Detroit’s decades-old philosophy of “bigger, faster, more” may come to a screeching halt if Barack Obama is elected president. Speaking at a GM plant in Wisconsin this week, Obama said that while GM is making progress with its hybrid vehicles, the domestic auto industry needs to do much more if it wants to stay competitive in the international car market.  

The question is not whether a clean energy economy is in our future, it's where it will thrive. I want it to thrive right here in the United States of America; right here in Wisconsin; and that's the future I'll fight for as your President.

My energy plan will invest $150 billion over ten years to establish a green energy sector that will create up to 5 million new jobs over the next two decades – jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced. We'll also provide funding to help manufacturers convert to green technology and help workers learn the skills they need for these jobs.

Obama has not been timid about criticizing Detroit for its aggressive resistance to higher fuel economy standards, and said Japanese companies have done far better than their Detroit counterparts to develop energy efficient vehicles.

Obama wants to reduce oil consumption by at least 35 percent, or 10 million barrels per day, by 2030. To accomplish that, he proposes doubling fuel economy standards within 18 years. His plan calls for increasing CAFE by 4 percent a year, which would result in a 38 mpg standard by 2016.

In order to help Detroit stay competitive in the international market and build more hybrid vehicles, Obama proposes retooling tax credits and loan guarantees for domestic auto plants and parts manufacturers. On the demand side, he wants more tax credits for consumers who buy hybrids or other ultra-efficient vehicles. He also would like to see more investment in advanced vehicle technology, such as more lightweight materials and new engines.

Obama has a mixed, but respectable track record on environmental issues, but his ideas for reducing our dependence on foreign oil are sound and within reach. The alternative is to let Detroit continue dragging its feet, and we can watch the domestic auto industry go up in smoke before long.