In 1941, the United States entered the Second World War.
Major manufacturing cities began sending their wives and daughters to screw rivets and wield sheet metal and the men went off to fight in lands far away. Factories switched from producing refrigerators to bombs and station wagons to tanks.
Why can't we do the same today?
The People of the United States are now the major shareholders of such flailing companies like GM. However, this is yet another spoiled investment. We've been robbed. The auto industry as we know it cannot continue to exist. This, however, doesn't mean the end of the great American factory. Let's revitalize our industrial capitals and once again turn Detroit into a name for quality and hard work.
Why are we spending our money and energy in the car industry? The Japanese, Germans and Ford has got this down solid. We should point our industrial power and research in another sector....public transportation. There is no reason why the factories in Detroit and across the heartland of the US have to close. Only the products should change. We should be producing trams, short and long distance trains, buses an other viable transport options which will better prepare the American public for faster, safer, cheaper and more environmentally sound transport options. Imagine not having the hassle of finding a parking spot or zipping through rush hour traffic in a street tram that shares the road. Hate flying? Take a long distance train instead. High-speed trains have been hugely successful in other parts of the world...why are we behind? Imagine the monthly savings you could pocket by taking a convenient, safe and clean alternative. The price of oil is only going to continue to climb higher and higher, lets not fool ourselves into thinking it will level out.
This is an excellent market opportunity for the United States as communities across the country will be requiring such alternatives. Why should we rely on the French, Germans and Canadians to provide street trams and our high-speed trains? Why can't they be proudly stamped MADE IN AMERICA? The most recent stimulus bill passed set $13 billion dollars over the next five years for a stronger national transportation strategy. I think its not enough but at least its a start.
For years Europeans and Asians have been whipping around their continents on highly developed, safe, secure, clean and friendly trains and street car systems. Why are we still behind?
2 comments:
Why should we construct long and short distance trains to transport the people of America? That is truly a great idea but in the long term will not be fruitful and provide dividends in the long term. There is a big PR push from Ohio’s Gov Strickland to build an high speed train that will travel and transport from Cleveland to Cincinnati. This story is all over the Ohio newspapers. Here are the problems as I see them. Firstly, the project would require a great deal of money and currently, no one has the money to build the track and train. There is plenty of space for the train to run that far but why try when the costs are so high. Only the federal government has money for something like that but I do not believe that Obama will allow the money for that project. Secondly, I do not think that enough people will use that form of transportation as long as there are cars, trucks and airplanes that do the same thing. Supposing that I want to go to Columbus and/or Cleveland, that would be OK as the train will take me there. However, what kind of transportation will I need to continue on with my travels? I like driving my car to get around. I do not know any of these cities so basically, I have no need to go there. The inconvenience is that I need good inexpensive transportation after I get there. Thirdly, the train would have to be owned by the government. If Amtrak is the model, the project should be shut down because that is a money losing situation that does not get used enough. I believe that the government should not own private enterprises because they cannot properly run them. I think the government is a money sucking sinkhole that loses too much money. Most of the politicians are from the left and never have owned and managed business so they do know how to properly do anything like that. Look at Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac. The big problem I see is that I like my car too much to give it up.
When gas hits $4, $5, $6 (maybe even $7) a gallon within the next ten years, then the American public will be screaming for new options to be mobile. You can't honestly believe that people are still going to want to drive as much when the price of oil has skyrocketed. They will reduce optional traveling when its too expensive. Airline ticket prices will also increase. Its time we embrace alternative options.
Yes, start up costs are extremely high for such an endeavor but so was the Eisenhower Interstate System. We are going to have to rebuild our structures if we want to get around. The government will have to shore up the initial funding but allow regulated, private companies to take over the rail lines. Just because you don't have a need to go to Cleveland or Columbus doesn't mean a million other people don't.
As you said "the big problem I see is that I like my car too much to give it up." Nobody is asking you to give it up.
However, once again, we will end up paying in the future (those will be our negative dividends) if we don't prepare now. Much like so many other things that have fallen to the waste side, if we're not prepared, we'll be caught with our hand in the cookie-jar.....again.
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