A Car Czar in Washington?

{
  "authors": [
    "David Rothkopf"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "",
  "programs": [],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "North America",
    "United States"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Political Reform",
    "Economy"
  ]
}

In The Media

A Car Czar in Washington?

As lawmakers appears to be finalizing a bailout package for the automobile industry, experts disagree over the prudence of this bailout. Many believe that the government should stick to what it has historically done best—regulating and adjusting incentives to guide industry—rather than attempting to invest in and manage the auto industry.

By David Rothkopf

Published on Dec 10, 2008

Source: NPR's On Point

As lawmakers appear to be finalizing a bailout package for the automobile industry, experts disagree over the prudence of this bailout. On NPR’s On Point, David Rothkopf argued that the government should stick to what it has historically done best—regulating and adjusting incentives to guide industry—rather than attempting to invest in and manage the auto industry. He emphasized the fact that the government is not good at managing companies, and the current panicky atmosphere should not fool us into making another hasty mistake like the Wall Street bailout.

Moreover, giving the government a significant stake in the auto industry might create conflicts of interest with the energy reform goals of the next administration. The government’s ownership stake could make it slower to embrace a system-wide shift in energy policy and regulation, which would be a mistake in an era when this type of change is vital for protecting our climate, our national security, and our economic stability.

About the Author

David Rothkopf

Former Visiting Scholar

David Rothkopf was a visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment as well as the former CEO and editor in chief of the FP Group.

Recent Work

In The Media
How Bush, Obama, and Trump Ended Pax Americana
- David Rothkopf
In The Media
A Bigger Clubhouse
- David Rothkopf

Political Reform Economy North America United States

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Commentary
Diwan
In the Trump Gaza Plan, Diplomatic Failure is Success
By failing to address Palestinian representation, the current process is bound to lead to just another temporary arrangement.
Nathan J. Brown
Paper
Egypt’s Military Landlord Economy and its Limitations
The armed forces champion a form of capitalism that is generating revenue, but its reliance on rent faces diminishing returns, leaving the country with massive sunk costs and deferred returns, deepening dependency on external borrowing.
Yezid Sayigh
Article
From Hormuz to the Maghreb: The Geopolitical Reach of a Gulf Crisis
Morocco and Algeria, each in its own way, are having to navigate the global economic fallout of the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran.
Yasmine Zarhloule
Commentary
Diwan
New Syria, Old Lebanon: Absence of the State
Any move by the United States to make good on Trump’s suggestion that Washington persuade Damascus to confront Hezbollah militarily would have catastrophic consequences.
Kheder Khaddour
Commentary
Diwan
Lebanon Should Try to Place Hezbollah on the U.S.-Iran Table
As talks begin between Washington and Tehran, Beirut has an opening to advance a regional plan for the party’s disarmament.
Michael Young

A Car Czar in Washington?

More Work from Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Commentary

Diwan

In the Trump Gaza Plan, Diplomatic Failure is Success

By failing to address Palestinian representation, the current process is bound to lead to just another temporary arrangement.

Nathan J. Brown

Paper

Egypt’s Military Landlord Economy and its Limitations

The armed forces champion a form of capitalism that is generating revenue, but its reliance on rent faces diminishing returns, leaving the country with massive sunk costs and deferred returns, deepening dependency on external borrowing.

Yezid Sayigh

Article

From Hormuz to the Maghreb: The Geopolitical Reach of a Gulf Crisis

Morocco and Algeria, each in its own way, are having to navigate the global economic fallout of the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran.

Yasmine Zarhloule

Commentary

Diwan

New Syria, Old Lebanon: Absence of the State

Any move by the United States to make good on Trump’s suggestion that Washington persuade Damascus to confront Hezbollah militarily would have catastrophic consequences.

Kheder Khaddour

Commentary

Diwan

Lebanon Should Try to Place Hezbollah on the U.S.-Iran Table

As talks begin between Washington and Tehran, Beirut has an opening to advance a regional plan for the party’s disarmament.

Michael Young