| Ford Motor's Chairman Bill Ford Jr. has | | | | the comments made by Presidential candidate |
| recently called for a national energy policy | | | | Sen. Barack Obama, D-III., at his recent |
| saying that the auto industry together with | | | | speech in Detroit wherein Obama has |
| the energy companies, government and other | | | | criticized the US automakers and calling them |
| industries should cooperate in developing a | | | | to do more to build furl-efficient vehicles. |
| comprehensive plan. | | | | |
| | | | Chairman Ford Jr., added that he would like |
| Chairman Ford Jr., addressing the Detroit | | | | to invite Obama to Ford's plant in Chicago |
| Regional Chamber said that the auto industry | | | | "where we make a vehicle that's more fuel |
| is not looking for handouts nor it is trying | | | | efficient than the one he's currently |
| to evade its responsibilities. On the other | | | | driving." He further stated that it is not |
| hand he said that he would like to move | | | | only the stressed on the production of more |
| beyond the "patchwork" of current | | | | fuel-efficient vehicles that's weighing on |
| fuel-economy rules and "arbitrarily set | | | | the US automakers but also the rising cost of |
| standards." | | | | health care that leaves US manufacturers at |
| | | | a disadvantage. "Unless, nationally, we get |
| The executive said that all of the | | | | our arms around this, it's going to be very |
| stakeholders should help to create a more | | | | hard to be a manufacturer in this country of |
| comprehensive plan for cutting carbon | | | | anything," he said during a |
| emissions. He also stressed that Ford is | | | | question-and-answer session. |
| continuing to invest in cleaner, more | | | | |
| fuel-efficient technology in spite of its | | | | However Chairman Ford has also made it clear |
| restructuring program. | | | | that he is not at all endorsing a national |
| | | | universal health-care system but he did say |
| Chairman Ford Jr. said, "Environmental | | | | that the present system is "broken". US |
| sustainability is a critical issue for our | | | | automakers are facing a growing burden of |
| future growth and prosperity." | | | | providing heath care for thousands of |
| | | | retirees and active employees. But he didn't |
| He further added that although the company | | | | mention just how Ford will deal with its |
| has been able to develop the first hybrid SUV | | | | health-care costs especially since its talks |
| which is the Ford Escape and redeveloped its | | | | with the United Auto Workers union are |
| Rouge plant in Dearborn, Mich., in what he | | | | getting near. |
| termed as "environmentally friendly way", the | | | | |
| Chairman wishes that the company would have | | | | It can be remembered that Ford the producer |
| done more. | | | | of high quality car accessories such as Ford |
| | | | floor mats has taken a big step in changing |
| Chairman Ford Jr., also said during a | | | | its management stature when it hired Alan |
| question-and-answer session that the company | | | | Mulally who is a former Boeing Co. (BA) |
| "didn't stretch far enough in the past few | | | | executive as the new Chief Executive. And |
| years" on design but the new vehicles such as | | | | just recently, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger |
| the Edge crossover utility and the Ford Flex | | | | while speaking to the same conference has |
| are "really indicative of the kind of design | | | | made a call for a national, single-payer |
| we want to have in the end." | | | | health-care system. Gettelfinger said, "Our |
| | | | continued failure to enact serious |
| Despite the fact that Ford did well at truck | | | | health-care reform puts U.S. companies at an |
| and SUV design, Chairman Ford said, "I think | | | | enormous competitive disadvantage. All of our |
| as we started getting back to the car | | | | major trading partners, every one, have |
| business, we weren't perhaps bold enough." He | | | | national health-care systems which deliver |
| also said that he was "Very disappointed" by | | | | quality care at an affordable price. |