By Paul W. Smith
Even a guy as bright (no pun intended) as Thomas Edison would be shocked (again no pun intended … and that really would be a Ben Franklin joke anyway) to find that his life-changing invention 132 years ago (yesterday), would be the hot potato, political line in the sand it is today. For him, it was just the first workable electric light bulb.
Tomorrow marks the 10th anniversary of another life-changing technology: the iPod’s introduction. Oh, it’s also mother-in-law day (insert joke here, if applicable).
On Tuesday, President Barack Obama will make his fourth visit to Jay Leno’s “Tonight Show.” (Insert several jokes here.)
Are you kidding me? Our president gave our hard-earned money to Henrik Fisker to build his politically correct $97,000 electric sports car? You know, the $529 million loan that Vice President Joe Biden claimed was a bright new path to thousands of American jobs. Two years later, only 500 jobs have been created – at a cost of about $1.1 million per job. But wait, it gets better, well actually, worse. Much worse.
Those 500 great American jobs are in Finland.
I’m not done.
ABC network chief investigative reporter Brian Ross tells me Mr. Fisker told him: “There was no contract manufacturer in the U.S. that could actually produce our vehicle. They don’t exist here.”
Apparently he’s never heard of Detroit and didn’t know we have a few available empty auto plants in “move-in” condition. He apparently didn’t know we have a “few” well-trained, excellent autoworkers available, too.
And finally, as if he hadn’t spread enough salt into our wounds, Mr. Fisker finished with: “We’re not in the business of failing; we’re in the business of winning. So we make the right decision for the business. That’s why we went to Finland.”
Why didn’t he get the $529 million from Finland then? Maybe he and his cars should just stay there, after he pays us back.
Oh, that’s my final reference to jokes.
And I don’t feel much like laughing right now.
Paul W. Smith is host of The Paul W. Smith Show on WJR-AM (760) from 5:30-9 a.m. Monday-Friday.
{The Detroit News/Matzav.com Newscenter}
Vote obama out! make him a one trermer.
In the big global scale of things,
$529 mln is nothing. its like a mosquito bite on your toe nail.
If I were Mr Frisker, I would have gone to the Virgin Islands and start my business there, in the back yard of my beach Mansion. Trying to create a car that runs on Martini, and Burbon, and scotch. and do all the testing by the swimming pool. Why live a lie in damned finland, pretend he is working, with his buddies.
I like the US government its very business friendly, I should come up with some clean air technology trick like a bicycle that works with pedals and use catch phrases like ” 0 emissions, clean air, the bicycle of the future, 0 gallons per 100 miles,. and then apply for funding.
and then boom…watch me get rich.