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Showing posts with label Automobiles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Automobiles. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Obama Sidesteps Congress To Impose Cap And Trade

SEARCH BLOG: OBAMA and CAP AND TRADE.

The Heritage Foundation points out that the Obama administration once again sidesteps Congress through the Environmental Protection Agency which has set mileage standards so high that only a few vehicles will meet the standards... requiring manufacturers to purchase "credits" from other manufacturers if they cannot meet the standards.  The unanswered question, of course, is how will the other manufacturers meet the mileage standards?

Well, the answer to that is through the magic of EPA mileage calculations.  If you have a plug-in electric car with a range of 25 miles, the EPA does a little numerical dance and says that car gets 100 MPGe... that's miles per gallon equivalent.  You won't actually get anywhere near 100 miles per gallon, but the Obama administration gets its way into forcing manufacturers to make cars people don't want or can't afford for little or no benefit.

As stated in the article:

The new CAFE standard requires American families to bear all the costs the regulation imposes, while allowing special interests receive all the benefits. As Loris and Morgan note in their paper, “Under this new mandate, the Energy Information Administration warns that new cars priced under $15,000 may no longer be available.” While the federal government acknowledges the regulations will drive up the sticker price of vehicles, “consumers will likely realize only a fraction of the fuel savings that the government claims.”
This is not the only way the new fuel efficiency will affect car buyers. It also limits consumer choice. Consumers have other preferences as well, including weight and engine power, for safety, enjoyment, and practical reasons. Ignoring those preferences and forcing companies to make vehicles that are lighter and thus more fuel efficient has the unintended consequence of making them less safe.
It makes all of the 51%-ers feel good that they are helping save the planet and fundamentally changing the United States.  But I'm guessing that this picture will not change much.


Hey, high level government officials are exempt ... from so many laws affecting you commoners.

RELATED:


SATURDAY, APRIL 03, 2010


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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Electric Cars - Fail

SEARCH BLOG: AUTOMOBILES

No matter how much the super-greens may want it and no matter how much the government may mandate the techonogy... and subsidize it to the tune of thousands of dollars each... the electric car is simply not ready for prime time.

From Hardware via Penny Peiser:

Toyota kills city 'e-car for everyone'

Only a limited launch for eQ
Who killed the electric car? This time round, Toyota did. It said today it will not release its proposed mass-market mini e-car, the eQ.
The reason: there's no demand for it, not while battery technology is failing to provide comparable range to a tank of petrol.
"The current capabilities of electric vehicles do not meet society's needs," said Toyota vice-chairman, Takeshi Uchiyamada, Reuters reports, "whether it's the distance the cars can run, or the costs, or how it takes a long time to charge."  [full article here]
RELATED:

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2007


2012 IS HERE

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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

55 In 25

SEARCH BLOG: AUTOMOBILES.

Well, almost 55....

U.S. announces tough new 54.5-mpg CAFE standard for vehicle fuel economy


2012 IS HERE

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Tuesday, August 14, 2012

GM - Bailout Worked Almost

SEARCH BLOG: AUTOMOBILES

The Detroit News reports:

Treasury: U.S. to lose $25 billion on auto bailout
Washington -The Treasury Department says in a new report the government expects to lose more than $25 billion on the $85 billion auto bailout. That's 15 percent higher than its previous forecast. 
In a monthly report sent to Congress on Friday, the Obama administration boosted its forecast of expected losses by more than $3.3 billion to almost $25.1 billion, up from $21.7 billion in the last quarterly update.  
The report may still underestimate the losses. The report covers predicted losses through May 31, when GM's stock price was $22.20 a share.  
On Monday, GM stock fell $0.07, or 0.3 percent, to $20.47. At that price, the government would lose another $850 million on its GM bailout.  
The government still holds 500 million shares of GM stock and needs to sell them for about $53 each to recover its entire $49.5 billion bailout. At the current price, the Treasury would lose more than $16 billion on its GM bailout.

2012 IS HERE

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Tuesday, May 22, 2012

This Rolls Royce Didn't Generate Much Electricity Among Customers

SEARCH BLOG: AUTOMOBILES

This was tried but failed.


Now this wasn't even tried.

Rolls-Royce had estimated that the car, officially called the 102EX, could go about 125 miles on a full charge thanks to massive battery packs -- the largest in any passenger vehicles -- stuffed under its extra-long hood.
Wow, a whole 125 mile range.  But that wouldn't even be enough to travel to the summer castle.  No wonder the clientele turned up their noses.

2012 IS HERE

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Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Ford Motor Company Is Back

SEARCH BLOG: AUTOMOBILES and ECONOMY

Good news for Michigan and U.S. manufacturing.  An indication that Ford's management has been successful and that the American economy has improved.



April 24, 2012, 9:05 a.m. EDT

Fitch lifts Ford rating to investment grade

On Tuesday, Fitch said Ford's management has heavily focused on increasing profitability, growing liquidity, lowering debt and reducing the company's pension obligations since the last recession. 
The firm said Ford is "in a solid position to withstand the significant cyclical and secular pressures faced by the global auto industry" and said it expects the company's liquidity, cost structure and free cash flow potential to provide Ford with sufficient financial flexibility to maintain an investment-grade rating in a period of economic stress.

2012 IS HERE

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The Silent Danger Of Electric-Powered Vehicles

SEARCH BLOG: AUTOMOBILES

Blissful silence?  Except if it can kill you.  We may be facing a world of strange whirs and chirps.

2012 IS HERE

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Monday, February 27, 2012

Soft Natural Gas Prices Soften Economic Impact Of Oil

SEARCH BLOG: NATURAL GAS and AUTOMOBILES

From Mark Perry's blog:

Why This Time Could Be Different: Rising Oil Prices Are Being Offset By Falling Natural Gas Prices 
WSJ Blog -- "Soaring oil prices in the spring of 2008 sent gasoline prices surging and accelerated the recession. Now, rising gas prices are threatening the recovery. But lower natural gas and utility costs this time around might limit some of the damage, says Deutsche Bank chief U.S. economist Joseph LaVorgna.

I commented:
Given the abundance of natural gas, is there any doubt that CNG would be a natural choice as an alternative to oil-based vehicle fuels?
http://hallofrecord.blogspot.com/2012/01/natural-solution-to-energy-needs.html 
The vehicle technology is proven and the ease of expanding distribution/refueling stations simply needs a concerted effort. $5/gal. gasoline might provide the push. 
Another comment stated:
Except that regulatory hurdles have ensured that the cost of converting a car to natgas is $6500 to $12,000, where in the absence of govt. meddling, it would be just $1000 (the price in many other countries).
What is absurd is that we will export one liquid fuel to Japan and India, while importing another liquid fuel from a similar distance.
To which I replied:
Of course it is government regulation and taxation that stand in the way of effective and efficient use of energy resources.
That's why Obama wants to reduce regulation. ;-}
Nevertheless, the future belongs more to direct energy sources for transportation than indirect [electric] sources which require $10,000 tax incentives. We just have to vote correctly.
See also:

The Electric Brick


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Friday, February 17, 2012

No 24-Inch Screen For Your Car's Dashboard

SEARCH BLOG: AUTOMOBILES.

When it comes to automobiles, I still favor analog... gauges, dials, controls.  Well, I do like the fact that the radio is digital and gets the frequency dead on.  But whether it is 68° or 69° doesn't really make that much difference to me;  a sliding lever is fine... and easier to locate.

But now you can get whole instrument clusters and center stacks that are more complicated than running Windows Control Panel.  Sometimes you have to run through three layers of a menu to activate a simple function.

Ctrl-Alt-Del

U.S. Department of Transportation Proposes 'Distraction' Guidelines for Automakers

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced the first-ever federally proposed guidelines to encourage automobile manufacturers to limit the distraction risk for in-vehicle electronic devices. The proposed voluntary guidelines would apply to communications, entertainment, information gathering and navigation devices or functions that are not required to safely operate the vehicle. 
In particular, the Phase I proposed guidelines released today recommend criteria that manufacturers can use to ensure the systems or devices they provide in their vehicles are less likely to distract the driver with tasks not directly relevant to safely operating the vehicle, or cause undue distraction by engaging the driver's eyes or hands for more than a very limited duration while driving. Electronic warning system functions such as forward-collision or lane departure alerts would not be subject to the proposed guidelines, since they are intended to warn a driver of a potential crash and are not considered distracting devices.
It looks as if we won't be getting that next-generation driver "cockpit."  Ah, for the "good old days."  I had a 1946 Plymouth like the one at the left when I was in college.  It even had a transparent magenta visor and a hood vent that actually worked.  It took about 2 minutes to completely familiarize oneself with the vehicle operation.  That's because the starter button was separate from the key.  Had to give it up with only 135,000 miles on it to go into the service.  Bummer.

Now, I can't even get my iPhone to sync with my Sync.  Still, I rigged a holder for my iPad on top of the dashboard in front of me so I can follow the navigation app to see where I'm going... so I'm not totally vehicle computer illiterate.  I hope the Feds don't take that away from me.

2012 IS HERE

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Thursday, February 16, 2012

China Unethical - They Will Steal Your Product Designs Even If You Don't Do Business There

SEARCH BLOG: AUTOMOBILES

Headline [click to read article] from Carscoop:

China's JAC Does it Again with Ford F-150 Pickup Truck Clone

They even rip off your logo:
Nothing new here.  China's growth is predicated on virtually no research and development costs.

For a lot more....
SATURDAY, MARCH 08, 2008China Unethical? Surprise!
Of course, that's overt theft.  Take a product and build a knock-off.  Then there is covert theft.
Trade Secret Theft 
Couple Conspires to Steal Hybrid Technology 

2012 IS HERE

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G.M. Profits - Taxpayers Loss

SEARCH BLOG: AUTOMOBILES

The sting of the GM bailout continues.  From USA Today:

DETROIT (AP) – General Motors earned its largest profit ever in 2011, two years after it nearly collapsed into financial ruin.
  • A General Motors employee works on a van assembly line at GM's plant in Wentzville, Mo. in November. 
By Jeff Roberson, AP

The 103-year-old company (GM) made $7.6 billion in 2011, up 62% from 2010.  Full-year revenue rose 11% to $105 billion.
Good news, right?
At $53 a share, the federal government breaks even on the $50 billion it “loaned” GM, but at the current share price of approximately $30 (well below the $33 IPO price of last November, which raised around $20 billion), taxpayers would lose around $11 billion. [source - 4-19-11] 
Well, that was 10 months ago and with record profits, what is the value of GM stock now?


That's right... down $4.  The share price would have to double for taxpayers to get their money back.

The way the deal with the Obama government was structured, old shareholders and bondholders got nothing.  Unions got money in the bank.

A great company was saved, but everyone except the unions got screwed in the process.  Sound familiar?

2012 IS HERE

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Friday, February 10, 2012

Huntsman Settles For Ford Board

SEARCH BLOG: AUTOMOBILES and POLITICS

GM and Chrysler took the government's money.  Ford is content with taking the government's cast-offs.

Ford Names Jon Huntsman to Board of Directors 
Feb-09-2012 9:00 AM ET 
​DEARBORN – Ford Motor Company announced today the election of Jon M. Huntsman Jr. to the company’s Board of Directors effective immediately. 
Huntsman, 51, is chairman of the Huntsman Cancer Foundation, a Utah-based cancer charity.  The former Republican candidate for president of the United States has served in numerous public and private positions around the world, most recently as the United States Ambassador to China.
“Jon brings to Ford’s board of directors extensive global knowledge and experience – particularly in Asia with trade issues – and operational experience gained as governor of Utah, a state that has grown jobs even during the economic crisis,” said Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford. “Jon understands the importance of strengthening the country’s manufacturing base, which will contribute to our success going forward.”
Huntsman was twice elected Governor of Utah, serving from 2005 to 2009. His public service career began as a White House staff assistant to President Ronald Reagan and has since included appointments as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Asia, U.S. Ambassador to Singapore and Deputy U.S. Trade Representative. 
He is a founding director of the Pacific Council on International Policy and has served on various boards such as the Brookings Institute Asia Policy Board, the Center for Strategic and International Studies Pacific Forum, the Asia Society in New York and the National Bureau of Asian Research.


Huntsman is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and has six honorary doctorate degrees.
It looks as if Ford is getting serious about making inroads in the Chinese automotive market.  Could it be that Ford is getting a really, really good deal?  You could interpret that to mean that our government might be missing a really, really good leader.  We'll see.

2012 IS HERE

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Thursday, January 05, 2012

A Natural Solution To Energy Needs

SEARCH BLOG: NATURAL GAS

I've written in the past about the potential for natural gas as an economical and abundant source of fuel for transportation.  What has been missing is, of course, sufficient local distribution... fueling stations.

First, why NG is so economically appealing:

The oil gas ratio hit a new record high today with gas trading at $3.11/mmBtu and WTI going for $101.25/bbl yielding an energy ratio of 5.61. In simple terms this means gas is trading at the equivalent of $18.05/bbl crude.  SOURCE
With gasoline somewhere around $3.30 per gallon, that's equivalent to roughly $0.60 per gallon presuming equivalent conversion and transportation costs.  Imagine what that could do for the cost of ownership.

A former colleague of mine said that he heard the CEO of an automotive company [we'll keep this anonymous] speaking in December and he mentioned that future automotive plans could include big-time expansion of CNG-powered vehicles [Compressed Natural Gas].  The idea and the vehicles are nothing new, of course.  Most likely, it is larger vehicles that would most benefit from this fuel because smaller vehicles present a challenge of fitting the CNG tank into a small space.  Taxi fleets have used them for decades.  And, recently, Ford Motor Company has has large success selling CNG-powered commercial Transit vans
A Transit Connect Taxi powered by compressed natural gas is fueled up at one of Chicago's first CNG stations.

What will be needed for private-use vehicles, as mentioned earlier, is broader NG distribution... probably CNG lanes at gas stations... or dedicated stations like the one above in Chicago.  NG already has the distributive infrastructure because millions of homes and businesses are already paying for the pipelines carrying that fuel.  It's simply the new distributive points that have to be built.  Of course, there is always the political process which may be a bigger obstacle than the technological ones.


Still, when it comes to supply, it looks as if there is an anticipation of surging supply ... despite or because of relative low prices and higher demand.
October was another record-setting month for the world's largest natural gas producer, as the U.S. produced all-time record amounts of both gross withdrawals and dry production (consumer-grade gas), according to new data released today by the Energy Information Administration.  SOURCE
Perhaps more people simply have the same attitude that I do:

When it comes to natural gas, I'm a big fan... and purchaser... personally.  Besides heating our home with a high efficiency NG furnace, we have an NG fireplace capable of heating our home [at about the same efficiency of 1980s furnaces] as an emergeny backup, plus an NG whole-house generator should there be power outages [our edge-of-the-suburban-area has lots of trees and overhead wires that tangle with each other during storms].

I think that Honda also may have had a good idea... just too far ahead of its time.
SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2009The Natural Gas Fuel Alternative For Trucks

2012 IS HERE

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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Government Says: Buy A Car Rated Grade A

SEARCH BLOG: AUTOMOBILES

From The New York Times:

WASHINGTON—The Obama administration on Monday proposed labeling each passenger car with a government letter grade from A to D based on its fuel efficiency and emissions, part of a broader effort by the government to promote electric cars and other advanced-technology vehicles.


The new rules, released jointly by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Transportation Department, would be the most substantial changes in 30 years to the familiar price and mileage labels affixed to new cars on sale at dealerships.


Currently the labels must show how many miles per gallon a car gets and its estimated annual fuel costs. Under the rules proposed Monday, new labels would carry a letter grade assigned by regulators.


Electric vehicles and gas-electric hybrids would get the highest grades under the proposed system, while larger, more powerful models such as sport-utility vehicles or muscle cars would get lower grades because they burn more petroleum and pump out more carbon dioxide, U.S. officials said. The labels would also show the difference in gas costs associated with that vehicle and others in the same class.
Grade A Vehicles

2012 IS GETTING CLOSER

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Saturday, August 14, 2010

Misleading Headline Of The Day

SEARCH BLOG: DETROIT

Detroit Goes From Gloom to Economic Bright Spot.


Upon further investigation, this has little to do with the city of Detroit.  It is all about the automotive industry headquartered near Detroit... GM, Chrysler, and Ford.

Ford made more money in the first six months of this year than in the previous five years combined. G.M. is profitable and preparing for one of the biggest public stock offerings in American history. Even Chrysler, the automaker thought least likely to survive the recession, is hiring new workers.
Many of the excesses of the past — overproduction, bloated vehicle lineups, expensive rebates — are gone. All three carmakers have shed workers, plants and brands. And a new breed of top management — the three chief executives are outsiders to Detroit, as is the newly named G.M. chief executive — says it is determined to keep the Big Three lean, agile and focused on building better cars that earn a profit. [full story]
Meanwhile, the city of Detroit continues its good old self-destructive ways.
Detroit Police officials say they are investigating allegations the department covered up an alleged hit-and-run crash involving Lt. Monique Patterson in 2008 that resulted in a $40,000 settlement.
Eren Stephens, a spokeswoman for the Detroit Police Department, said she cannot comment any further because televised reports said that Willie Harper, 87, of Detroit alleged a cover-up. Official police reports of the accident conflict with Harper's own recollection, according to police.
"Because of possible litigation and allegations, we have no comment," Stephens said.
Patterson, who is the girlfriend of former Police Chief Warren Evans, is embroiled in a developing text-message scandal involving the Interim Police Chief Ralph Godbee.

2012 IS GETTING CLOSER

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Wednesday, June 02, 2010

Mercury's Era Ends

SEARCH BLOG: AUTOMOBILES

Just received from Ford Motor Company:

Ford Motor Company Lincoln and Mercury Announcements

A Message from Mark Fields, President of the Americas

Lincoln Grill
Today marks another important milestone in our company's transformation as we solidify plans to further grow our Ford brand while accelerating Lincoln.
We are announcing today plans to introduce seven new or significantly refreshed Lincoln vehicles in the next four years, including Lincoln's first-ever C-segment vehicle.
We also are announcing that we will end production of Mercury vehicles in the fourth quarter of this year. While Mercury served us well in the past, it now is time to fully devote our resources and attention to growing Lincoln, just as we have been doing so successfully with the Ford brand.
We are meeting today with our dealers, the news media and other key stakeholders to ensure everyone understands our plan. It is equally important that each of us becomes familiar with the details of this announcement.
You can also read more here posted a few days ago.

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Tuesday, June 01, 2010

The Kaiser Henry J

SEARCH BLOG: AUTOMOBILES

Summer is a great season in Michigan.  Warmth, blue skies, green landscapes, and lots of old cars... classics... on the road.

The other day we were on a winding two-lane hilly road and came up behind one of these.

The color was similar to this picture... maybe a little more metallic mauve, but close.  From behind it was fairly distinctive with its "pursed lips" rear window.

It's good to see American cars going back to some styling character, even if it is limited compared with the explosion of different styles in the 1950s.  Back then, only imagination limited design; today aerodynamics and EPA mileage requirements keep stying on a leash.

Click on the image at the right to see some "automotive art."  Oh, and "the Kaiser Henry J?"  Click here.
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Saturday, May 22, 2010

"Hybird" Cars?

SEARCH BLOG: AUTOMOBILES

From The Detroit News - May 20, 2010:

Carmakers to give quiet electrics some noise


Move designed to alert the blind, others that vehicles are operating


BY DAVID SHEPARDSON


The Detroit News


Washington — Drivers of electric and hybrid cars won’t be able to rev noisy engines but chances are they still will be heard.


Automakers and advocates for the blind reached an agreement, announced Wednesday, that would require automakers to equip “quiet cars” with chirps or other sounds to alert blind pedestrians, bikers and others that a vehicle is nearby.
That ought to be interesting.  Imagine walking outside listening to the sounds of thousands of "hy-birds" chirping away.  Manhattan will never be the same.

2012 IS GETTING CLOSER

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Monday, May 03, 2010

Old News Is Still New

SEARCH BLOG: NEWS

Moving is interesting in many ways, not the least of which is what you find buried in the back of storage closets.  My wife found these [click images for larger views]:

Detroit Free Press; March 3, 1976
  • China and a U.S. president
  • Car sales recovering
  • Federal Reserve under fire
  • New cars coming




The Wall Street Journal; October 20, 1987
  • Stock Market crashes
  • Is a Depression coming?
  • U.S. and Iran in conflict

The Detroit News and Free Press; December 20, 1998

The Detroit News; November 8, 2000
  • Who will be the next president?

Aw, that's old news.

2012 IS GETTING CLOSER

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Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Toyota Fined $16.4 Million - Peanuts

SEARCH BLOG: AUTOMOBILES

This all over the news:

U.S. fining Toyota $16.4 million over recall delay
Mon Apr 5, 2010 5:50pm EDT
WASHINGTON

(Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp faces a proposed $16.4 million fine from U.S. regulators, the maximum penalty allowed under current laws, after the automaker failed to notify the government in a timely way about accelerator pedal flaws that were the subject of a massive recall in January.

The U.S. Transportation Department said on Monday that safety regulators were still determining whether Toyota had additional violations that would warrant more penalties.

"We now have proof that Toyota failed to live up to its legal obligations," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement. "Worse yet, they knowingly hid a dangerous defect for months from U.S. officials and did not take action to protect millions of drivers and their families."

The penalty by the Department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would be the largest fine ever levied against an auto manufacturer by the government.

Toyota has the right to appeal the penalty.

The previous largest fine was $1 million against General Motors because of a windshield wiper failure in 2002-2003 model vehicles.

[Read more....]

The fine is the least of the problems... peanuts to Toyota. The real issue is the spate of litigation that is sure to follow... and the tarnish to their reputation.

I remember decades ago being told by my automotive industry boss that the reason the Japanese vehicles had such great quality reputations rested on their ability to force their customers to return to their dealerships or the warranty was voided. Once there, if a problem was found by the dealership and it was determined to be a warranty issue, the vehicle would be fixed... and the customer would never know there was a problem. Hence, the cars never had any problems... and they were vastly superior to U.S cars that got serviced at the local gas station.

Perhaps this practice of hiding problems just became ingrained too deeply.

2012 IS GETTING CLOSER

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Can"t Find It?

Use the SEARCH BLOG feature at the upper left. For example, try "Global Warming".

You can also use the "LABELS" below or at the end of each post to find related posts.

Blog Archive

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CO2 Cap and Trade

There is always an easy solution to every human problem—neat, plausible, and wrong.
Henry Louis Mencken (1880–1956)
“The Divine Afflatus,” A Mencken Chrestomathy, chapter 25, p. 443 (1949)
... and one could add "not all human problems really are."
It was beautiful and simple, as truly great swindles are.
- O. Henry
... The Government is on course for an embarrassing showdown with the European Union, business groups and environmental charities after refusing to guarantee that billions of pounds of revenue it stands to earn from carbon-permit trading will be spent on combating climate change.
The Independent (UK)

Tracking Interest Rates

Tracking Interest Rates

FEDERAL RESERVE & HOUSING

SEARCH BLOG: FEDERAL RESERVE for full versions... or use the Blog Archive pulldown menu.

February 3, 2006
Go back to 1999-2000 and see what the Fed did. They are following the same pattern for 2005-06. If it ain't broke, the Fed will fix it... and good!
August 29, 2006 The Federal Reserve always acts on old information... and is the only cause of U.S. recessions.
December 5, 2006 Last spring I wrote about what I saw to be a sharp downturn in the economy in the "rustbelt" states, particularly Michigan.
March 28, 2007
The Federal Reserve sees no need to cut interest rates in the light of adverse recent economic data, Ben Bernanke said on Wednesday.
The Fed chairman said ”to date, the incoming data have supported the view that the current stance of policy is likely to foster sustainable economic growth and a gradual ebbing in core inflation”.

July 21, 2007 My guess is that if there is an interest rate change, a cut is more likely than an increase. The key variables to be watching at this point are real estate prices and the inventory of unsold homes.
August 11, 2007 I suspect that within 6 months the Federal Reserve will be forced to lower interest rates before housing becomes a black hole.
September 11, 2007 It only means that the overall process has flaws guaranteeing it will be slow in responding to changes in the economy... and tend to over-react as a result.
September 18, 2007 I think a 4% rate is really what is needed to turn the economy back on the right course. The rate may not get there, but more cuts will be needed with employment rates down and foreclosure rates up.
October 25, 2007 How long will it be before I will be able to write: "The Federal Reserve lowered its lending rate to 4% in response to the collapse of the U.S. housing market and massive numbers of foreclosures that threaten the banking and mortgage sectors."
November 28, 2007 FED VICE CHAIRMAN DONALD KOHN
"Should the elevated turbulence persist, it would increase the possibility of further tightening in financial conditions for households and businesses," he said.

"Uncertainties about the economic outlook are unusually high right now," he said. "These uncertainties require flexible and pragmatic policymaking -- nimble is the adjective I used a few weeks ago."
http://www.reuters.com/

December 11, 2007 Somehow the Fed misses the obvious.
fed_rate_moves_425_small.gif
[Image from: CNNMoney.com]
December 13, 2007 [from The Christian Science Monitor]
"The odds of a recession are now above 50 percent," says Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com. "We are right on the edge of a recession in part because of the Fed's reluctance to reduce interest rates more aggressively." [see my comments of September 11]
January 7, 2008 The real problem now is that consumers can't rescue the economy and manufacturing, which is already weakening, will continue to weaken. We've gutted the forces that could avoid a downturn. The question is not whether there will be a recession, but can it be dampened sufficiently so that it is very short.
January 11, 2008 This is death by a thousand cuts.
January 13, 2008 [N.Y. Times]
“The question is not whether we will have a recession, but how deep and prolonged it will be,” said David Rosenberg, the chief North American economist at Merrill Lynch. “Even if the Fed’s moves are going to work, it will not show up until the later part of 2008 or 2009.
January 17, 2008 A few days ago, Anna Schwartz, nonagenarian economist, implicated the Federal Reserve as the cause of the present lending crisis [from the Telegraph - UK]:
The high priestess of US monetarism - a revered figure at the Fed - says the central bank is itself the chief cause of the credit bubble, and now seems stunned as the consequences of its own actions engulf the financial system. "The new group at the Fed is not equal to the problem that faces it," she says, daring to utter a thought that fellow critics mostly utter sotto voce.
January 22, 2008 The cut has become infected and a limb is in danger. Ben Bernanke is panicking and the Fed has its emergency triage team cutting rates... this time by 3/4%. ...

What should the Federal Reserve do now? Step back... and don't be so anxious to raise rates at the first sign of economic improvement.
Individuals and businesses need stability in their financial cost structures so that they can plan effectively and keep their ships afloat. Wildly fluctuating rates... regardless of what the absolute levels are... create problems. Either too much spending or too much fear. It's just not that difficult to comprehend. Why has it been so difficult for the Fed?

About Me

My photo
Michigan, United States
Air Force (SAC) captain 1968-72. Retired after 35 years of business and logistical planning, including running a small business. Two sons with advanced degrees; one with a business and pre-law degree. Beautiful wife who has put up with me for 4 decades. Education: B.A. (Sociology major; minors in philosopy, English literature, and German) M.S. Operations Management (like a mixture of an MBA with logistical planning)