USA Today Editorial on Takata Recall and NHTSA
May, 2015
Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:
Please see and vote on this editorial.
Category: Blog
Who Owns Your Car? And Your Future?
Who Owns Your Car? And Your Future?
May, 2015
Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:
The Consumerist reports a surprise:“Congratulations! You just bought a new Chevy, GMC, or Cadillac. You really like driving it. And it’s purchased, not leased, and all paid off with no liens, so it’s all yours… isn’t it? Well, no, actually: according to GM, it’s still theirs. You just have a license to use it.
At least, that’s what an attorney for GM said at a hearing this week, Autoblog reports. Specifically, attorney Harry Lightsey said, “It is [GM’s] position the software in the vehicle is licensed by the owner of the vehicle.”” Seehttp://consumerist.com/2015/05/20/gm-that-car-you-bought-were-really-the-ones-who-own-it/
When your past, present, and future safety are under corporate control…is that a new form of slavery?
Gandhi taught that one of the Seven Deadly Sins was “Commerce Without Morality”.
Lou
Center for Auto Safety Statement on $150 Million Walden Jeep Fire Judgement
Center for Auto Safety Statement on $150 Million Walden Jeep Fire Judgement
April, 2015
Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:“CAS STATEMENT ON $150 MILLION WALDEN JEEP FIRE JUDGMENT The $150 million verdict in Walden vs Chrysler rebukes the deal cut by former DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, former NHTSA Administrator David Strickland and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne in a secret meeting in Chicago to conduct a sham recall using a fake trailer hitch that can’t even tow. Strickland, who arranged the deadly meeting in a series of 23 emails that excluded NHTSA professional staff from participating, is now a lawyer with a law firm that represents Chrysler and failed to recuse himself from the Jeep investigation even though he planned to join the law firm. CAS Executive Director Clarence Ditlow said: “The $150 million verdict will not bring back 4 year old Remi Walden who burned to death in a child booster seat or any of the other victims in the 395 fatal fire crashes of the 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 19932001 Jeep Cherokee and 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty covered by NHTSA’s now closed investigation. The Center for Auto Safety calls on new NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind and DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx to reopen the Jeep Fuel Tank investigation closed under the influence of a former NHTSA Administrator headed for a law firm representing Chrysler in a secret meeting without the participation of NHTSA professional staff.”
More information see:http://www.autosafety.org/walden-v-chrysler-trialhttp://www.autosafety.org/jeep-grand-cherokee-fires-homepage
Criminal Prosecution of Fiat Chrysler Called For by CAS
Criminal Prosecution of Fiat Chrysler Called For by CAS
April, 2015
Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:
Clarence Ditlow, CAS Executive Director said:
“People are dying and Chrysler is stalling. This is the recall Chrysler never wanted to do and now refuses to do as required by law. NHTSA should impose the maximum possible civil fine under the law. The Justice Department should prosecute Chrysler and its responsible executives for criminal homicide for any deaths due to the delay in carrying out this recall. “
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/jaxrs/download/doc/UCM476309/RCORRD-13V252-0198.pdf
Lou
Are Auto Dealers Against Safety?
Are Auto Dealers Against Safety?
April, 2015
Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:
CBS reports:
“Consumer advocates have spent years trying to force used car dealers to fix recalled cars before selling them, but bills with that requirement have repeatedly failed to pass….”“These are issues that affect human life and safety,” said Calley Houck, a vocal opponent of the bill.
Houck knows firsthand about the dangers of recalled cars that don’t fall into that do not drive category. Both of her daughters were killed in a crash directly related to an open recall in their rented Chrysler PT Cruiser.
Like dealers, the bill allows a rental car company to rent you a recalled vehicle as long as they tell you about it.” See
Automotive News reports “Jim Click says he’s “all in” for Jeb Bush in 2016.
The co-managing partner of Southern California’s Tuttle-Click Automotive Group says he already has raised “a substantial” six-figure sum for Right to Rise, a super PAC expected to back the former Florida governor’s presumed candidacy for the White House in 2016.
And Click says he’s just getting started.
“I’d like to raise him a million dollars,” Click told Automotive News. “I’d like to raise as much as possible.”
See which political party dealers give most to
If politics is war by other means, who are the victims of this war?
Lou
Discount on “Car Safety Wars” + Federal Revolving Door Solution Proposed by NY Times Editors
Discount on “Car Safety Wars” + Federal Revolving Door Solution Proposed by NY Times Editors
April, 2015
Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:
Good News for our community. After I posted my April Monthly Report yesterday reviewing “Car Safety Wars” I learned that I can attach for your use a 30% discount coupon for “Car Safety Wars” by Michael R. Lemov. The discount only applies to purchases from the publisher Rowman & Littlefield. See attached discount form. My Book Review post is now up athttps://www.careforcrashvictims.com/assets/MonthlyReportforApril2015.pdf
Good news on the growing recognition of Regulatory Capture is a new NY Times Editorial that concludes:
“But consumer advocates are surely right that putting the industry in charge of supplement regulation is like appointing the fox to guard the henhouse. Clearly, the F.D.A. should not allow industry insiders to fill key positions. A permanent solution is for Congress to enact conflict-of-interest laws forcing employees above a certain grade level at any agency to recuse themselves from official actions that affect a former employer or client, including trade associations and their members.”
While this example was a FDA scandal, the Revolving Door – Conflict of Interest problem is pervasive in Washington regulatory agencies today with tragic consequences for the American people.
A year ago I noted some of the high positions held – previously and presently – by former industry officials at the White House, OMB, DOT, NHTSA and CDC. Titled “On the Trail of Responsibilities for Crash Deaths and Serious Injuries” it documented a widespread problem of life or death importance to all Americans. See https://www.careforcrashvictims.com/assets/CFCV-MonthlyReport-March2014.pdf
Later in the year the NY Times carried an Op Ed by Clarence Ditlow and Ralph Nader that called for “Only a complete overhaul of the agency’s culture will prevent future recalls, since automakers will always place sales and profits over safety and innovation. This should start with closing the revolving door, adopting criminal penalties and increasing funding. All auto companies should have an independent, government-certified safety ombudsman to investigate complaints from whistle-blowers and to report defects directly to the chief executive and the agency.”
Hopefully this will all help Americans get the protection they need and pay for every day as taxpayers and consumers.
Your comments on the new book and my review are welcome.
Lou
Will GM Deduct Payments to Crash Victims?
Will GM Deduct Payments to Crash Victims?
April, 2015
Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:
A mother who lost her daughter in a GM crash has asked this important question on behalf of all American taxpayers.
“Our kids dying should not be a tax deduction.”
That’s the message from Laura Christian, mother of Amber Marie Rose the teen who was killed in July 2005 in an accident while driving a GM (GM) car outfitted with a defective ignition switch .”
Source: http://money.cnn.com/2015/04/09/news/companies/gm-airbag-tax-break/
See letter to GM and “response” attached.
Taxpayers should also know how GM valued the lives lost. Was it the $9.1 million used in the DOT Policy Guidance? See attached DOT Policy.
If GM were required to pay the DOT value and it not be tax deductible, then all Americans would benefit. GM would have a greater incentive to provide safer vehicles to their customers and to the protection of us all from uncontrolled vehicles.
Lou
