Ford asks Congress for more tax incentives for hybrids

Yesterday, I wrote about how Bill Ford, CEO of Ford Motor, was appealing to the American people to stand behind the American auto industry.

Well, he also appealed to the government to help the American auto industry again become innovative, urging Congress "to offer a package of tax incentives to make the country less dependent on foreign oil and to drive innovation in the struggling domestic auto industry," according to the LATimes. Citing hybrid cars and ethanol, Mr. Ford stated, "If we put our heads together and keep in mind our shared interest in America's future, I'm confident that we can innovate our way toward the right solutions."

While I agree that the government should help, it is very disappointing that Ford and GM didn't take more proactive action a decade or two ago. Yes, we probably should help bail them out through quality tax-incentives, but these auto companies and their executives owe a lot to the American people. Instead of leading America, their lack of innovation has lead to the firing 10's of thousands of people, helped imperil the Nation's pension system, and now they are asking for more handouts.

We gave them a billion just a decade ago to produce an American Prius, and they accomplished almost nothing. What a shame.

This time, there can be no more excuses.