News Flash to American Auto Companies:  US tax payers are growing wise to your ways.  As Ford, GM expand operations in Mexico which has free trade with the US, they are idling and laying off US Auto Workers. Moving to Mexico and crying the blues is the way for car manfacturers to try and rid themselves of legacy obligations from pensions and health benefits as well as payscale that is much higher in the US. Reports are that the factories in Mexico pay their factory workers less than 1/8 of their US counterpart.

There needs to be conditions on which US tax dollars will be “lent” to the US auto companies.

1. Collateral, factories worldwide
2. Guarantees that US Autoworkers will be put to work
3.  0$ salary for CEO & CFO as well as top level management, those who have milked the companies for millions of dollars instead of developing new product lines which are sustainable in the growing world market competition.
4. Making better cars, electric cars, hybrids, solar, etc.
5. Implemention of best practices from Japan car companies, and now China.
6. Stop building factories outside of the US

The US car companies are not stupid, they see what is happening worldwide and they see the writing on the wall.  Shape up or the end is near.

There must be a better way than to throw billions at the car companies and “hope” that they will do the “right thing”.

When I saw the FORD dealership close in Pasadena I knew that it was a result of a poor product, if FORD had come up with a Prius type vehicle then I would bet they would not have been facing the problem they are in.

The VOLT is not enough, it’s too late, as gas prices drop we need smaller cars, to prepare for the inevitible crises that awaits us with gas lines and the energy crisis.  We are falling into a false sense of security that if we see the price of gas at $1.50 we can continue to do the same thing, same bad habits, big cars and drive needlessly.