GM exec stands by calling global warming a "crock"

[Wabash]

Fri Feb 22, 2008 3:08pm EST

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Corp Vice Chairman Bob Lutz has defended remarks he made dismissing global warming as a "total crock of s---," saying his views had no bearing on GM's commitment to build environmentally friendly vehicles.

Lutz, GM's outspoken product development chief, has been under fire from Internet bloggers since last month when he was quoted as making the remark to reporters in Texas.

In a posting on his GM blog on Thursday, Lutz said those "spewing virtual vitriol" at him for minimizing the threat of climate change were "missing the big picture."

"What they should be doing in earnest is forming opinions, not about me but about GM and what this company is doing that is ... hugely beneficial to the causes they so enthusiastically claim to support," he said in a posting titled, "Talk About a Crock."

GM, the largest U.S. automaker by sales and market share, has been trying to change its image after taking years of heat for relying too much on sales of large sport-utility vehicles like the Hummer and not moving faster on fuel-saving hybrid technology.

"My thoughts on what has or hasn't been the cause of climate change have nothing to do with the decisions I make to advance the cause of General Motors," he wrote.

Lutz said GM was continuing development of the battery-powered, plug-in Chevy Volt and other alternatives to traditional internal combustion engines.

GM is racing against Toyota Motor Corp to be first to market a plug-in hybrid car that can be recharged at a standard electric outlet.

Lutz has previously said GM made a mistake by allowing Toyota to seize "the mantle of green respectability and technology leadership" with its market-leading Prius hybrid.

A 40-year auto industry veteran who joined GM earlier in the decade with a mandate to shake up its vehicle line-up, Lutz is no stranger to controversy.

As part of a campaign against higher fuel economy standards, Lutz wrote in a 2006 blog posting that forcing automakers to sell smaller cars would be "like trying to address the obesity problem in this country by forcing clothing manufacturers to sell smaller, tighter sizes."

Automakers ended their opposition to higher fuel standards in 2007 when it became clear that proposed changes would become law with or without their support.

In December, President George W. Bush signed a law mandating a 40 percent increase in fleetwide fuel economy by 2020, the first substantial change in three decades.
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN2237297620080222?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&rpc=22&sp=true

[nixon]

Wabs, What in the world is sticking out the side of that motorcycle? You call that "Superior" design?

[Wabash]

Wabs, What in the world is sticking out the side of that motorcycle? You call that "Superior" design?

The way the V was meant to be!:thumbsup
Those Bee U Tee Full jugs are out in the wind where they belong! Out where we belong....hear the music nix...

[Wabash]

In addition to that nix.....on a cold day for riding, the heat from those jugs, keeps your legs toasty warm if you tuck your knee into the tank....

[April15]

As GM looses ground in the auto market perhaps the leader should spend some time in the real world increasing sales not predictions.

[Wabash]

As GM looses ground in the auto market perhaps the leader should spend some time in the real world increasing sales not predictions.

Well, if you recall...Bob Lutz was with Ford for many, many years...now he is with GM, trying to right the ship for em...

[April15]

Well, if you recall...Bob Lutz was with Ford for many, many years...now he is with GM, trying to right the ship for em...Good luck!

[jim]

Good luck!

Evidently - they still haven't figured out what age we are living in:hotdog

[Wabash]

Evidently - they still haven't figured out what age we are living in:hotdog

Well, we know it's the age of Greed and Consumption don't we Jim? That bubble will burst next year, when our taxes go up and our Freedoms go down.!

[nixon]

Well, we know it's the age of Greed and Consumption don't we Jim? That bubble will burst next year, when our taxes go up and our Freedoms go down.!Wabs, I beleive the bubble has burst. It's effects just aren't over yet. Taxes going up? How did we figure to pay for a war? Print more currency? I should've thought of that!!!

[Wabash]

Wabs, I beleive the bubble has burst. It's effects just aren't over yet. Taxes going up? How did we figure to pay for a war? Print more currency? I should've thought of that!!!
Taxes don't have to go up nix....SPENDING needs to come down! There is a lot that can be cut, besides the military. Any money toward illegals for one! I should say ALL money toward illegals!

[April15]

Wabs, I beleive the bubble has burst. It's effects just aren't over yet. Taxes going up? How did we figure to pay for a war? Print more currency? I should've thought of that!!!The bubble is still opening up. The shit just hasn't hit everyone yet. I do think there will be those who don't get hit by all the flying shit but they will not be the average Joe. As for taxes going up they should have been keeping pace with the war costs.

[Wabash]

The bubble is still opening up. The shit just hasn't hit everyone yet. I do think there will be those who don't get hit by all the flying shit but they will not be the average Joe. As for taxes going up they should have been keeping pace with the war costs.

You think it's bad now? Wait until Obama gets in to fuck it up royal!!!!! You ain't seen nothing yet!

[nixon]

You think it's bad now? Wait until Obama gets in to fuck it up royal!!!!! You ain't seen nothing yet!How do you know anything bad is gonna happen because of Obama? Please tell us, Nostrodaumus!!!

[Wabash]

How do you know anything bad is gonna happen because of Obama? Please tell us, Nostrodaumus!!!

1. He is the MOST liberal Senator in the country!
2. His ideas are pure socialism!
3. He belongs to a church, who's minister is a supporter of Louis Farrakan, a lunatic racist!

There's more...they are still digging....as bad as Hillary is, I think OB is worse! He's a Pied Piper promising Blue Sky......and Hope! Both intangibles!

[nixon]

1. He is the MOST liberal Senator in the country!
2. His ideas are pure socialism!
3. He belongs to a church, who's minister is a supporter of Louis Farrakan, a lunatic racist!

There's more...they are still digging....as bad as Hillary is, I think OB is worse! He's a Pied Piper promising Blue Sky...Blue skies...Gray skies....If he's a Dem, he's got my vote.

[Wabash]

Blue skies...Gray skies....If he's a Dem, he's got my vote.

Again...our loss if he gets elected...

[Wabash]

Blue skies...Gray skies....If he's a Dem, he's got my vote.

Maybe you don't comprehend the term "Blue Sky"?

[nixon]

Again...our loss if he gets elected...Why?

[Wabash]

Why?

One simple reason nix...I just don't think he can handle the job...

[nixon]

One simple reason nix...I just don't think he can handle the job...That maybe true. What if he surprises us and exceeds our expectations?

[toxic]

Taxes don't have to go up nix....SPENDING needs to come down! There is a lot that can be cut, besides the military. Any money toward illegals for one! I should say ALL money toward illegals!

And Republicans figured this out after:
- increasing the Nat Debt $5 Trillion,
- starting an optional war without a tax increase,
- increasing our Trade Deficit to record highs each year, which has now hit almost a $trillion$ dollars per year,
- ...

Get real dude, bailing the Republicans out by being a spendthrift, is like saving money so your spouse can gamble it away.

Each time the Republicans call for spending cuts, the Democrats need to ask who the f____ created the problem, and which Republicans want to pay the taxes to fix it.

[April15]

In the last twenty plus years the one who was experienced won and every time we get more weighted down in the gooey mess of politics. We need someone who is inexperienced to go in and shake things up and see what falls out!

[Wabash]

That maybe true. What if he surprises us and exceeds our expectations?
Well....I guess I'll be surprised!

And Republicans figured this out after:
- increasing the Nat Debt $5 Trillion,
- starting an optional war without a tax increase,
- increasing our Trade Deficit to record highs each year, which has now hit almost a $trillion$ dollars per year,
- ...

Get real dude, bailing the Republicans out by being a spendthrift, is like saving money so your spouse can gamble it away.

Each time the Republicans call for spending cuts, the Democrats need to ask who the f____ created the problem, and which Republicans want to pay the taxes to fix it.
I am real...raising taxes is a poor second choice! In 37 years of voting, I have never voted for a tax at any level! I'm not happy at all about the spending by this Adm.!

In the last twenty plus years the one who was experienced won and every time we get more weighted down in the gooey mess of politics. We need someone who is inexperienced to go in and shake things up and see what falls out!

Pretty much! It's gonna be a REAL crap shoot!

[nixon]

Well....I guess I'll be surprised!


I am real...raising taxes is a poor second choice! In 37 years of voting, I have never voted for a tax at any level! I'm not happy at all about the spending by this Adm.!



Pretty much! It's gonna be a REAL crap shoot!Put the money down and let it roll!!!

[Ringo]

Blue skies...Gray skies....If he's a Dem, he's got my vote.

Does that SHEEP ring in your nose get a little painful after awhile Liberal Boy? I remember my dad saying the mood about Jimmy Carter, was that anything was better than the Nixon-Ford Era!!!??:mw:mw

Well the THIRD Worse POTUS in History, behind Clinton-LBJ, didn't impress my young ass to much!!!:sheep

[April15]

Well the THIRD Worse POTUS in History, Bush 2, behind Reagon- Bush 1, didn't impress my ass to much!!!
To continue the raping of American citizens for the profit of the few using fear as a tactic for holding the sheep in line has worn off. The PNAC had better take up refuge soon as the whirlwind of dissent will soon come just as surely as death is the end of life!

[Wabash]

Well the THIRD Worse POTUS in History, Bush 2, behind Reagon- Bush 1, didn't impress my ass to much!!!
To continue the raping of American citizens for the profit of the few using fear as a tactic for holding the sheep in line has worn off. The PNAC had better take up refuge soon as the whirlwind of dissent will soon come just as surely as death is the end of life!

Did you ever buy one of those Ike wind up dolls April? The ones that you wound up and it does nothing for 8 years...:mw

We are gonna have to mfg. an Obie doll that talks....the hard part is finding any meaningful dialogue to program it with! You know..................believable stuff..

[April15]

Did you ever buy one of those Ike wind up dolls April? The ones that you wound up and it does nothing for 8 years...:mw

We are gonna have to mfg. an Obie doll that talks....the hard part is finding any meaningful dialogue to program it with! You know..................believable stuff..

I did not have dolls. I had tonka truks and guns. Cap guns. We had board games and school. Our parents let us be kids while doing their best to make a secure future for us. I am still trying to do that for mine.

[Wabash]

I did not have dolls. I had tonka truks and guns. Cap guns. We had board games and school. Our parents let us be kids while doing their best to make a secure future for us. I am still trying to do that for mine.

I didn't have dolls either...I had so many cap guns that the kids in the hood(from Poplar to Baldwin and ECR to the tracks)borrowed them from me...I didn't have any Tonka trucks that I can recall...I don't think they were invented yet.
I did have a few girls around the corner to ...a...play with..:LL That took up a lot of my time...they were sisters and often competed for my attention .........