Senator Carl Levin: the Auto Industry's Best Friend
Carl Levin is a liberal Democrat, for whatever that's worth to you. More important for our site is what he is struggling to do every day. At the ripe age of 73, he has to be one of the busiest lead men in politics.
He serves as the chairman of the Senate Armed Service Committee, is part of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. His biggest current project is pushing an alternative bill in Congress for regulation of fuel economy. This week, instead of setting the bar ridiculously out of reach (as they saw it), he and his staff worked to make the goal 36 mpg for cars by 2022, and 30 mpg for trucks by 2025. This was certainly in favor of the automakers, as it is a reachable goal, allowing lots of time for them to get their acts together. Instead of it being a completely biased bill and cutting its own legs out from under itself, it had no escape clauses in case the automakers run into "unforeseen technical or economic obstacles." Therefore, the automakers are pretty sure they can make the pole-vault jump without worrying about hitting the bar, and Congress is happy that there will be a significant improvement.
With yesterday's compromise agreeing to 35 mpg by 2020 (but not the 4 percent annual increase beyond that), Levin didn't get everything he wanted. Still, while Levin's personality is often direct and feather-ruffling, he is in fact trying to be everyone's friend by saving them from each other. Carl Levin is "just who [the Detroit 3] want on their side."
[Source: Automotive News (subs req'd)]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Corrine Perry 12:31PM (12/05/2008)
The auto industry is facing a terrible time. However, is the line worker going to be protected? What about the Million Dollar bonuses? all needs to be addressed. Jet planes etc. If you want help, you should make some concessions also within the companies big wheels.
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Tim 1:22PM (6/22/2007)
I wonder if there will EVER be full disclosure of ALL campaign contributors and a removal of soft (undocumented) money payoffs.
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jeremie 1:53PM (6/22/2007)
Corporate America at it's best again.
Make it easy on the auto industry...
The Asians and Euros are going to finish off the American market. If the big Three (more realistically the big 2.5') don't do something instead of protecting their shareholders wallet with laws.
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Joseph 4:38PM (6/22/2007)
The auto industry should be happy that they got rid of the 4% increase thing, and just be quiet!
By the way, does the 35mpg by 2020 include trucks?
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UH2L 5:09PM (6/22/2007)
It's not about making it eaier on the automobile industry. It's about making it feasible so that the auto industry and its employees are not too adversely affected. Most of you and most politicians haven't worked in automotive engineering. You can't fight the laws of physics and consumer psychology. If cars need to be safer and have more features that add weight while consumers demand more power, it will be very difficult to meet these goals. As I said earlier, people may buy more used cars as a result because those will offer more of what they want. If people truly desired more fuel efficient vehicles today then why do so many of them buy the larger engine in a given vehicle model?
A 4% increase per year is an outrageous request. Computers and electronics can continue to be made faster at such a rate because you're dealing with moving around electrons, not people! Electrons don't need to stay safe or look great or be protected from accidents. And electrons don't keep getting fatter like us.
Atul
http://www.thingsivenoticed.com
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