Detroit wrote its own ending
By Brian Lavelle | Spring Grove, Minn.

In response to Butch Walz’s letter “We can’t let Big Three Fail”: Many people are upset with the prospect of job loss and economic hardship relating to the auto industry meltdown.

It is a valid concern I don’t wish to diminish.
However, Detroit has long ago written this final chapter of their own demise. They did it when they killed the electric car; they did it when they poured millions of dollars into denying the impact of the internal combustion engine on our environment; and they did it by fighting against increasing the efficiency of their product.

The financial horror show now playing globally is a function of the overproduction of humans. Most retirees were born into a world of about 3 billion people. We now count 7, going on 8 billion.

This has occurred in half a century. The discovery and development petroleum and the auto industry has radically altered the human experience. Some would argue that the changes have not all been for the better.

We are certainly less robust than our forebearers.

Long-range thinkers are predicting the so called Smart Garage. It presumes rechargeable electric vehicles and on-site power production from renewable sources. It is minimally polluting and promises to stabilize a troubled power grid, which is also in need of overhaul.

Such a vehicle could be assembled by just about any competent group of humans. We don’t necessarily need Detroit to do it.

The internal combustion engine is today’s dinosaur. Take lots of pictures, it’ll soon be gone.

Improvements in energy storage will topple some pretty hefty icons — coal, oil and the internal combustion engine makers. Detroit knows this, as does the oil patch down in Houston.

They would rather lose a democracy and a planet than reinvest or take a cut in pay.

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