It is a regular occurrence. Every few months, the Lansing Senator Debbie Stabenow rushes to the aid of GM and Ford and defends them against the nasty Chinese. The problem is: GM and Ford don’t want or need her help.
Yesterday, Stabenow fired another of her regular letters to U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, and complained “about a recently reported Chinese trade practice that would be a clear violation of World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.” Says the letter (full text here):
“China’s actions are part of a disturbing trend where China demands American advanced-technology product secrets in order for those products to be sold in the world’s second largest market. In contrast, the United States—the world’s largest market—follows the rules and allows Chinese products to be sold freely. Many Americans rightly believe that China is playing us for fools: China gets to access our large market, while our products face numerous restrictions and outright intellectual property theft.”
There are a few troubles with Stabenow’s complaint.
One, Debbie does not know what Debbie is talking about. She has her information from the New York Times, which “recently reported that China is attempting to pressure American automakers, including General Motors and Ford, to transfer core technologies of their electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles to Chinese companies, in order for those vehicles to qualify for China’s clean energy vehicle incentive program.“ Don’t Senators usually have better sources? The CIA? The U.S. Embassy in Beijing? China Daily? Wikileaks?
Two, no official policies have been announced in China. It looks like China will be happy if foreign joint ventures will build Chinese EVs under “Chinese” brands to keep up Chinese appearances. Nobody is talking about handing over technologies. And even that is unclear until the law is finally announced.
Three, both GM and Ford, signal desperately: “Please, stop helping us!”
“Both GM and Ford said they have no plans to build electric vehicles in China.
Ford spokeswoman Meghan Keck said the matter wasn’t an issue for the company.
“We appreciate Senator Stabenow’s continued support of our industry. However, the issues she raised apply to electric vehicles, which we do not currently sell or produce in China,” Keck said.
GM spokesman Greg Martin said the company has no plans to build the Chevrolet Volt in China. “
Should’t Ms. Stabenow at least ask Ford and GM whether they require assistance from their Senator?
She’s running for reelection next year, in the most hostile climate for liberal democrats in a long time. She’s pandering to her base.
What else is new?
Bob
Senator Stabenow should be concerned about how much her uncontrolled spending is propped up by China, not this.
I sure hope she loses re-election. New ideas are definately needed for Michigan.
Does Debbie know where her husband is right now?
China is stealing everyone’s technology just fine on their own, no outside or domestic help needed!
Seeing the Volt pictured, I wonder how a Volt would work for my commute? Hmmm…I gassed up this morning and averaged 32.043 mpg with almost exclusive highway driving.
I’d get the Cruze ECO instead, cheaper to purchase and you’ll inevitably require the Volt’s “generator” especially in the southwest desert.
Have a Volt this week. Upon waking up this morning my first thought was: “Damn, forgot to plug the car in!”
But at least it will still run. Running on gas yesterday in traffic with the AC on and without any special techniques it averaged…32.8.
Had the Cruze ECO last week. Comparison in progress.
THIS will be good!
Actually over the past 20 years we’ve been handing them our high-tech on silver platter. No stealing needed. At GM I was forces to send some cutting edge microcontroller tech to China so they could copy a Buick there. In 1994.
Damn, there are a lot of Volts out there
http://www.cars.com/for-sale/new/chevrolet/volt/_/N-ma8Zfh1Zr0xZm5d?mkId=20053&mdId=35025&rd=100000&zc=00001&PMmt=1-1-0&stkTypId=28880&isDealerGrouping=false&rpp=50&feedSegId=28705&searchSource=SORT&crSrtFlds=stkTypId-feedSegId-mkId-mdId&pgId=2102&sf1Nm=price&sf1Dir=ASC&sf2Nm=location&sf2Dir=ASC
How come nobody is buying them? I thought they were “sold out” and unattainable?
Or maybe are people buying BMW’s, Audi, Lexus or C-classes with their 40 g’s.
I don’t know who said they were “sold out”, but they aren’t, as the link provided proves. However, Chevy initially planned for 10,000 Volt Sales in 2011, and only 3,172 have been sold.
It’s my understanding that the Volt is still not available nationwide, though as of May, you can buy one in DC, NYC, California, Austin, Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, and Virginia.
Those states, plus the Austin metro area, combine for about 99 million people, or 30% of the total US population. 3,172 is 31.7% of the projected 10,000 2011 sales.
So by my very vague math, less than a third of the population live in a state where Volts are available, while less than a third of the 2011 sales target has been met. Coincidence?
I know a guy in upstate NY that has 2 of them so they aren’t restricted to the city.
Labor Day weekend, Dominion Chevrolet/Buick/GMC had their first one on display. And I’ve seen one on the streets of Richmond since then. They’re starting to show up.
I think the Volt is getting people into Chevy dealerships, who wouldn’t have otherwise. Then these people realize how good the other offerings are and end up buying something else.
Year to date sales change vs last year proves it.
And oh never mind that the Volt has one of the industry’s fastest turn around time.
Have seen exactly two Volts in the Columbus area, over 1.5 million souls in the metro area and just two. Hmmmm…
Or maybe are people buying BMW’s, Audi, Lexus or C-classes with their 40 g’s.
These guys are asking a reasonable $59,995:
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp?tracktype=newcc&csDlId=&csDgId=&listingId=63885112&listingRecNum=1651
This is my favorite part of the ad: “Price does not include Market Adjustment.” It’s not just a dealership, it’s a comedy club!
That is a typo. It should have read 39,995 which is the base price of the Volt. Typos are very common in auto sales ads, do any search and sort by price high to low, you will see
http://autos.yahoo.com/used-cars/overview;_ylt=ArQzldo_R0ZRHrXYOwUtMu1qVI54;_ylv=3?distance=any&sortcol=price&sortdir=down&make=toyota&askpricelb=75000&askpriceub=any&deliverymileagelb=any&deliverymileageub=any&listingtype=used
That is a typo.
Apparently, it isn’t. If you look at the dealer’s website, you’ll see the very same car being offered at that $60,000 price.
It should have read 39,995 which is the base price of the Volt.
Incorrect. Dealers are free to charge whatever they like. This particular has four Volts advertised on his website: one for $42,000, two for $50,000 and the one listed above for $60,000.
Oh well, this is just more proof that the NYT really is just a repository for Democrat talking points. And if you look at who is pulling her strings as she mouths the Time’s meme, it’s the unions. That’s today’s paradigm. For now.
Oh well, this is just more proof that the NYT really is just a repository for Democrat talking points.
Funny, I hadn’t realized that GM’s Chinese operations were run by Democrats:
The Chinese government is refusing to let the Volt qualify for subsidies totaling up to $19,300 a car unless G.M. agrees to transfer the engineering secrets for one of the Volt’s three main technologies to a joint venture in China with a Chinese automaker, G.M. officials said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/06/business/global/gm-aims-the-volt-at-china-but-chinese-want-its-secrets.html?pagewanted=all
These claims are coming straight out of GM management. As far as I know, nobody at GM is claiming to have been misquoted.
Why would GM stop now. They’ve gifted every other technology to China for decades just to sell more cars there. Are they smartening up after the horse has bolted?
The personal contact that I’ve had with Sen. Stabenow only reinforced my opinion that she’s a nice person who isn’t very smart. Capable of repeating talking points but not much of an original thinker. Also, at the NAIAS this year I found myself alone with her and asked her, not as a journalist but as a constituent, how the people on the Hill were doing in the wake of Rep. Gifford’s shooting which had taken place only a few days earlier. It was a human question, not a political one, but she almost immediately got political.
I don’t agree with Carl Levin on a number of issues, but he’s no fool. Stabenow isn’t a fool but she’s no genius. Stabenow’s elevation from local Lansing politics to the US Senate shows how thin the talent is in the Democratic party in Michigan.
The personal contact that I’ve had with Sen. Stabenow has only reinforced my opinion that she’s a nice person who isn’t very smart. Capable of repeating talking points but not much of an original thinker. Also, at the NAIAS this year I found myself alone with her and asked her, not as a journalist but as a constituent, how the people on the Hill were doing in the wake of Rep. Gifford’s shooting which had taken place only a few days earlier. It was a human question, a personal one, not a political one, but she almost immediately got political.
I don’t agree with Carl Levin on a number of issues, but he’s no fool. Stabenow isn’t a fool but she’s no genius either. Stabenow’s elevation from local Lansing politics to the US Senate shows just how thin the talent is in the Democratic party in Michigan. Virg Bernero for governor?
while I’ll say most politicans really arent all that smart. They just have a well written speech that makes them sound smart(er) – (think dumb and dumber). She does have one solid valid point, our trade issues are completely wacko and no one is trying to close the flood gates. Our coporations have stuck a stick in the pipeline so it can never be closed all the while jobs and technology along with money are flowing freely through it. Unfortunately we need to face China, Mexico, Vitenam, India, Korea, Pakistan, Brazil, along with every other darn country that’s figured out were giving the bank away for a few votes or directed politican money and say sorry the free days are gone , either pay up or bring jobs here. I can only hope my chinese DVD player will last….and thats a pipe dream too! Our country faces a debt problem and they cant think of oh I dont know taxing imports. I have faith that imports even taxed would rise marginally, these outside companies will cut the price and eat the tarrifs for the sake of the sale.
Increased tariffs are not a good idea during an economic downturn. Cf. “Smoot Hawley” and the Great Depression.
People always blame S-H. Fact is that the bill was only being discussed when th market blew-up and erased people’s wealth.
Real problem was, wait for it, an economic bubble fulled by buying on credit (in this case stocks) and nutcases jawboning (as always) that “the market had reached a new sustainably high plateau” (this being said, ironically, just days before the market swooned.)
Robert, S-H didn’t cause the depression but it did make it worse.
“Damn, there are a lot of Volts out there”
Hey Garbage I can finally get a Volt where I live if I want to pay 5K over sticker.
“Had the Cruze ECO last week. Comparison in progress.”
Let me guess your gonna tell me how much cheaper the Cruze is to own and run!…….LOL
Another US senator talking out of her bra. Stabhernow!
That could be interpreted as a threat of violence to a US senator. I’m no fan of Debbie’s but that’s no reason to advocate attacking the woman.
Good thing I don’t live in a politically-correct wasteland.