My Rooney thoughts for December 7, 2014

Today was the day that exactly seventy-three years ago a great president said, “It was a day that will live in infamy.”   Today is the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, the day that the Land of The Rising Sun inadvertently awoke a Sleeping Tiger.  The Japanese viewed the bombing of Pearl Harbor as a necessary pre-empty strike necessary to ensure a victory for their country.  The return on their investment was as contradictory as their country’s culture was to Americans of that period.  On the one hand, they lost the war and became an occupied country for decades.  But, on the other hand, they became the third largest economy in the world.

James Michener, author, said in one of his books, “never was a country so lucky as to lose a war as Japan.”  It’s true, they lost, the United States won.  In fact the Japanese feel so grateful that just last week one of Japan’s largest auto parts manufacturer, Takata Corporation, felt secure enough to tell our congressmen to go fly a kite. Whoa, that’s gutsy.

Takata is the company which makes the exploding air bags that has prompted tens of thousands of cars to be recalled, mostly in our southern states.  At first, it was my perception the issue was with GM cars, but later events and reporting reveal it has affected several different car manufactures. Congress has demanded they issue a nation-wide recall. Yet, Takata has steadfastly refused to issue such a recall.  Apparently, they’ve got about as much respect for congress as the American people, little to none.

Here’s an interesting factoid: this isn’t the first recall that Takata has been involved in.  In 1995, most all, if not all, Japanese cars sold in the U.S. were found to have defective seat belts.  Takata claimed it was improper use of the belts by the customer. Our own NHTSA (National Highway Transportation Safety Administration) did a lengthy investigation and discovered the buckles were made with ABS plastic, which weakens from long exposure to ultraviolet rays.   It was also discovered that Honda hid the defect for almost five years before it was reported.

So, what was the outcome: Takata Corporation now supplies air bags and other car parts not only to Japanese car manufacturers but to most all of the American car makers.  Wow, our congress showed them.  Don’t know about you but I’m a bit more nervous getting into any car.  Another thing that makes me nervous is will China use the same strategy for getting a larger foothold in America?  If China decides on a surprise attack, will our military force be up to the task now that Congress has let our nuclear force deteriorate and skunk our army.  Hopefully, our new Congress will come together.