A Report from a U.S. Auto Manufacturing Plant Floor

I just got home from a party at which I talked with a guy who worked on an assembly line at a U.S. car manufacturing plant.

This is as close a paraphrase of the essence of what he said as I can remember:

"Quality control is a joke...We smoked dope a lot... Our welds were okay--usually. (He laughed.) My cars didn't squeak--usually. (He laughed.)... And we'd put coke cans and dead rats into the axle to see if QC (quality control) would find it. They never did." (He laughed.)

The Government Warrantees U.S Cars?!

Just when I think the Obama administration couldn't do anything more unwise, he announces that the government will ensure that all American-made cars receive warranty coverage.

Why do I believe that's so unwise?

1. Can you just imagine: The government will have to set up inspection centers to verify, for example, that a balky engine is caused by a factory defect rather than the need for new spark plugs, which is the owner's responsibilty.

2. As with many government giveaways, many people will fabricate claims. Think of how much fraud exists in, for example, welfare and Medicare.

Is it really worth yet more of our tax dollars to create yet another bureaucracy to prop up an industry that makes bad, overpriced cars, thereby stifling competition from new companies that might build excellent ones?