"Hybrids are an interesting curiosity" says GM's Lutz

I've gone off on GM executive Robert Lutz before, but I'm going to do it again.

"Hybrids are an interesting curiosity and we will do some," says Lutz, "But do they make sense at $1.50 a gallon? No, they do not."

This statement exemplifies everything wrong with American corporatism - everything is about short term profit, even at the expense of American lives.

Is 30 percent better fuel-efficiency on a small car really important?

Ask the fathers and mothers of soldiers killed in Iraq that question, Mr. Lutz.

Hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius and the Honda Accord hybrid are important because they demonstrate that America doesn't need to be dependent upon foreign oil.

Apparently, however, that's not important to you Mr. Lutz?

Fortunately, vehicles like the Toyota Prius and the Accord hybrid, pushed American auto companies into action. Thus, Ford released the Escape hybrid, and significantly more fuel-efficient hybrids are on the way.

The Toyota Highlander hybrid and the Lexus RX 400h hybrid will soon offer American consumers three different hybrid SUVs, with more soon to follow. While I am not a huge SUV fan, I am huge hybrid SUV fan when compared to a standard SUV.

The point is, without hybrid cars, there never would have been hybrid SUVs.

Yet, there will not be a hybrid SUV from GM until 2007 or 2008.

While Mr. Lutz can continue to putz around his company's complete lack of environmental concern, or lack of worry for American soldiers, more and more Americans have had enough.

Yes, Mr. Lutz, to many of us hybrid cars are worth the extra cost, even if gas is only $1.50 per gallon. Terrorism, pollution, global warming and Iraq, Mr. Lutz, make cheap gas insignificant if that cheap gas leads to billions of tax-payer dollars being spent on wars and military machinery to "protect" our oil interests.

If cheap gas and conventional automobiles mean that 1000s of young Americans need to die to ensure GM's poor business practices will continue to be profitable, then yes, I absolutely demand a hybrid car, Mr. Lutz.

And it's not just me. Millions of Americans are more than willing to spend an extra few thousand dollars to help save one American life, let alone thousands, sir.

At some point, Mr. Lutz, doing the right thing is more important than money, even for a huge multinational corporation like GM. Ignore that fact at your own peril.