How Volkswagen Proved a Very Important Point
On Monday, Volkswagen admitted that they designed and installed an emissions system on their diesel vehicles that intentionally lowered emissions results to pass state requirements when being monitored, then returned the emissions to a higher level after being disconnected.
If you don't live in an area that requires smog checks, you may not know what this means.
In Nevada and many other states that have issues with smog, before you can register your car annually, you must submit it to an emissions test. Smog testing facilities (which is it me or is there one on every corner until you need to have your car smogged then suddenly they disappear?) connect your car to their computer, run a test and you either pass or fail.
It is to reduce air pollution. Las Vegas is in a valley and during certain times of the year, the air turns brown and it is difficult to breathe. Los Angeles has this issue as do many other urban areas. Limiting emissions has a huge impact on air quality.
So Volkswagen- also the maker of Audi & Porsche- intentionally designed their diesel cars to fake out the test.
In normal running conditions, their cars exceed the standard.
On purpose.
They did this on purpose.
Try to put your head around this.
A large corporation intentionally created technology because they did not want to comply to air standards.
And it's not just the US EPA that is having issues. This is a global issue.
They did it because quite simply they don't give a shit and the rules don't apply to them.
What's going to happen to them?
They file bankruptcy.
Reorganize.
Shareholders lose out.
The poor people that have their cars are stuck with cars that don't meet standards and they can't sell.
They intentionally were poisoning the air.
Just like when Ford, a few years back, decided that rather than recall the Explorer because the tires they put on them caused them to tip over, it was more cost effective to pay out the death claims.
Your life is work x on a spreadsheet. Because they made a mistake they didn't want to fix.
This wasn't even a mistake. This was designed to do exactly what it did. Which is what truly makes my jaw drop. The audacity is breathtaking.
I'm sure people will yell that we need more regulation and oversight to stop this type of nonsense.
But there IS regulation and oversight. That's how these things are revealed.
A few whistleblowers put their lives and livelihoods on the line and say "Hey... you need to check this out. This is wrong."
And it takes a few times and a few investigations to find that yes, a major auto manufacturer absolutely with intent and knowledge devised a system to avoid compliance with the law.
How on earth do you regulate THAT?
That's morality.
Corporations are out of control.
In the US they officially have more rights than people.
They can manufacture toxic fertilizers and nothing happens. They bury the evidence and with bravado challenge people to take them on-- they have legal teams. What do they care?
We write more laws. They continue to break them.
We had financial rules in the US. They were broken. Society is still recovering. Corporations are fine.
But you can't legislate morality.
You can't.
At some point, people need to realize there is a right and a wrong.
Because there is.
The executives at Volkswagen not only screwed the environment, they screwed every single one of their workers. Every person on the line. Every sales person. Every service rep. They screwed their customers who are stuck with cars that aren't compliant and they can't sell or trade in.
Hundreds of thousands of people are impacted. People who trusted them the most.
And. They. Did. It. Intentionally. For. Years.
"We really screwed up."
You lied and cheated.
You are immoral.
You are unethical.
Toyota's floor mat issues- that was a design flaw. It happens.
This. This was something entirely different.
This is what happens when corporations run the world.
The rules no longer apply.
It becomes a catch-me-if-you-can society.
This was not a mistake.
The mistake was in getting caught, in their eyes.
They would still be doing it if they could
And do you honestly think this is the ONLY thing they cut corners on or lied about?
Because my guess is, it's probably not.
Because whether it's gouging prescription drug prices, polluting rivers, not paying employees- they don't care.
Because they are corporations.
And corporations are not people.
And it's time the people that are running them are held accountable.
Because they do know better.
If you don't live in an area that requires smog checks, you may not know what this means.
In Nevada and many other states that have issues with smog, before you can register your car annually, you must submit it to an emissions test. Smog testing facilities (which is it me or is there one on every corner until you need to have your car smogged then suddenly they disappear?) connect your car to their computer, run a test and you either pass or fail.
It is to reduce air pollution. Las Vegas is in a valley and during certain times of the year, the air turns brown and it is difficult to breathe. Los Angeles has this issue as do many other urban areas. Limiting emissions has a huge impact on air quality.
So Volkswagen- also the maker of Audi & Porsche- intentionally designed their diesel cars to fake out the test.
In normal running conditions, their cars exceed the standard.
On purpose.
They did this on purpose.
Try to put your head around this.
A large corporation intentionally created technology because they did not want to comply to air standards.
And it's not just the US EPA that is having issues. This is a global issue.
They did it because quite simply they don't give a shit and the rules don't apply to them.
What's going to happen to them?
They file bankruptcy.
Reorganize.
Shareholders lose out.
The poor people that have their cars are stuck with cars that don't meet standards and they can't sell.
They intentionally were poisoning the air.
Just like when Ford, a few years back, decided that rather than recall the Explorer because the tires they put on them caused them to tip over, it was more cost effective to pay out the death claims.
Your life is work x on a spreadsheet. Because they made a mistake they didn't want to fix.
This wasn't even a mistake. This was designed to do exactly what it did. Which is what truly makes my jaw drop. The audacity is breathtaking.
I'm sure people will yell that we need more regulation and oversight to stop this type of nonsense.
But there IS regulation and oversight. That's how these things are revealed.
A few whistleblowers put their lives and livelihoods on the line and say "Hey... you need to check this out. This is wrong."
And it takes a few times and a few investigations to find that yes, a major auto manufacturer absolutely with intent and knowledge devised a system to avoid compliance with the law.
How on earth do you regulate THAT?
That's morality.
Corporations are out of control.
In the US they officially have more rights than people.
They can manufacture toxic fertilizers and nothing happens. They bury the evidence and with bravado challenge people to take them on-- they have legal teams. What do they care?
We write more laws. They continue to break them.
We had financial rules in the US. They were broken. Society is still recovering. Corporations are fine.
But you can't legislate morality.
You can't.
At some point, people need to realize there is a right and a wrong.
Because there is.
The executives at Volkswagen not only screwed the environment, they screwed every single one of their workers. Every person on the line. Every sales person. Every service rep. They screwed their customers who are stuck with cars that aren't compliant and they can't sell or trade in.
Hundreds of thousands of people are impacted. People who trusted them the most.
And. They. Did. It. Intentionally. For. Years.
"We really screwed up."
You lied and cheated.
You are immoral.
You are unethical.
Toyota's floor mat issues- that was a design flaw. It happens.
This. This was something entirely different.
This is what happens when corporations run the world.
The rules no longer apply.
It becomes a catch-me-if-you-can society.
This was not a mistake.
The mistake was in getting caught, in their eyes.
They would still be doing it if they could
And do you honestly think this is the ONLY thing they cut corners on or lied about?
Because my guess is, it's probably not.
Because whether it's gouging prescription drug prices, polluting rivers, not paying employees- they don't care.
Because they are corporations.
And corporations are not people.
And it's time the people that are running them are held accountable.
Because they do know better.
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