Feb 25 2009
Obama’s Car Comment
I’m really surprised that with how much people love to rip on our politicians for making mistakes in speeches, that the Obama car comment hasn’t received more attention. Mr. President, the automobile was invented not in the U.S., but either in France (if you count a steam engine-propelled car) or Germany (if you only count the internal combustion engine).
Maybe France or Germany shouldn’t abandon the auto industry, but why are you talking about them?
In fact, Ford invented the first mass produced automobile. Perhaps what you meant to say is that the country that created the auto industry should not abandon the industry. And you would have a point. But let’s look at something here.
While an American invented the first mass produced automobile, did America, or, especially, the American government?
In fact, the reason that the auto industry (along with so many other industries) started and thrived here was because of our open markets and capitalist ideals. The idea that if one was willing to take a risk, and offer a product or service that had superior value and quality, they could make their millions. In other words, you take a risk, to offer a competitive product.
Henry Ford created the automobile industry. The U.S. government did not. So rather than stand by one industry, perhaps we should stand by the market capitalism that allowed that industry to exist. Stop bailing out Union industries, and start encouraging sustainable, competitive industry to thrive as it always has.
