[GM CEO Dan Akerson] is grateful for the government's rescue of GM — "I have nothing but good things to say about them" — but Akerson said the time for that relationship to end is coming because it's wearing on GM.Yeah, Dan. Just 'step up to the challenge' [possibly the ever-so-objective writer's words and not Akerson's] and 'slap on' a tax, as if gasoline isn't already so heavily taxed it's a wonder it remains liquid.
"It's kind of like your in-laws: It was a nice long weekend. We didn't say a week," Akerson said with a laugh.
And while he is eager to say goodbye to the government as a part owner of GM, Akerson would like to see it step up to the challenge of setting a higher gas tax, as part of a comprehensive energy policy.
A government-imposed tax hike, Akerson believes, will prompt more people to buy small cars and do more good for the environment than forcing automakers to comply with higher gas-mileage standards.
"There ought to be a discussion on the cost versus the benefits," he said. "What we are going to do is tax production here, and that will cost us jobs."
For the years 2017-25, federal officials are considering 3 percent to 6 percent annual fuel efficiency increases, or 47 mpg to 62 mpg. That could boost the cost of vehicles by up to $3,500.
"You know what I'd rather have them do — this will make my Republican friends puke — as gas is going to go down here now, we ought to just slap a 50-cent or a dollar tax on a gallon of gas," Akerson said.
"People will start buying more Cruzes and they will start buying less Suburbans."
And for the extra hilarity point:
GM's failure also would have led to Detroit's collapse, Akerson said. "I have not seen a city in this bad a shape since I went to East Berlin in 1969."Um...Dan? Might want to check the address in front of your building there, buddy. GM hasn't resided in Detroit in a long time. And as for collapse...too late. Way too late.
3 comments:
I've always been of the mind that if the Big three motor companies built quality vehicles we wanted to buy at prices we could afford they would sell many more.
There is a reason why Hyndai, Kia, Scion are selling lots of vehicles. Reasonable quality, reasonable designs, reasonable prices.
Or, we could just let bad businesses fail.
Buck.
That would be a really nice way for him to boost sales of the Prius.
Almost everything GM makes is garbage.
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