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| Economy |
| Gangster government targets Toyota |
| 2010-02-05 |
| What is it about the automotive industry that inspires such thuggish attitudes in the Obama administration? The Examiner's Michael Barone coined the term "gangster government" to describe threats by the White House last spring against Chrysler creditors who had the temerity to insist that bankruptcy laws be followed in the bailout of the perennially ailing third member of the once-fabled Detroit Big Three. Now along comes Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood muttering darkly that "we're not finished with Toyota" in the controversy over sticking gas pedals in vehicles made and sold in America by the Japanese automaker. The basis for these threats is little more than anecdote-based suspicions that an electronic malady related to electro-magnetic interference from power lines might be the problem instead of the mechanical wear identified by Toyota engineers. Regardless, LaHood, headline-chasing congressmen like Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., and a chorus of Naderite auto safety nannies led by former National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration Administrator Joan Claybrook are demanding that Toyota submit to a punishing new round of subpoenas, hearings, and media inquisition. It's not enough that Toyota -- the auto industry's perennial leader on respected measures of initial and long-term quality -- has already taken the unprecedented step of suspending production and sales of eight of its most popular models, undertaken a crash course to identify the cause of the problem, and guaranteed a fix for every one of the 2.3 million affected owners. Given the Obama administration's catering to one of its favorite special interest groups, the United Auto Workers union, during the government's bailouts of General Motors and Chrysler last year, it is difficult to avoid wondering whether Toyota has become a victim of the Chicago Way of dealing with competitors. Toyota overtook GM several years ago as the world's leading automaker. The potential of the current sticking gas pedal controversy to inflict damage on Toyota here in its largest single market is seen in the January sales figures. Toyota sales are down 16 percent while GM is up 14 percent (Ford, which declined a government bailout last year, is up 25 percent, while Chrysler is down 8 percent). Keep the controversy going and odds are good that Toyota sales will continue to drop. The biggest losers besides American consumers will be the men and women who own and work at Toyota's 1,200 U.S. dealerships and the 30,000 Americans who build Toyotas in its five factories here. LaHood might as well have said "Nice car company ya got there, be a shame if anything happened to it." |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #13 There does seem to be some gaps in what is going on with this recall, whatever it is people sense they are not getting the whole story. With a fondling media, heavy handed speeches and actions it is no wonder a story like this, true or not, is published. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2010-02-05 22:28 |
| #12 DAILY TIMES.PK > [GOP Sen. Richard Shelby] US SENATOR BLOCKS ALL 70 OBAMA NOMINEES AMID TANKER FEUD. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2010-02-05 21:14 |
| #11 Ray LaHood has his roots in Illinois Politics, with a lot of connections to Cellini the Asphalt King. He learned bullying from the experts |
| Posted by: mom 2010-02-05 13:42 |
| #10 Too much conspiracy speculation in this article to suit me. Maybe. But there does seem to be a conflict of interest. |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2010-02-05 12:23 |
| #9 "Chicago gangsters . . . mess with the Yakuza" I'd pay damned good money to see that, Allah! :-D |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2010-02-05 10:11 |
| #8 I doubt that the Chicago gangsters want to mess with the Yakuza. |
| Posted by: AllahHateMe 2010-02-05 09:17 |
| #7 The biggest losers besides American consumers ...don't forget those folks employed in Right to Work State Toyota manufacturing facilities. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-02-05 08:49 |
| #6 I hear Mr. Toyota woke up this morning to find a horse's head in his bed. |
| Posted by: Parabellum 2010-02-05 08:46 |
| #5 "Maybe if youse guys would let yer workers organize, yer problems might 'go away'." |
| Posted by: Mullah Richard 2010-02-05 08:24 |
| #4 No surprise here, other than the media now seems to be tracking it. I, like I'm sure others here, immediately called it what it was. Heaven forbid if the media should actually grow a pair and have an opinion on something controversial... (or should that be 'grow back'?) |
| Posted by: logi_cal 2010-02-05 07:10 |
| #3 NY Times quick review of computerized auto controls |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2010-02-05 05:58 |
| #2 Well, earlier this week D.C.'s most popular commercial, news, commercial, traffic, commercial, weather, and commercial radio channel made it a point to note some "transportation officals had to travel to Japan in December to remind Toyota of their obligations" to the consumer. I saw it as another taxpayer-paid vaction to Tokoyo Disney World. Call me cynical. |
| Posted by: Bobby 2010-02-05 05:44 |
| #1 The basis for these threats is little more than anecdote-based suspicions that an electronic malady related to electro-magnetic interference from power lines might be the problem instead of the mechanical wear identified by Toyota engineers. Too much conspiracy speculation in this article to suit me. This is the only article I've read speculating about 'interference from power lines'. A drive-by-wire throttle system such as Toyota's has more ways to fail than the simple mechanical linkages of days gone by. Of course politicians will let no crisis of any kind go to waste. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2010-02-05 01:07 |