Kirk Miles

Demand More for Your Auto Bailout Dollar; Oil Patch Should Bounce Back Long Term

Thank you for your thoughtful and insightful commentary on the proposed bailout of the American automobile industry. I liked how you approached the issue not as a simple yes or no to the bailout, but more of constructive commentary as to how the terms of any loans to the automobile companies can be amended to create a sustainable industry dynamic and to best benefit the country as a whole. I agree that U.S. automakers are to blame for much of the problems our economy is experiencing by producing sub-par products that increased our dependence on foreign oil and pushed consumers to foreign products. In the end, I do not believe the question is if the automobile industry will receive more money from the government. Based on its track record, the question is more when and under what terms.

I agree with your ideas that they must make a natural gas powered car and that they should strive to make cars that get over 40 MPG. That is the most sustainable approach and it also benefits every person in the country by reducing our emissions However, I do not agree that every vehicle must get over 40 MPG or that “every vehicle they make must be natural gas, hybrid, or electric”. Engines and batteries have not reached the level of technology that they are capable of being reliably installed in every vehicle. Did you forget about commercial vehicles that must be used to tow heavy loads? How can you expect vehicles like that to use a less powerful hybrid or electric engine or to achieve such a high gas mileage? Additionally, until there are better ways of getting natural gas to every consumer, it does not make sense for a large percentage of vehicles to be powered exclusively by natural gas.

Once again, thank you for taking a different approach to this issue than many other people do. It is so easy to say no without giving any sort of alternative. Hopefully, the federal government will pay attention to people like you and realize that there are better ways to approach this problem and use this money to actually improve our automobile industry rather than temporarily slow its failure.