mirrors in your Excusions! You might as well say that US driving and the rest of the world using any power at all don't mix