The Argument From Volt

With due respect to Tom Laskewy, the notion that we need to bailout the big three for the sake of the Chevy Volt doesn’t really make sense to me. If the Volt project is genuinely promising, then liquidating General Motors wouldn’t lead to the Volt disappearing into the ether, it would result in the Volt project being sold to a non-bankrupt automaker. Arguably the Volt project would be helped by ending its association with the large, dysfunctional firm that is General Motors and instead becoming part of a more viable enterprise.

But more to the point, the whole “green” case for the bailout seems a bit grounded in fantasy. I don’t see either the executives or the legislators pushing this initiative getting religion on global warming where it counts — in the congress. We don’t need to use a divining rod to try to discern Detroit’s views, we can look at the Dingell-Waxman fight for control of the Energy & Commerce committee and we can compare the Dingell-Boucher climate bill to other alternatives.