Transcripts

"Commentary"-US Automakers Need To Get In Gear

SUSIE GHARIB: Tonight's commentator says it's time that some of America's oldest businesses grew up. Here's Todd Buchholz, author of "Bringing the Jobs Home."

TODD BUCHHOLZ, AUTHOR, "BRINGING THE JBS HOME": Motown or no Motown? For how many years has Detroit bellyached to Washington about foreign competitors? I'd say about 30 years, starting after the 1973 oil crisis. GM and Ford have had over 30 years notice that unless they shaped up and boosted quality and style, they would be evicted. Evicted from what, from the goodwill of American consumers. Who are the big three auto makers in Detroit these days, anyway? Chrysler speaks German and Toyota has been hiring more Americans than Ford.

When I was a kid, cars broke down often and auto makers almost never offered warranties longer than a year. What happened? The Japanese began forcing Americans to improve. Who benefits? Working-class families that no longer have to waste an extra $1,000 a year in body shops to keep their rust bucket from breaking down. Now, this time American firms are squawking about health care costs, which add about $1,500 to a vehicle. That is worrisome. But Toyota is not on a rampage because their cars are priced $1,500 cheaper. It's because GM can't seem to build a Camry or Lexus at any price.

Now, I must tell you I have two American cars in my garage, one of them an old Chevy. It hurts me to watch American managers butcher their brands and their employees. So to Detroit's executives, I say: stop complaining, stop whining, stop losing market share. To parapase an old Motown hit, stop, in the name of jobs before you break my heart. I'm Todd Buchholz.