Buckdog

Why doesn't Buzz just shut the frick up already?

Yeah, Buzz is as qualified to comment on public policy as the Cons or the SP are to run a government.

One of the major reasons for the decimation of the North American auto idustry is it's collective resistance anything new and sensible. Ergo, the products that you will soon not able to even give away for free. Damn those Japanese, Koreans and Europeans with their cleaner cars! Why can't they stop bothering us and leave us alone! The Luddites lost the last time around and so will Buzz after gaining some momentum in the short term among the auto workers.

pesu, I agree with you. A lot of people (usually business types but in this case a union guy) just don't get it that you can build a green economy which maintains existing work and creates tons of new jobs. Let's face it, if cars were run on hydrogen or water, you are still going to have cars and people are still going to drive.

A new green economy can facilitate all types of new products and new employment. Look at California's whole wind generation / windmill utilization. LOTS of new jobs to fabricate, construct and maintain.

Buzz Hargrove is probably just being nervous about job security for his union members, but if he is a 'leader' then he needs to be a leader in the 21st century and I think that means being open enough and creative enough and progressive enough to facilitate change. In this case, moving from traditional gas guzzlers to something clean.

My guess is that this is more about positioning the Liberals then it is about CAW jobs.

Remember this:

http://www.lpco.ca/images/dir/pm2.jpg

One of the major reasons for the decimation of the North American auto idustry is it's collective resistance anything new and sensible.

Yup. Look at a 5-year or even 10-year stock chart for Ford or GM then compare it to one for Honda.

Here it's another catch-22 though. Ford and GM are heavily unionized ergo: the traditional democratic base.

Because dems have been the "environmental" party this cost them dearly at elections which is one reason the US has been slow to respond to environmental concerns. It's an issue that criss-crosses party lines and helped hand our government over to the republicans for 6 long years.

You make a really important point on this issue - one that I hadn't thought about much but which does need some strategizing. And that is that the women and men who work in the auto industry are going to need some hand holding and reassurance because all they are going to focus on in this debate is JOB SECURITY!! Thanks for that.