Detroit Auto-Makers on the Cutting Edge
Norman Minetta isn’t exactly a household name, but he’s just as Stormin’ a Norman as General Schwarzkopf when it comes to fighting the wars for Detroit. Minetta’s the Transportation Secretary and, like all good generals, he knows his marching orders, So, no surprise, the newly announced fuel efficiency standards were largely crafted by the boys at Ford and GM and Chrysler.
Which is sort of like letting a six-year-old set the menu for the family---all candy-coated sugar-bombs for breakfast and no vegetables at dinner.
Like undisciplined kids, Detroit automakers want what gives them a sugar-high and Minetta’s giving it to them. Who cares if it makes them sick? It’s a dying industry here in the U.S. anyway and the easy politics is to give the Big (but getting smaller) Three whatever they ask for so they can’t complain on the way to the poorhouse.
“Fleet mileage,” which is an average across all product lines was making Ford more concerned than Moody rating their bonds as junk, because Ja…