Greedy for profits
Emerson Lynn Jr.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Enterprise Rent-A-Car deliberately had General Motors sell it a fleet of Chevrolet Impalas without side curtain air bags to save itself $175 a vehicle and then sold those vehicles as “program cars” on the used market without informing purchasers that the safety feature had been deleted.
These wicked — yes, that’s the proper word — decisions were made by the nation’s largest buyer of new cars, Enterprise, and agreed to by General Motors, which once was the largest car company in the world.
These crimes were uncovered by a team of Kansas City Star reporters and reported at length in Sunday’s Star.
Will anyone go to prison for increasing the chances of death or serious injury to all who rented the stripped down Impalas while Enterprise owned them? Will the car dealers who sold them used be put behind bars? Will General Motors be punished for agreeing to such an outrageous and demeaning request? No, no and no again.
How serious were these decisions? The Star reported: “Side air bags (with head protection) reduce the risk of the driver dying in an accident by 45 percent when the accident occurs on the driver’s side. The risk of the driver dying is reduced by 74 percent in two-vehicle accidents when a car with side air bags (with head protection) is struck by a car or minivan.”
What Enterprise decided was that putting their customers at increased risk to cut $175 from the car’s purchase price was a good trade. General Motors went along, even though its reputation for building safe cars and ethical behavior was also at risk. For all we know, GM may have offered air bag deletion as an option.
Enterprise explained its decision by arguing that the government didn’t require the side air bags so it had violated no federal mandate. (Congress should quickly fix that flaw.)
General Motors apparently didn’t hesitate to sell Enterprise or any other fleet buyer Impalas without the safety features even though the devices are listed as standard in company advertising and other descriptive information. Buyers can learn how a car is equipped by doing their own detective work.
The moral of the Star’s investigation is that decent, moral behavior is not a necessary part of our free enterprise system. Think behind the headlines for a moment. Enterprise is a very big company. The decision to order the Impalas without the side bags to cut the cost of each car by a relatively small amount must have been discussed and agreed to by a signficant number of the company’s management team. More than a few at General Motors had to agree to delete the safety feature to please a big customer. Every dealer who sold the used Impalas as program cars had a moral obligation to tell customers the bags were missing. Few did.
Enterprise boldly told questioners that the government didn’t make them keep the side curtains so they didn’t and pocketed the savings, apparently not giving a tinker’s dam about the consequences to their customers. General Motors didn’t offer an explanation for its callous decision to choose profit over human safety.
The cheating was, in other words, part of the culture.
This nauseating scandal tells us once again what we should have learned from the profit-driven decisions the financial industry made that drove the world economy off the cliff: when big business must choose between making more profit and the benefit of the general public, the public always takes second place.
And that, dear reader, is why government must act as a buffer between avarice, amoral profit-seekers and the public it exists to serve and protect.
Emerson Lynn, Jr.
open_eyes (anonymous) says...
And neither is decent, moral behavior a necessary part of government, either. Nor is competence. After all, government is made up of........ the same people........
August 18, 2009 at 12:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BigRed (anonymous) says...
"These crimes were uncovered by a team of Kansas City Star reporters and reported at length in Sunday’s Star."
This story was spoon fed to the Star by plaintiff attorney Denise Henning, who is representing a man who was injured in a wreck while driving an Impala, purchased from Enterprise. She and the left wing Star are trying to taint the jury pool by vilifying Enterprise.
I guess when you make a purchase, you automatically buy every available option? Or do you select which options you feel are worth the money? Regardless of how General Motors advertises the car, side curtain air bags are not federally mandated and optional when purchased in a fleet program. Enterprise chose not to purchase this particular option.
Finally, I would like to address your assertion that few dealers told consumers that these cars did not have side curtain air bags? I don't recall seeing this in the story, nor do I know how you could possibly know WHAT was told to the 66,000 purchasers of these used cars. Instead of misinformation, why don't you stick to the facts?
August 18, 2009 at 1:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
Moonbats unite. You liberal dorks are all the same, the sky is falling, save me big brother!!!!
If you're not smart enough to check out what you are buying before signing the dotted line, you've got no one to blame but your own ignorant self.
August 18, 2009 at 2 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madpoet (anonymous) says...
So did Enterprise try to defraud anyone or just save some money? Yes, $175 seems like a small amount but for how many thousands of cars? It would add up fast. Side curtain airbags are relatively new and while nice not mandated yet. The old style front airbags can injure smaller people but we had them for ages after Europe stopped using them. I agree with neighbor, you should check out any purchase carefully. If you were told the car had them but it didn't, sure someone should get a smack up the head but otherwise, deal with it.
August 18, 2009 at 2:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
open_eyes (anonymous) says...
What did any of this have to do with SHS? Second-Hand-Side airbags?
August 18, 2009 at 2:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gabby (anonymous) says...
Crack. You actually made me laugh...You can turn ANY subject into a smoking ban issue....I don't care whether a person is for, or against the ban...your obsession with it is becoming funny to me....I wonder if you think of anything else!!
You're like a dog with a bone, when it comes to the smoking ban....The sad part is Crack. it's over...the ban is in effect...it's never going to change...In fact, I have said it before, and I'll say it again....get used to it, because it won't be long before it's illegal to smoke anywhere in the State!
August 18, 2009 at 2:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
open_eyes (anonymous) says...
I thought having a rear air bag was just driving with your mother-in-law in the back seat........... :)
August 18, 2009 at 4:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
Having too much "junk in your trunk" is bad for you so we will soon see bans and more laws from our nanny state to "solve" this problem too.
August 18, 2009 at 5:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
paulkersey (anonymous) says...
Emerson Lynn, you said,
"And that, dear reader, is why government must act as a buffer between avarice, amoral profit-seekers and the public it exists to serve and protect."
You idiot liberal, the frigging government owns GM, moron!
August 18, 2009 at 6:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dalelinn (Dale Linn) says...
paulkersey, Why in the world would you think the government owns Government Motors? Please god, let the government take care of me from cradle to grave. Who needs a mother? Who needs a father? Who needs to learn to take care of themselves? Who needs God? All we need is government to take care of us. I feel all warm inside just thinking about it. By the way, who is is Emerson Lynn, and is he related to Emerson Lynn Jr.?
August 18, 2009 at 7:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
What about Emerson Lake and Palmer?
August 18, 2009 at 7:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
paulkersey (anonymous) says...
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB12438...
"The government-orchestrated shrinkage will cost taxpayers $30 billion, on top of $20 billion in U.S. funds already put into the company. In exchange, the U.S. will own 60% of the new GM."
http://money.cnn.com/2009/05/29/news/...
"New GM could just as well be called "Government Motors," because the U.S. is going to own 60% of it, with the Canadian government owning another 12%. That may not be a good thing. Remember East Germany's Trabant and other vehicles built by the government-owned companies in the old Soviet Union?"
http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/mark...
"The government's plan to take a 70% stake in General Motors (GM: undefined, undefined, undefined%) is socialism."
and for some balance:
http://www.leftlanenews.com/report-us...
"the U.S. government will undoubtedly have a larger share of GM than the 50 percent stake discussed earlier this year."
That's why I think the government owns GM.
August 18, 2009 at 8:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
paulkersey (anonymous) says...
Sorry Dale, haha, misread your post!
August 18, 2009 at 8:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
esu4life (anonymous) says...
The most immoral and unethical position in this country is that 50 million plus do not have health care - not air bags. Health care should be a right of every citizen of this country. We are a Christian nation right? Only in language not in practice. We are a nation of hypocrits. Why should we worry about a few cars that don't have side air bags. The truth is we are a narcistic society that could give a dam about whether our neighbor has health care as long as I got mine. The me me me society rules. America look at yourself in the mirror.
August 18, 2009 at 9:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
paulkersey (anonymous) says...
esu4life,
After reading your comment, I understand where your username came from. Why should I give portions of my salary, which I have worked long and hard for, to provide healthcare for someone who has never had a job?
You claim to be an ESU student for life, so how about this analogy.
Let's say you are in a class, and the professor gives you a test. You stay home and study all week, hit the books hard, and get a rightfully deserved A. The person sitting next to you was at the bars every night, didn't crack a book one, and ends up with a rightfully deserved D. Then the professor tells you that because everyone should have a passing grade, takes your A grade, drops it to a B, and gives your letter grade, which you worked your butt off for, to the person sitting next to you, who partied all week, so that that person can pass the class too.
How would you feel if that scenario happened? Because its getting ready to happen to my paycheck, and needless to say, I'm not thrilled about the whole deal.
August 18, 2009 at 9:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
esu4life (anonymous) says...
We are the only civilized nation that does not provide health care for all of its citizens. What the hell does work have to do with it? I have a brother who earned as much as $250,000 a year and is bankrupt because he could not get health insurance due to a pre existing condition. He worked Hard and lost it all when he got sick and had to go to the hospital before he could get on Medicare. His life has been destroyed. I guess we can just throw him away. They charged him about 3 times more than they charge someone with insurance. Insurance negotiate.for a lesser charge. Has an insurance company ever paid what they charged you for a visit to a hospital - mine never has. My brother had to pay the full amount. He is 66 now and has no income other than Social Security. He ran a business that employed 14 people successfully and has nothing to show for it. A whole life as a productive citizen and nothing to show fot it. Stay in hospital with a major problem for 55 days with no insurance and see if you leave with any money.
August 18, 2009 at 10:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dalelinn (Dale Linn) says...
esu4life, I had a dream last night. Nobody ever had anything bad happen to thim. Disease was a thing of the past as we had become civilized. We all worked for the government and they took good care of us. Government workers even came in and changed the diapers on our infants. We didn't have to do anything! It was really great! Everyday we reported to our community organizer that told us how nice things were. I'm not sure what the clubs were for that were sitting on the shelf in the meeting room. Pamplets were handed out every day telling us what we could eat (no soda pop). Aspirins were handed out in case we got sick. Old age wasn't a problem as there just weren't any older people. Gee, I'm not sure what happened to our grandparents. They just weren't around anymore. It made me feel so good. Nothing bad ever happens.....On a different note, What happened to your brother sounds like a tragedy. I certainly don't know all the answers, but government is a poor solution to private enterprise. Do we really want the government to be our day care? Does anyone know of government not bloating itself as soon as it gets a little power?
August 19, 2009 at 6:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dalelinn (Dale Linn) says...
Observation, thanks for the enlightenment. I do remember the name now. Someone must think junior is the cat's meow.
August 19, 2009 at 6:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dalelinn (Dale Linn) says...
Here's three apt quips:
"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys"
–- P.J. O'Rourke
"It is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones"
-– Calvin Coolidge
"It's the duty of the patriot to protect his country from it's government. --Thomas Paine
August 19, 2009 at 8:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
How many of you have read the novel by George Orwell, 1984 or Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury ?
August 19, 2009 at 8:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
open_eyes (anonymous) says...
esu4life, at least get your facts straight. You DID say "of every CITIZEN of this country"......
http://www.cnsnews.com/Public/Content...
August 19, 2009 at 9:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BigRed (anonymous) says...
"Health care should be a right of every citizen of this country." Show me where Health Care is a right guaranteed to every citizen.
"We are a Christian nation right?" WRONG! We are also Muslem, Jewish, and any number of other religions. Not to mention, we are atheist as well.
Now I see why you will be in ESU 4 life!
August 19, 2009 at 9:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dalelinn (Dale Linn) says...
I'd say Go Big Red, but I kind of pull for K State.
August 19, 2009 at 10:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dalelinn (Dale Linn) says...
A good "observer" would note that K State's better.
August 19, 2009 at 10:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
My humble opinion is, that when you are talking about the large private insurance companies, oil companies, banks, healthcare providers, etc, who have managed to buy congress and the white house, for quite a few years now, no matter which party is in control or has majority rule, there is no such thing as " Free Enterprise " only " Greedy Robberprise " and therefore everything that is done by these " Robber Baron Companies " is geared to and planned to make as much money as possible, as long as the people will pay them !
And as long as noone is willing to step in and say to these greedy minded " Robberprise" companies that enough is enough and force them to stop their selfish, greedy ways of doing business, then the cost of affording health insurance and health care will only continue to rise as will just about everything else !
I don' t necessarily think a government run, public health iniciative is the answer. But I do believe that some sort of mandated price regulation is needed to halt the continualy rising, rediculously high price of health insurance and health care.
There is a saying, " Money is the root of all evil " !
Is there anyone debating the ills of the U.S. or the world, who believes that these ills are not caused by Greed and the Lust for Money? Remember everthing that has happened in the last few months has been related to Money or the lack of Money and this thread is about health care and health insurance ( COSTS ), a.k.a. Money !
August 19, 2009 at 1:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )