SocraticGadfly: Dumb business op-eds day at NYT, part 2

June 25, 2011

Dumb business op-eds day at NYT, part 2

The Sunday NYT op-eds page has two real clunkers, both on business news. (I'm not counting MoJo Dowd's clunker about Obama being "bi" on gay marriage; I know that's what it's about without clicking the link, which I refuse to do.)

Anyway, back to business stupidity, and from the NYT's two business-focused columnists not named Paul Krugman. Dave Leonhardt and Joe Nocera both write clunkers, huge ones.

Leonhardt at least could have some degree of rightness in his column about college.

Joe Nocera's uncritical love affair with the Chevy Volt admits to no such rightness at all, though.

The reason Chevy's rollout is slow, Joe? Probably due to GM's continued suckitude with the vehicle, mixed with marketing come-ons landing suckers.

The cool gauge you talk about? The Prius first had that almost a decade ago.

The alleged way in which the Volt runs differently than a Prius? GM itself has admitted the Volt is a hybrid.

Nocera then uncritically accepts the views of auto analysts who diss the all-electric Nissan Leaf. Would these be the same who dissed the hybrid Prius, Joe? As for whether lithium-ion batteries are ultimately the best for electric cars, if they're not, the Leaf doesn't have to be rebuilt from ground zero, Joe. People made the same arguments about battery power and prices against the Prius, too, Joe. And, look how much Toyota improved the Prius from first to second generation.

Even more laughable, Nocera next absolves GM from any blame for killing the EV1.

Finally, he ignores how much behind timetable the Volt was through its whole development process.

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