By George Hartzman
The following was previously left by George Hartzman as a comment to my post A Better Idea For Greensboro Bonds. I thought it should stand on its own.
Could the next big thing be a car you can fix by yourself if you had to?
Is it conceivable, that through public and private partnerships, the Piedmont Triad could create more than 10,000 jobs by designing and manufacturing a high quality, simply designed, inexpensive, fuel efficient, modifiable automobile with interchangeable parts that can easily be exchanged between different model years, like the 70’s and 80’s Jeep CJ7’s and VW Beetles?
Employees could be paid on productivity and profitability
and executive pay wouldn’t exceed 25 times the average salary.
Parts could be easily shipped to just about anywhere from the Triad.
Designs and manufacturing equipment from defunct companies should be relatively inexpensive at the moment.
Most Americans would support the concept.
Inexpensive replacement parts.
Manual windows.
Textile interior.
Easily up-gradable.
Residents of the municipalities receiving subsidized capital
could receive a stake.
There is plenty of available manufacturing space in the Piedmont Triad, some of which could be bartered for in exchange for equity.
Design to be slept in if necessary.
Designed with a high enough clearance to be worked on without a jack.
Partner with GTCC for worker education.
Partner with Cone for health care.
All parts made in North Carolina
or somewhere in the United States if necessary.
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Editor's note: Greensboro has the talent, skill and expertise to make this happen. Greensboro has the engineers, technicians, tool and die makers, electricians, sheet metal mechanics, engineers and industrial designers necessary. We even have OEM automotive parts manufacturing right here in the Piedmont currently producing parts for Ford, Chrysler, Mercedes Benz and Nissan. What we currently lack is the political vision and will to make it happen. These are the kinds of jobs that can afford to pay for things like performing arts centers. And with the world headquarters of companies like Thomas Built Buses, Mack and Volvo Trucks right here in Greensboro how hard could it be to find the expertise? After all a truck is just a bigger car.
