What’s politically correct for General Motors won’t be good for small car-driving Americans.
GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, and Nissan reportedly have caved in to Obama demands that corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards be raised to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. The automakers have been told to be prepared to show for an announcement ceremony on Friday.
But as we are reminded on the front-page of today’s Investor’s Business Daily in “D.C.’s Deadly Fixation On Auto Fuel Economy Mandates“, this deal will accomplish little but the killing and maiming of more small car drivers, who tend to be in the lower income brackets.
The Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Sam Kazman told IBD,
If CAFE were a private product, it would be recalled immediately.
We’re thinking of selling a line of gear for future Obama-car drivers. What do you think?
It’s a helluva price to pay for pointless fuel savings.
I’ve never had a problem with an electric vehicle that can do what my ICE vehicles can, but to arbitrarily decide that we must live within 15 miles of our place of work smacks of over social engineering. At a steady state an electric vehicle may have a range of 75 miles on level ground. That only exists in a lab.
I think the government should just mandate that we all live in major population areas, in nice concrete multi-family homes (so no one feels inferior), make the same amount of money, place the overweight folks on the 12th floor walkup for exercise, and have a small refrigerator filled with soy enhanced wood pulp products. I don’t however like what seems like an American version of Soviet dachas and fast lanes for the party faithful and technocrats along with special stores.
Welcome to the 1970’s. We are going backwards.
I do not understand why you did not get out and pet it! 😉
Same with me, but I was driving a Tacoma Pre-Runner. I needed a new grill, but the rest was fine.
I hit a deer in my SUV and it would have been through the windshield in a smaller car. I was telling this to a young woman with liberal views and a social worker degree living an urban lifestyle. She couldn’t understand why I just didn’t slow down and not hit the deer. Another of the societal divisions over misanthropic environmentalism is the urban v. suburban / rural.
If you can’t conceive of anything but taking the bus or a cab, you really have no idea of the necessities of a different life. Nature in one form (heat, cold, deer) or another (such as the laws of ecomics providing less mobility for more money and having to give up even a suburban existence) will illuminate the folly of the 55 mpg electric car driver eventually. Probably about the time the next level of CAFE standards go into effect and Obama leaves office.
Obama should practice what he preaches. Get rid of his staff car and have a VW bug Have his security in Toyata vans. This would save money. Also trade the 747 for a cessna 170. He won’t be so quick to go over to Europe nor anywhere else
I wonder if Obama expects to be president then? With his ego, probably.
One of the great things, I as a European admire on America, is that big cars are not a luxury in America, but a common good for everyone. And that many of them are even hugher than most luxury cars in Europe. If CAFE standard is raised or such a standard exists at all, that’s a destruction of greatness to me, comparable to what destroying all the castles in Europe is to a lover of ancient architecture.