[sustran] Re: Auto industry and prosperity

[BruunB at aol.com]

I have little to add to most of the great comments and critiques, except for 
one thing
mentioned recently.

I question whether the auto industry is really an engine of prosperity in 
general. I think it is an engine of prosperity for the countries that EXPORT 
autos. The US has been a great boost to the Japanese auto industry in general 
and the European luxury car markets. But autos also generate enormous costs, 
both monetary and non-monetary. Again, I refer to Kenworthy, Newman, et.al 
that shows that cities that have a higher auto dependence consume far more of 
their wealth on autos. This can be viewed as a drag on the economy if one 
believes that people could live just as well with less auto use. Atlanta 
region citizens spend twice as much per year on transportation as Munich 
region citizens, and I would argue that they have a lower quality of life, 
spending much of their time in traffic jams if they have autos and struggling 
to get around if they don't. There is certainly much more poverty and 
hardship in Atlanta than in Munich. Some of this has be explained by the 
forced expenditures on autos people can not really afford, but must have in 
order to get to work, to get to stores, etc.

Eric Bruun