The Case for SCTEX--The Untold Justification

This is in reaction to Messrs. Ado Paglinawan's and Ricardo Barcelona's emails/articles, which condemned in harshest terms the Subic-Clark- Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) extension to Tarlac City as totally unnecessary and for the sole benefit of Hacienda Luisita owners, then intimated that the Cojuangco's should refund the P32-billion construction cost to the government, in much the same way that Senator Manny Villar is being asked to refund the P6-billion extension cost of C-5. (The statement that the Cojuangcos should refund the P32-billion SCTEX cost is absurd because it is the total cost of the 94-kilometer expressway from Subic Port in Zambales to Clark in Pampanga to Tarlac City--and SCTEX is part of the nation's infrastructure system for the benefit of the people, not just of the Cojuangcos!)

I will deal with the need for SCTEX extension in this email and treat that of C-5 extension in a separate later email.

THE CASE FOR SCTEX EXTENSION TO TARLAC: MILLIONS OF LUZON TRAVELERS AS WELL AS THE NATION'S ECONOMY WILL BENEFIT FROM IT

We have often lamented the lack of vital infrastructures that deters both local and foreign investors from investing in our country, thereby helping make our economy the basket case in Asia. To address this need, the government has embarked on 17 URBAN LUZON BELTWAY infrastructure projects in "the nation's industrial heartland," as advertised in the Manila Bulletin issue of February 14, 2010, page 17. Number 2 in the list (after the Diosdado Macapagal Airport in Pampanga) is SCTEX from Zambales to Pampanga to Tarlac. Other projects included in the list are Subic, Dingalan, Batangas, Mindoro, Marinduque, and Lucena ports; SLEX Extension to Star Tollway; NLEX; Tarlac-Nueva Ecija-Dingalan Port Road; NAIA Terminal 3; etc.

If our economy has to pick up, we cannot postpone any longer the addressing, among other things, of our infrastructure needs. Toward this end, the SCTEX to Tarlac was constructed. Therefore, in evaluating this project, we have to look at the needs it will meet and the benefits it will provide. If we will say that it is not a priority project, then what should take precedence over it--the C-5 extension that duplicates in a circuitous fashion the original C-5 alignment, in a way like rounding the Cape of Good Hope instead of taking the short-cut Suez Canal route?

SCTEX Extension to Tarlac

Serves as De Facto Fusion of

MacArthur Highway in the West

and Maharlika Highway in the East

SCTEX to Tarlac is the partial answer to the long felt need for faster (or traffic-free) and safer highway to the north by Luzon travelers, including tourists, merchants, and haulers of goods. For, SCTEX can very well serve as the COMMON EXPRESSWAY by those coming from (or going to) northwestern, central northern, and northeastern LUZON (ILOCOS Region, CORDILLERA Administrative Region, and CAGAYAN VALLEY Region) in the Tarlac to Mabalacat leg of their journey to (and from) Metro Manila. As such, its construction is definitely justifiable- -certainly more justifiable than that of the duplicate C-5 extension.

With SCTEX up to Tarlac City, in the case of Manila-bound travelers passing through the Maharlika Highway and coming from northeastern Luzon (Cagayan Valley Region), upon reaching Talavera town in Nueva Ecija (about km. 132), they can now leave Maharlika Highway and proceed instead to alternate routes in inland Nueva Ecija (the relatively short distance from Maharlika Highway in Talavera to Tarlac segment of the Tarlac-Nueva Ecija-Dingalan Road, via Quezon-Licab towns or Aliaga town in Nueva Ecija) that lead to SCTEX Tarlac Interchange (about km. 125).

That way, Maharlika Highway travelers can avail themselves early enough of faster and safer EXPRESSWAY by way of the SCTEX that currently starts from Tarlac City on the way to Manila. Taking this diversion route is much better than pursuing the tortuous and traffic-prone continuation of the Maharlika Highway in Cabanatuan City, then to the Nueva Ecija towns of Sta. Rosa, San Leonardo, and Gapan, as well as Bulacan towns of San Miguel, San Ildefonso, San Rafael, Baliwag, Pulilan, and Plaridel, before finally entering the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) at Sta. Rita Interchange (km. 36) in Guiguinto, Bulacan on the way to Manila.

From Talavera, Nueva Ecija at km. 132 of Maharlika Highway, it is obvious how much time and torture travelers have to spend and endure further before reaching the fast and hassle-free NLEX at km. 36 in Bulacan via the same Maharlika Highway, compared to reaching the new similarly fast and hassle-free SCTEX at km. 125 in Tarlac, via diversion routes that connect to Tarlac-Nueva Ecija-Dingalan Road.

As additional benefit, with the diversion of many vehicles from Talavera, Nueva Ecija (km. 132) to SCTEX in Tarlac (and vice versa), volume of vehicles and traffic congestion in Maharlika Highway from Cabanatuan City (km. 116) to NLEX Sta. Rita Interchange in Guiguinto, Bulacan (km. 36) will be minimized.

For further information, annexed are two SCTEX maps (surfed from the Internet) with corresponding notation below each.

SCTEX Extension Will Do Away
With the Need for Superfluous NLEX
from Mabalacat, Pampanga to Tarlac City

The present NLEX ends at Sta. Ines (about km. 85) near MacArthur Highway in Mabalacat, Pampanga. In effect, the new SCTEX Mabalacat to Tarlac route starts where NLEX ends. From the SCTEX Mabalacat Interchange to Tarlac City Interchange, SCTEX does away with the need for expensive construction of NLEX Mabalacat to Tarlac City segment. Therefore, if SCTEX is in lieu of NLEX in the cited segment, it will benefit not just travelers using the Maharlika Highway but more so the regular NLEX users who exit at Sta. Ines and take the MacArthur Highway towards Baguio City, the Ilocos Region, and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

(Note: According to Wikipedia, the Clark-Tarlac segment of SCTEx is in fact the extension of Phase 1 of the North Luzon Expressway or NLEX.)

With SCTEX already constructed up to its terminal point in Tarlac City, NLEX need not duplicate the SCTEX Mabalacat-Tarlac City segment. Instead, NLEX construction can start where SCTEX ends at Tarlac City, then proceed further towards northern Luzon up to as far as available funds can finance. This should eventually include an NLEX branch connecting it to Maharlika Highway between Talavera town and Cabanatuan City.

SCTEX at Eastern Side of MacArthur

Highway in Tarlac City is Correct

Not Because of Hacienda Luisita

As constructed and shown on the annexed SCTEX maps, SCTEX passed at the eastern side--along Hacienda Luisita--instead of western side of MacArthur Highway in Tarlac City. This is correct because it provides a shorter and faster connection from SCTEX at Tarlac City to Maharlika Highway in the east. If SCTEX were at the western side of MacArthur Highway, to connect to and from Maharlika Highway in the east, vehicles have to cross MacArthur Highway and pass through traffic-prone areas of Tarlac City. Under the situation, to address the traffic problem, an expensive flyover together with widening of road may even be needed.

SCTEX Extension Supports the Role of Tarlac as Melting Pot and Industrial Hub in Central Luzon, as Well as Gateway to Northern Luzon

With the interconnection of Subic Port in the west coast and Dingalan Port in the east coast of Luzon, as well as the de facto merger of MacArthur Highway in the west and Maharlika Highway in the east of Luzon--all converging at the strategically located Tarlac City--Tarlac has become the melting pot and logical industrial hub in Central Luzon, as well as gateway to northern Luzon. Any imperative plan for the nation's industrialization will, therefore, have to consider Tarlac City as an ideal site for industrial zone. In this regard, part of Hacienda Luisita may indeed be considered for the purpose and the present SCTEX route is already geared towards that purpose.

* * *
In sum, with or without Hacienda Luisita, SCTEX to Tarlac is a fast and safe COMMON EXPRESSWAY needed by those traveling to and from parts of Central Luzon, Baguio City, the Ilocos Region, the Cordillera Administrative Region, and Cagayan Valley Region--in other words, practically the entire northern part of Luzon after Tarlac City.

MARCELO L. TECSON San Miguel, Bulacan

April 19, 2010
============ ========= ========== ==

NOTE: Those coming from Metro Manila and traveling to the north through NLEX can exit from NLEX at Mabalacat, Pampanga (after Dau Toll Plaza but before Sta. Ines), take the short southwest route to the SCTEX Mabalacat Interchange, then proceed northward to the present SCTEX terminal point at TARLAC CITY INTERCHANGE. From there, passenger cars, buses, cargo trucks, etc. can SPLIT and proceed towards the following MAJOR DESTINATIONS:

(1) Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Ilocos Norte, Baguio City, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Apayao in the ILOCOS Region and CORDILLERA Administrative Region;

(2) Maharlika Highway--the old Cagayan Valley Road--at Nueva Ecija (at Talavera town--bypassing traffic prone Cabanatuan City--via Licab and Quezon towns or via Aliaga town), then towards Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, as well as Isabela and Cagayan in the CAGAYAN VALLEY Region.

With SCTEX as new alternate route for travelers to and from northern Nueva Ecija up to Cagayan Valley Region, they can now bypass the Plaridel (Bulacan)-Cabanatua n City segment of the Maharlika Highway, thereby affording themselves a faster and safer route and at the same time helping reduce the heavy traffic, especially during holidays, in the bypassed Maharlika Highway segment, particularly in the towns of Plaridel, San Rafael, and San Ildefonso in Bulacan and Sta. Rosa in Nueva Ecija, as well as Cabanatuan City.

(3) Tarlac-Nueva Ecija-Dingalan Road, on the way to the towns of La Paz in Tarlac, Zaragoza and Sta. Rosa in Nueva Ecija (including part of Fort Magsaysay in Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija and Palayan City), and ultimately at Dingalan in Quezon Province, along the Pacific Ocean. With the completion of this road, Subic Port in the west coast is now linked to Dingalan Port in the east coast of Luzon.

Upon reaching the Sta. Rosa (Nueva Ecija) point of Maharlika Highway, travelers may likewise go southbound to northern Bulacan, or northward to Cabanatuan City towards Talavera, Nueva Ecija and the Cagayan Valley Region.

============ ========= ========= =========

To Dingalan Port (East Coast or Pacific Ocean)

NOTE: Southbound, Maharlika Highway leads to Bulacan on the way to Metro Manila; northbound, it goes to Cabanatuan City, northern Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Quirino, Isabela, and Cagayan in Northeastern Luzon.

The downward (as shown on the map) Tarlac-Nueva Ecija Road, which appears perpendicular to the Maharlika Highway at the Sta. Rosa point of the map, is actually the Tarlac-Nueva Ecija-Dingalan Road, the newly built downward extension of which leads to Dingalan Port in Quezon Province at the eastern corridor of Luzon, the opposite destination of which is the Subic Port at the western corridor, which can be reached via SCTEX.

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David vs Ms. Goliath

Now that the presidential contest has come to a statistical deadlock, I would like to bring the attention of the yahoo groups and global websites to other more edifying developments in local politics.

In the small town in Metro Manila called San Juan, the first mistress of Joseph Erap Estrada, Guia Gomez is running for the position to be vacated by the outgoing mayor, her son J.V.Ejercito.

Opposing her under the cause of good governance is Glenn Angeles, an unassuming lanky widower who is the grandson of Maximo Reyes Angeles, the first mayor of San Juan.

Glenn first ran as councilor and then vice mayor but could not get through the thick Ejercito cabal of traditional politics.

Now he is eyeing at the hizzoner's seat once and for all, because he is alarmed by the fact that the family scandal of the former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada is now being escalated to the top leadership of their small city.

Angeles said "When Erap's legal and moral wife Loi (Luisa Pimentel-Ejercito) ran for the same position many years back, we all supported her. But the matter of the first mistress following her footsteps is some thing else. 'Wala na ba tayong hiya? Wala na tayong dangal?' (Have we no shame, have we no dignity?) This is just going too far."

This widespread indignation is being shared by many voters of San Juan, because what aggravates this moral issue is that Guia Gomez' son J.V. who is running for congressman of the city's only district, did not perform well as mayor.

San Juan under the Ejercitos have been run like a close family franchise. Fleecing the local municipal budget and mulcting local businesses has been the standard operating practice. The market is dirty and has become the beehive of wheeler dealers and drug pushers, the city has deteriorated as site of choice for warehouse of technically smuggled and prohibited goods, traffic has gotten worse each year, education and health services stagnated and overpopulation created ghettoes, policemen turned lazy and violations of human rights became rampant. In short, the town became one big toilet.

This has irked Glenn Angeles, whose grandfather built the San Juan Public Market, the San Juan Municipal Hall and the Sta. Lucia Elementary School two generations ago.

His father, Pabling Angeles, had 28 years of public service, the last of which was serving as vice mayor of the city.

Glenn envisions a new San Juan where the fruits of Metro Manila's newest city will redound to visible public improvements, where the people can roam the city free from drug related crimes and violations of human rights, and live proudly and comfortably.

As a member of Couples for Christ Foundation for Family and Life and its ministry for mature single men Servants of the Lord (SOLD), he busies himself conducting Christian Life Seminars for San Juan constituents and other detainees at the Bicutan Drug Rehabilitation Center. As part of its Prison Ministry, Glenn is also active with SOLD lawyers defending poor litigants and victims of human rights abuses.

Angeles wants to wrest the public market away from the control of relatives and political cohorts of the incumbent family and restore it to truly serve the heartbeat of the people, free from petty and bigtime usurers. The mayoralty candidate envisions a Kapitbahayan Program or neighborhood alliances that together with a people-oriented police and firefighters force will make San Juan's inner streets and residents safe.

He is also proposing to conduct a social service survey and profiling of his constituents' needs especially of the city's less fortunate residents. "The seemingly perpetual Ejercito dynasty is in denial that we still have slums in our city. Our population density is one of the highest in Metro Manila, and this given our crowded streets have engendered real endemic problems," he said.

Glenn Angeles does not have a complicated party or machinery to fund so he does not owe any vested interests any fear or favor. No giant billboards and expensive media ads to recover expenses for; his main campaign occupation is to distribute his half-a-page leaflet and in going house-to-house explain to his constituents what he is all about and what his dreams for San Juan are. This is most doable because the city has only 21 barangays in a total area of 3 square miles.

Like any candidate of Ang Kapatiran Party, his political capital are integrity, sincerity and a servant heart that he is offering his birthplace and his beloved citizenry.

Those who wish to join this cause for moral and political reform in San Juan City, can email "Ang Kapatiran" where you can also ask how you can send your contributions to Glenn Angeles for Mayor of San Juan directly.

Godspeed to you all.

***************************************************************

Ado Paglinawan is a former press officer of the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC who occasionally contributes to the Philippines Daily Inquirer. He writes for various email groups and blogs under the pseudonym "mymaestro888". Ado has best served overseas Filipinos as a resource person providing inside information and backgrounders about the celebrated fertilizer scam that rocked the Philippine Agriculture Department and the Presidency since 2004.

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It's Confirmed - The kleptocrat is coming to Washington DC!

I got it straight from the Philippine Embassy - La Gloria has managed to swing an invitation by the Obama administration for a visit to the US before the end of the month.

Of course the officialdom is already painting the red, blue and white colors of her visit under the shibolleth of "stronger alliance and cooperation" but i think it is also about time we welcome her in Washington DC to answer frank questions about her own administration's dark records in corruption or for that matter in human rights. I will however defer the matter of human rights especially the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines to my Senator from Virginia - Jim Webb.

As we speak, the United States Department of Justice has since November 14, 2007 been in receipt of information submitted to it by a private think tank based in California concerning corruption and related crimes involving mail and wire fraud, money laundering and violation of RICO and U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Acts (FCPA), including New York's anti-enterprise corruption law, that directly affect the President and the First Gentleman.

Barry Sabin, then deputy assistant attorney-general, expressed his appreciation for the group's interest in protecting U.S. and international financial systems against financial crimes. "The Deparments of Justice, the Treasury and State," Sabin wrote "actively assist countries seeking to recover official assets misappropriated by kleptocrats."

"The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the investigative arm of the Department of Justice and we rely on the FBI to do the initial fact finding for federal criminal issues...The FBI will review the materials (submitted) and determine whether a federal investigation may be warranted."

The rap sheet indicted "President Arroyo and her husband, Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo a.k.a. Jose Pidal, and co-conspirators, among others, his former secretary, Victoria Toh, reportedly a resident of Canada; GSIS president Winston Garcia; Pagcor chair Efraim Genuino; former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante and DBP president Reynaldo David for diverting and illegally investing public funds in Wall Street whose profits were allegedly skimmed off during bull market."

The think tank said that "when the funds were dissipated by losses caused by the U.S. financial markets meltdown, they washed their hands off while their own illicit gains were not touched and invested in real estate and other holdings including foreign deposit accounts in U.S. and international banks."

According to the information, "The Arroyos’ private co-conspirators include San Miguel Corporation (SMC) CEO Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. ex-Marcos trade and industry minister Roberto Ongpin, ex-trade and industry undersecretary Tomas Alcantara, ex-Arroyo’s publicist Dante Ang, Henry Sy, Lucio Tan (see below); ICTSI president Enrique Razon Jr. and many others to be named later as evidence against them is gathered."

"They received enormous favors from the Arroyos’ of sweetheart contracts for public works and enterprises or to take over government owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs). These private businessmen obviously paid off the Arroyos for the favors and they are likely to testify against the Arroyos to save their skins if and when they are indicted especially in the U.S. for their crimes," the group added.

America has an obligation to ferret out the involvement of these persons in the light of what an international treaty dictates as obligations of countries in curbing their culpability in financial crimes. The United Nations Convention Against Corruption is explicit in its intents, while the Philippines and the United States are committed signatories.

The treaty says “Countries agreed to cooperate with one another in every aspect of the fight against corruption, including prevention, investigation, and the prosecution of offenders. Countries are bound by the Convention to render specific forms of mutual legal assistance in gathering and transferring evidence for use in court, to extradite offenders. Countries are also required to undertake measures which will support the tracing, freezing, seizure and confiscation of the proceeds of corruption.”

To enforce the UNCAC President George W. Bush promulgated in August 2006 the “U.S. Strategy to Internationalize Efforts Against Kleptocracy” mandating the U.S. Government and its laws enforce the convention under this salient provision which reads, as follows: “A critical element in our fight against grand corruption is our effort to deny kleptocrats access to fruits of their corruption. The United States has a wide range of mechanisms to prevent, detect, and prosecute grand corruption, and trace and recover the proceeds of such corruption. We employ the full range of our authorities and tools in a comprehensive, strategic way to target assets misappropriated by current and former senior foreign government or political officials, their close associates and immediate family members, or other politically exposed persons (PEPs).”

What remains to be an perplexing question is why President Barack Obama seems to be playing footsies with the most notorious kleptocrat in the world today. Many are therefore asking - has Obama reversed the Bush doctrine on kleptocracy? This is what its invitation to Gloria appears to indicate. And malicious thinkers opine that the Arroyo billions have contaminated the White House, after all Barack himself is also running for reelection in 2012 and can use the money.

This is particularly suspicious, as President Arroyo herself has been making unexplained detours in recent trips, notably when she made an unscheduled trip to Cartagena, Colombia between her visits to Japan and Brazil. No less than Makati mayor Jejomar Binay said that the Filipino people deserved an explanation for this breach of protocol because she is travelling on Philippine taxpayers' expense.

Almost perfect cover was the alleged hosting by businessman Jaime Augusto Zobel and wife Lizzie, a Colombian. But Cartagena is not even the capital of Colombia. Cartagena is Colombia’s second largest port, second only to Buenaventura where a known Arroyo crony, businessman Ricky Razon of International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) has invested $180 Million.

Speculation is rife that the Cartagena trip was really to make a quick connection to Panama. If you goggle "Panama offshore banking", this is one of the items you would most likely capture:

"Expedited Panama Bank Account Service. You can have a Panama Bank Account in 1-3 days. When you order our expedited service you can have your bank account open in just 3 days. It is also now possible to get a bank account and corporation in 24 hours using our rush service. This option does not require you to come to Panama. Select clients can now be interviewed without travelling to Panama." This of course could be made possible with the ICTSI connection.

Border crossings seems to be a pattern for the Arroyos.

Mike Arroyo stayed behind after his wife’s European visit in July 2006. Gloria Arroyo announced that her husband was staying behind in Spain to trace his ancestral links to St. Theresa de Avila. A source said that with a female travelling companion, Mike Arroyo went to Lugano which is "third behind only Zurich and Geneva as a Swiss banking center".

These are interesting leads for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

But it will hold water only if President Obama has not turned his back on the American people and is not yet in the kleptocrat's tank.

***************************************************************

Ado Paglinawan is a former press officer of the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC who occasionally contributes to the Philippines Daily Inquirer. He writes for various email groups and blogs under the pseudonym "mymaestro888". Ado has best served overseas Filipinos as a resource person providing inside information and backgrounders about the celebrated fertilizer scam that rocked the Philippine Agriculture Department and the Presidency since 2004.

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Follow PJ @ Facebook, NetworkedBlogs, & Twitter



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Auto bailout: By all means but where are the solid reforms?

By Adolfo Paglinawan

Car manufacturing, like the housing market, is one of the top job creators in any economy. The sub-industries connected to it could be endless.

There are 1,700 to 2,200 parts in an average vehicle, so that alone will give you a fair idea of how many factories collaborates just to put one vehicle on the road. And when they are there, how many shops and business are there to service it during its life? How many other products are there that are related to motoring like traffic lights, guard rails and Jersey walls, highways and rest stops, motels and restaurants, parking lots, gas stations and tire shops, restrooms and car washes, oh really endless...?

I am sensitive to the issue of auto bailout because I was involved in the automotive industry in the Philippines for twelve years. While most of that time were in marketing, the Japanese made sure I knew my product knowledge by training me for a combined 18 months in Tokyo and Nagoya, including such basics as disassembling and assembling a car engine.

When the industry collapsed in 1984, I had invested many years in the development of the Toyota Tamaraw. Some of my concept designs in Asian Utility Vehicle (AUV) category resemble derivatives like the Revo and Innova that came out many years after I left the industry. So this is where I am coming from.

Yes, here is no doubt that the American automotive industry must be bailed out. In fact it must be funded further to make sure that American cars are not only pleasing, efficient and durable but that they would be marketed abroad. That said, American dollars should also be invested to collapse protectionism abroad, if not then there should be a move to introduce protectionism in-country, but moderated.

Why? Because the Japanese market subsidizes the loss in profit margins experienced by Japanese products abroad, and that is why they can sell lower in foreign markets. On top of that, their "customer-first" philosophy has enabled not only good products but best product mixes. For instance, Toyota alone has the low-priced Scion, the mid-priced Toyotas and the premium-priced Lexus.

American cars have also greatly improved. But they trade their access to hybrid models for more market access within the US., for instance the Vibe is really a Matrix, the small Ford SUV is a Mazda etc. The American auto industry must redefine its vision along lines what is good for the American consumer and not just follow the lead of the Japanese, a self-induced mentality of cannot-lick-them-so-join-them that has worked in favor of the import rather than the importer.

The American car executive must also resist its tendency to transplant its obese values to the product. A few years ago, Detroit sent the gas guzzlers to their graves - remember those hotdog-looking station wagons. Well they are back in today's bloated SUVs. As a result, markets disappear when the fuel environment changes as what we have experienced since four years ago.
And now that the public have been traumatized, who in his right mind would buy a Hummer?

When the Americans cannot compete with the Land Cruisers, they made the Expedition. Not content with that they introduced the Excursion. While they were doing this, the Japanese maneuvered to enable an SUV to match every pocket. Toyota alone has the Scion Xb and Xd, the Rav4, the Highlander, the Forerunner, the Lexus 300, the Land Cruiser, the Lexus 470.

Not content while Detroit was distracted on the big SUV race, the Japanese relentlessly pursued its green models giving birth to the Prius and the Matrix, thus paying off in gold when the gas pumps went as high as $4 to a gallon. As a result, I think Toyota now controls 56% of the hybrid market. They know Americans always wants to think big, faster but nowadays whose pockets can go as and big and rapid as their cars? They sure look awesome, but who can pay the monthly installment or lease in a recession.

There should also be a stimulus package that can be designed when one buys an American car product. Why, the US government subsidizes its farmers, so why not its industrial workers by way of incentives for patriotic consumers. If the citizenry do not benefit, they will not patronize - that is a key value i learned from an American auto dealer from California in the late 70s. People, in the final analysis, buy benefits not products.

Technology-wise there is no reason why the American cannot now compete with the Japanese and the Koreans. But American national pride must form part of the recipe to make their products sell and last in the market. Every Japanese value the CEO as their "sacho-san" or an equivalent of a demi-god. but sachos are also expected to commit harakiri when they fail their corporate community and the nation.

Finally, the greed that underscored Wall Street is also true to Detroit. Top-level auto officials must be paid in accordance to the value they serve their industry. The corporate pay must be restored to meritocracy. Burn the poofers, publish their names and make them famous. For heavens sakes CEOs - crash those corporate jets and just drive to Washington DC for the Congressional hearings!

The world renowned true American spirit is not evident in the American car products. But the American wants are, and that is why a complete rethinking is in order.

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