We Can Advance the American Dream.(NEWS)

Byline: Dutch Mandel

A WISE MARKETING GUY ONCE said that to get his team on the same page of a battle plan, instead of holding a "retreat, he conducts "advances. By his thinking, there's little room for success when you're running away.

Detroit's automakers must heed these words. They've been taking body blows from Wall Street to Capitol Hill to Main Street. In that short time, however, they have gotten religion, begun their metamorphosis, their transmogrification, their tectonic and paradigm shifts and are working toward salvation. If they are to succeed, it will be with the many pounds of flesh removed from their backsides.

But they're ready to fight. It's time for their advance.

Specifically, anyone who cares about cars must work to change the way America thinks about American cars and trucks. What Detroit needsreally, what it has earnedis consideration when buyer confidence returns from a battered economy.

Now, some reading these words might scoff. These are the same people who believe that Detroit failed to build cars America wantsmicro-hybrid green carseven though before the economic implosion, Detroit's market share accounted for nearly half of all vehicles sold. These are also the ones who pooh-pooh the fact that Detroit makes more hybrids than any other automaker. They also refuse to accept that Detroit holds more green patents than all other automakers combined.

Don't get me wrong, and don't confuse what I'm saying: I am not an apologist for an industry that has gotten itself into this situation. But I am willing to look at facts, drive and evaluate the products on merit, see the future technology unfolding and realize that Detroit is not getting the benefit of any doubt. The automakers are getting the shaft.