Obama, out of touch and what auto brand do you want to see eliminated?

We don’t like to get all political, but what kind of advisors does Barack Obama have? Do they drive cars? Have they studied free-market theory?
When the candidate expounds his simpleton view of the U.S. auto industry,it erodes his credibility across the board. Did the Detroit 3 know that gas prices would end up in the stratosphere? This is a group that has lost market share via a series of marketing and design miscues and has a bureaucracy as thick as a politician’s skull. Not only that, but when SUVs started rolling off the line in earnest, consumers were buying them up. And let’s remember that in Q1, the top selling vehicle in the U.S., despite the gas price gains, was the Ford F-Series, trailed by the Chevy Silverado. Consumers have loved these vehicles, and the move to small cars is market driven. Which is good, natural. For some out-of-touch politician (what other kind are there?) to step in and make silly statements like this squeaks of poor advising. We think that if he drove the streets more and spent a few hours trying to understand the industry, being the thoughtful fellow we perceive him to be, he would expound with more reason.
We might also remind candidate Obama that for three decades, congressional types have refused to allow expansion of U.S. refineries and the No Nuke Kooks have stomped on nuclear development.

On a lighter note, in a poll at Businessweek.com, readers believe that the next auto brand to go should be Mercury. We’re not sure why. We have driven the Mariner Hybrid and found it to be by far the best of the CUV hybrids. The Milan sedan is likewise a fine machine. Both suffer from poor marketing, because Ford doesn’t have the money to spread around these smaller brands.
Coming in second in brands to do away with was Hummer.
We like Hummer and there is a place for it. One of the things auto companies need to be wary of is overcompensation. Don’t do away with your large models. Things will get better, and there will be oil. And we will adjust.

Comments

[Mark M]

You may want to reference what Obama said. For example, "On a recent campaign stop Barrack Obama stated..." then go into what he said that links to your comments. I feel like I walked into a conversation that was half-over.