<VV> Re: Unsafe At Any Speed

[Bill Elliott]

> What right did the govt have?  Auto safety was pretty grim in then; 
> Nader's book was a turning point. The public got up in arms and our 
> elected representatives drafted and passed the Auto Safety Act of '66 
> which also created the NHTSA.  Govt by the people - a perfect example.

Precisely which part of the Constitution gave the Government the power 
to get involved? The Constitution very carefully limits the power of the 
Federal Government. Thanks to "assumed" powers like this our country 
continues to move further and further towards socialism and 
dictatorship... even if it is dictatorship BY the people.

Govt by the people - a perfect example? What if the people got up in 
arms and our elected representatives drafted and passed the Auto Safety 
Act of '06 which for the most outlawed all cars older than 5 years old 
to be driven on the street? Would you find that acceptable? The same 
"power" that gave Congress the right to pass the Safety Act of '66 gives 
them the exact same right to do that today.  The end result would be 
desirable (cleaner safer cars on the highway) but the loss of individual 
liberties would be simply unacceptable. Once "the people" give 
Government the right to interfere in commerce/private lives/etc... then 
what the Government does with that power is outside of the people's 
power to stop it.


>  
> Exactly what part of 1-1-68 eliminated low slung sports cars?  The 
> British stuff failed in the market, not 'cus of govt regs.  They 
> failed in the market due to cars like the 240Z and 914.  Both low 
> slung sports cars that happened to also run on rainy days... for years 
> (and they didn't leak rainwater)

Wrong again. Prior to the auto safety act, you could design and build 
pretty much anything and legally drive it on the street. (Golf Carts 
built prior to 1968 with the appropriate lighting can be licensed for 
the street.)  It boils down to "what right does the_Federal_ Government 
have to tell me that I can't drive a 600lb car on the highway, but I can 
drive a motorcycle? Who am I hurting besides myself?

Using your example of British cars, the Mini was immediately outlawed; 
it was at the height of its popularity and did not "fail in the market". 
Other marques (Austin Healy 3000 as an example, the Sunbeam Imp as 
another) were simply unable to make the necessary modifications... and 
cars like the MGB, Jag,  Midget, etc... (which did make the needed mods) 
were so hamstrung by the changes that cars like the 240Z and 914 which 
were both specifically built for the US market (and designed from the 
ground up with the new standards in mind) were superior cars. Never 
confuse "the market" with overregulation.

After 1968, the entry costs for any new manufacturer to enter the US 
market were very high. Today they are nearly insurmountable. More 
regulation, less competition. You just don't realize what you've lost 
because you've never seen anything else. Look at the variety of cars 
available elsewhere in the world... not here. Thanks Ralph.

>  
> Regs didn't change quickly - automakers simply fought them instead of 
> jumpin' on the bandwagon. They lost.  I don't recall any measure that 
> we (I was an automotive development engineer) didn't have adequate 
> lead time to match.  (The '73 bumper regs, way B4 my time- those 
> started out pretty grimly though)  

Regs changed quickly in automotive design terms. All the initial safety 
stuff and bumper heights in '68, , the first hit of emissions 
strangulation in '72 (which actually did very little for emissions), 
dramatically increased bumper standards by '74, catalytic converters by 
'75, the inability to meet emission controls with carbs by the early 
80's... that's pretty fast changes in the big scheme of things. American 
car companies struggled to keep up and in so doing built inferior 
cars... when a decade before American cars were some of the best in the 
world. You'd likely say that they "failed in the market". Again never 
confuse "the market" with overregulation.

> Why the sour grapes?
> craig

Why the simple acceptance to "do what you're told" by someone/something 
that doesn't have the right to do so? I am a very strong capitalist and 
libertarian... the federal Government has no right to intervene in 
commerce like this... EVEN if the public wants them to. And it all (not 
just cars) started with Nader. He was the beginning of the end of free 
market capitalism in the US... and he is still fighting that same battle 
today.

Bill


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