Filed under: Government/Legal
Georgetown professor could land position as 'car czar' in Obama administration
Soon after President-elect Obama and still-President Bush sat down on Monday, reports began to surface that the Obama camp was considering the appointment of a "Car Czar." The position would provide the new administration with analysis and advice on the auto industry and the financial (and product?) perils faced by Detroit Big 3(ish).The original report by the Detroit News said that both Bush and Obama could be in favor of appointing an auto czar to oversee Federal efforts to provide emergency assistance to domestic automakers, and now Automotive News has thrown a name into the ring; Daniel Tarullo, a law professor at Georgetown University and expert on international economics.
Tarullo has held a number of positions outside of his teaching duties, including serving under the Clinton administration, acting as chief counsel to Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and working with the Brookings Institute on its Council for Foreign Relations. That's all well and good, but what's his background with the auto industry? In short, nada. Which makes us wonder: is it better to have someone who's had their hands in the industry for decades or a fresh mind that hasn't been sullied by time on the inside? And more to the point, do we even need a "Car Czar?"
[Sources: Detroit News, Automotive News – Sub. Req.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mobius_1 3:11PM (11/12/2008)
Obama should just read Autoblog and the comments, now THAT is democracy.
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Paul 3:19PM (11/12/2008)
wow... however by this point 65 different companies would have a stake in Chrysler, automotive companies would only make sports cars, performance sedans, and trucks, and lastly the Euro Focus would be shipped back in time to be released here two years ago.
Mobius_1 3:34PM (11/12/2008)
That seems fine by me ;)
Hanoi Jane 3:45PM (11/12/2008)
@ Mobius, dude there are people in here who think that Wagoner is grossly underpaid.
Mobius_1 3:47PM (11/12/2008)
The easy solution, Hanoi Jane, is to read the highly ranked and highest ranked comments, and just laugh at the low and lowest ranked ones :)
Harry 3:20PM (11/12/2008)
Note to the new car czar: Tell the big three to hire more execs, marketeers, designers, bean counters, and QA people from Toyota.
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Jruhi4 3:29PM (11/12/2008)
That's precisely what Ford (Jim Farley) and Chrysler (Jim Press and Deborah Wahl Meyer) did. Hasn't helped much, has it?
Jason 5:11PM (11/12/2008)
You have to listed to the advisor's you hire. The closest thing Ford has put out lateley that I would consider buying is the Focus, but it only had AWD in an automatic.
xcrunk 3:21PM (11/12/2008)
Can he at least perform a basic tune up? Oil and filter? wipers? air filter? Anything?
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Brendan 3:24PM (11/12/2008)
I wonder what this guy drives... odds are it is either a Caddy or a MB
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Bungle 3:32PM (11/12/2008)
I'd guess a Daewoo with racing stripes and a giant NOS sticker.
Tim 3:24PM (11/12/2008)
Good question.... can he do anything to a car ? or eyebrows
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Talisman 3:26PM (11/12/2008)
Sounds like a good idea. Depending on who they get.
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Beat-it-nerd 3:28PM (11/12/2008)
This absolutely won't work. This position definitely requires experience because it's so insanely complex. There is nothing simple about these companies or the industry in general.
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Samurai Jack 3:45PM (11/12/2008)
An outsider is exactly what you need to limit lobbying efforts. Any insider is likely going to have divided loyalties. I presume an outsider might actually be open to the possibility that doing nothing may well be the correct solution.
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John P. 3:51PM (11/12/2008)
I'm Car Czar, here are my recommendations:
1. Break up the Unions, Start over from scratch with appropriate pay scales. (never happen, Unions have O in their pocket)
2. Reward innovation with competition by setting goals agreed upon by the big three with major financial incentives and tax breaks for the winners. First competition. Build a 120mpg car that seats 5.
3. All vehicles purchased using Public money must be American made.
4. See Number 1.
5. Get out of the way, anything you do directly will only screw it up worse.
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happy_penguin 4:28PM (11/12/2008)
Answers:
1) Correct. It will never happen. However, if the incentive is the "bailout", it must come with conditions of reasonable salary concessions from both union and management.
2) Five passengers and 120 MPG? You're high.
3) Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
4) See number 1.
5) Absolutely correct.
Dan 5:02PM (11/12/2008)
So it's OK to break up the unions directly, but not anything else. Brilliant logical consistency there.
happy_penguin 3:55PM (11/12/2008)
Much like a drug czar who runs around saying "Drugs are bad, mmmkay?", this man will probably not solve anything.
Any time I hear the word "czar" attached to something I automatically go to the next logical conclusion: Fail!
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Rocketboy 4:08PM (11/12/2008)
My 1st step as Car Czar:
Quit.
That's the only good thing a 'Car Czar' could ever do.
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