Filed under: Government/Legal, Celebrities
It's the battle of the big chins! (Who are we kidding, Leno would win that fight against anyone.) Two gentlemen who stand as giants in automotive culture have finally weighed in with their opinions on whether or not the Detroit 3 should be rescued by the U.S. government. Jay Leno is all for it, citing the loss of this country's manufacturing infrastructure as the most compelling reason to save the automakers. He also cites a number of points that have been mentioned here and elsewhere, including the disparity between helping white collar workers on Wall St. while hanging blue collar workers on auto assembly production lines out to dry, the huge number of suppliers and businesses that depend on U.S. automakers, and the fact that domestic products have become competitive with the world's best in the last few years and it would be a shame to "get so close to the finish line and not win the race."
Jeremy Clarkson, on the other hand, disagrees. Though the top host of Top Gear says that we may be encountering the "end of days" for the auto industry, he fears the repercussions of letting another industry off the hook. Clarkson claims that he's against state intervention while at the same time acknowledges the immensity of Ford and GM (he calls Chrysler "two bit") and the number of people who depend on them for employment. Despite the ramifications of letting the Detroit 3 slip into oblivion, he leaves us with, "Where does it end?" We'll find out soon enough. Thanks for the tip, James (May?)!
[Source: Popular Mechanics, BBC]
Jay Leno for, Jeremy Clarkson against Detroit 3 bailout originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
| |
Related posts:
- LA 2008: Honda surprises with FC Sport fuel cell sports car concept
- 2009 Lincoln MKS Spy Photos...The Upcoming Lincoln Has Been Caught Filming
- The tag clearly said not to run your ‘57 Chevy through the dryer
- Acura NSX: Collectible or Forgettable?
- Chrysler plan to Congress requires $7 billion in loans to ward off death
Related posts:
- Used Car Spotlight: Try the 2003 SRT-4 for a sporty car that is fun to drive
- Indiana Knows its Cars
- 1970s Apollo Motorhome [Down On The Street]
- [Video] Exotic Cars in Monaco (Enzo.. Aston Martin.. Yachts..)
- Audi RS4 Avant: Comparison against Chrysler 300C SRT8
We'll be hearing more about the Detroit 3 in the mainstream media this week as their homework entitled "What I Would Do With My Share of $25 Billion in Government Loans" gets turned in to Congress. While Detroit deserves much of the ribbing that's on the way, it irks our ears every time we read an op-ed piece from folks who flat-out do not know what the Hell they're talking about. Take Karen Wagner, whose opinion letter was published by the 
