Comments on: Bob Lutz Speaks Out On Chinese Aid To A123 Systems

By: John K.

John K. — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 05:39:24 +0000

Funny how quickly the most self-centered, pampered and egotistical generation the US has ever produced, the Baby Boomers, have destroyed this country's economy. That is even more funny than all the supposed tree-hugging environmentalists I saw in the SF Bay Area driving huge SUVs when I moved back here in '00. Back in the despised by liberals 1950s -- too white, too heterosexual, too Christian -- plain old station wagons were big enough for a family of 6 to go on road trips across the US on the new interstate highways. But nowadays people claim to need big SUVs to shuttle their 2 little spoiled brats around town....

Back on topic....

What Bob says is right.

Obama isn't God and his arrogant decree in 2008 re. having 1,000,000 plugin vehicles on the road in the US by 2015 showed his glaring lack of business and economic sense. But what do you expect from a lawyer who main occupation was as a "community organizer"?

Hopefully, we'll get someone who knows something about business as our next president in November. Now that will be change I can believe in.

By: AP

AP — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 12:53:04 +0000

TrasKY, the problem is that our country has lost its financial and political leverage. We have gone into massive federal debt, especially to the Chinese, and now it’s hard to push back against their currency manipulation, trade practices, technology purchases, and often outright theft of our innovations.
We have sold our country’s soul for cheap electronics, clothes, and toys.

By: TrasKY

TrasKY — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 12:05:35 +0000

Lutz is probably correct in that in this marathon toward environmentally responsible energy independence we shouldn’t be selling our precious technologies to our main economic competitor, but I think he might mis-locate the problem. It is only in a free-trade, international, multinational capitalism that such a thing as what Bob decries could occur. No other economic system in history that I can think of would let it’s superior technology relocate to it’s chief competitor without military threat or sabotage.

By: AP

AP — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 20:00:46 +0000

Rather than "killing the messenger," I will say that Lutz is exactly right. The environment is important, we need to develop these advanced technologies, but wastefully throwing money at it through crony capitalism is the wrong way to go.

(That said, we have long competed with countries that have governments subsidizing their industries, often putting the US at a disadvantage. We could put tariffs on them, but US consumers prefer cheaper goods to keeping jobs.)

The problem is that the government thinks developing new and affordable products is just a "finger snap" away, and that everyone is just dragging their feet. Many others think this too.

Much of the technology we have today was barely dreamed of 30 years ago, and much of what we are dreaming of now may take 10-years to make it to market, and 20-30 years to be cheap. It not only takes money, but time, to make a competitive product.

For the record, I'm a GM employee. But rather than criticize me, consider the logic of the arguments.

By: c_harnett

c_harnett — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 19:21:56 +0000

First, it is sad to see how far Forbes has fallen that they will print dreck like this.

Second, you didn't hear El Lutzbo complaining about any of this back when he was in charge of GM's Volt program and kept busy full-time Hoovering up government cash by the carload in an effort to bring to market a car that can't sell 2,000 units per month, even when accompanied by a minimum of $7500 in further government bribes and, often enough, a priceless HOV sticker (which is, yes, another government subsidy).

By: usd777

usd777 — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 18:49:18 +0000

Is it really funny?

By: CML

CML — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 18:19:51 +0000

I agree with Bob’s points about a Chinese takeover of America, however I disagree with his opposition to government support of new technology. The problem with A123 and many electric vehicle companies is that many are expecting a sprint, when this is really a marathon. One quality which the Chinese possess that Bob left out is, patience . We don’t seem to have any, and this is a reason that China is the major threat to the US as the world’s leading super power.

By: PJS

PJS — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 16:59:16 +0000

Funny – Bob never mentions the 25.1 BILLION TAXPAYER DOLLARS (revised up today by the Treasury Department according to “The Hill”) that so far has been LOST by his old company, General Motors. “Self accountablility and ditching an “entitlement” philosophy”?? Methinks he’s calling the kettle black.