WSJ Holman Jenkins Jr: "Tesla is a Compliance Company"

[rxlawdude]

It's a shame to see "journalism" that is biased toward short-sighted and selfish policies.

Fortunately, it's not all "journalists."

Coincidentally, one of the classes I teach is corporate/organizational ethics. When one boils it down, for-profit corporations, by their nature, are devoid of ethics because their sole purpose is to make money for shareholders. Those that are progressive and have some social conscience are rare birds, but you hit it on the head. "Cheap gasoline" is only cheap at the pump. All the external costs (health, environment) are totally ignored for someone else to pay.

 

[Beckler]

Well.....I think Mr. Jenkins needs to take a trip back to the 60s and 70s here in Southern California to fully comprehend what the original generation of automobiles could do to the environment in which we live. A couple of days ago, I had the pleasure of driving past Pasadena - this is August - and actually see the mountains! That was not possible until this state demanded cleaner automobiles...and power plants, too. California'a standards went on to shape the global automobile industry's priorities...and are cars are cleaner, safer and more efficient than ever.
I was working in Detroit in the 70s, and watched our traditional auto makers seemingly spend more time on lobbying against emission regulations than on meeting those regulations. In the process, the Japanese took over a huge portion of the market. It comes down to leadership, doesn't it?
So...how will Detroit address Zero Emission Vehicles? Fight or comply?

This is a powerful paragraph and I enjoyed reading your insight and experience - thank you sir.

 

[Chuq]

The annoying is that it seems you need to pay to subscribe to leave a comment. So all the comments are from the type of people who would be WSJ subscribers. Not generalising all subscribers, I'm sure some of you here are, but it does lean a certain direction..

I'm always looking for a more democratic way to respond - I found @HolmanJenkins on twitter but he isn't very active. He does have some fans though...

Dennis Kneale on Twitter:
Dennis Kneale on Twitter:

Steve Voeller on Twitter:

Steve Milloy on Twitter:

 

[wdolson]

I felt compelled to remind Mr. Jenkins that the goal is to clear the air...something that does not come up in his opinion. The state and Federal government set the rules for creating cleaner cars, and Tesla set about to meet the need. I posted this comment on his WSJ piece:

Well.....I think Mr. Jenkins needs to take a trip back to the 60s and 70s here in Southern California to fully comprehend what the original generation of automobiles could do to the environment in which we live. A couple of days ago, I had the pleasure of driving past Pasadena - this is August - and actually see the mountains! That was not possible until this state demanded cleaner automobiles...and power plants, too. California'a standards went on to shape the global automobile industry's priorities...and are cars are cleaner, safer and more efficient than ever.
I was working in Detroit in the 70s, and watched our traditional auto makers seemingly spend more time on lobbying against emission regulations than on meeting those regulations. In the process, the Japanese took over a huge portion of the market. It comes down to leadership, doesn't it?
So...how will Detroit address Zero Emission Vehicles? Fight or comply?

I agree. I grew up in the San Gabriel Valley during that time and moved away in 1984. I learned when I moved away that I was allergic to smog. Having chronic allergies was just the way life was back then.

Having good enough weather in August to see the San Gabriel mountains is amazing. LA has gone a long ways towards cleaning up their air! I think stronger clean air standards are a good idea from a public health perspective if nothing else.