LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Don’t just grill GM’s new CEO

4/10/2014

Why was General Motors’ new chief executive, Mary Barra, grilled before Congress about the automaker’s recalls (“GM’s shame,” editorial, April 9)? She is only months from having accepted the position at GM, and likely was not privy to the inner structure of GM over recent years.

Why weren’t former GM chief executives Rick Wagoner and Daniel Akerson called for questioning? Didn’t the defects that led to the recalls occur on their watch, not Ms. Barra’s?

Why wasn’t President Obama’s car czar, Steven Rattner, called? He led GM and Chrysler through their bankruptcy proceedings. Former Treasury secretary Tim Geitner and former White House economic adviser Lawrence Summers also were involved in the decision-making process.

If the federal government is found to be complicit in the cost-cutting measures that prompted the recalls or lawsuits, the federal government should help GM with restitution.

One lesson Ms. Barra probably has learned is that the good ol’ boy network is alive in boardrooms and on Capitol Hill.

WILLIAM NICHOLS

Whitehouse

 

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Don’t sell GM vehicles short

I dispute the implication of your article about General Motors telling its engineers to find ways to cut costs (“GM practice of squeezing suppliers led to auto flaws; Top engineer ordered; ‘Build them for less’,” March 23). This practice likely happens elsewhere too.

As a dealer of used vehicles for more than 20 years, I have considered other brands and chose GM vehicles. They are reliable and less expensive to repair than other brands.

No matter what the criticism is of GM, people must realize none of the automakers is perfect and all of them had to endure the recession. My hat is off to GM for employing our neighbors here and across the country.

NORM MARAN

Oakgrove Place

 

Toyota not alone with problems

Toyota is not the only manufacturer that has built vehicles with sudden-acceleration problems (“Road hazard,” editorial, March 25).

I purchased a new 2013 vehicle from a local Chrysler dealer. After several months, the vehicle developed a sudden-acceleration problem. I returned the vehicle to the dealer’s service department twice, and was told no problem was found.

I called Chrysler customer service and was told that the call was noted. I recorded a safety problem with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

After several months, Chrysler’s legal personnel told me there was nothing wrong with the vehicle and the case was closed.

I still have the vehicle. I am very careful driving it.

MARTIN ABRAMS

Sylvania Township

 

Looks like evil empire is back

Russia has grabbed part of Ukraine in a sham of a referendum (“Ukraine and a (brave?) new world,” op-ed column, April 5). Does Russian President Vladimir Putin have his eyes on some of the other countries of the former Soviet Union?

It looks as if the evil empire, as President Ronald Reagan called the Soviet Union, is back.

BILL GECKLE

Fostoria