Now's the time to retool auto industry

When I grew up, I dreamed about muscle cars and 4x4s. I'm hoping my kids will dream about the cool car that gets 200 miles per charge.

For this to happen, instead of bailing out an industry handcuffed by oil addiction, why not make them start dumping hybrid electric/combustion engines in the cars going forward? Keeps the current people employed and starts to train and develop new departments on the transformation and phase out of the old. This way, when my kids are of age (9 year old and twin 5-year-olds) to drive, they will have a fully functional and economical electric or another form of energy type vehicle.

Why do I see this as a good direction? Because gas prices have gone from almost $5 to under $2. Now, when gas went up EVERY year around holidays, and natural disasters, everyone seemed to have a reason to say why. I thought it was great marketing and business. But, now, the economy sucks and the U.S. automakers are failing. The U.S. automakers who are trying to sell more cars, which we depend on, which use gas.

Gas is down, no one is saying why. I say it's fear. And, in the business world and the survival world, when you see fear, you go in for the "kill." We need to cut ties with our oil suppliers. They are afraid to lose their number one addict.

Derek Crenshaw

Grayslake