Toyota has had a rough week. Thanks to the Obama administration it’s much worse than it should have been.
Toyota’s a good company. Auto recalls happen all the time. My husband owns a Toyota Tundra and he isn’t upset. He’ll take the truck to the dealer to get the problem corrected. I overheard some co-workers talking this morning, one of them said she would buy a Toyota again. Most Americans understand these things happen, and if the company honors its commitment to rectify the situation the customers will remain loyal. I guess Obama’s transportation secretary understand this. So he’s attacking Toyota.
Washington Examiner: 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.
Never let a good crisis go to waste. It’s just a shame for the thousands of Americans Toyota employs. Since they aren’t part of the UAW the Obama administration has no reason to look out for them. How sad.
Not Another New England Sports Blog linked, and made the point that Toyota’s largest US competitor (Government Motors) is also a regulator. Talk about leveling the playing field. They want to wipe out the playing field.
I think this is where the administration takes credit for what Toyota’s already been doing for the past week or thereabouts so they can say Look at the wonderful job we’re doing protecting you from shady auto manufacturers!!
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If Toyota comes out ok. If not, then Government Motors can pick up some of the slack, if ya know what I mean.
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If this were a relative newcomer like KIA or Saturn, this probably would’ve finished them outright. But I think the company has built up enough goodwill amongst the consumers over the years that it will withstand the rather convenient and abrupt scrutiny from the US Gov’t (who happens to be the majority shareholder of GM- one of their biggest competitors).
BTW- imagine a private company having one of their competitors hold legislative and regulatory power over the whole industry (like what they were proposing w/0bamacare).
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I would buy a Toyota before I’d buy a GM product. So far, we still can buy a car not made by the government.
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Come on people…it’s a shake down Chicago style.
Al Capone would be proud.
Thug Thizzle at it’s finest!
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