M O N D A Y , O C T O B E R 0 4 , 2 0 0 4Oil, Gas Guzzlers and National Securityby Michael in New York on 10/04/2004 09:58:00 PMA fine New Yorker article by John Cassidy weaves together thedifficulties of achieving energy independence, our current quagmire,the hidden gas tax we pay via our Defense Department budget,President Carter's foreign policy that everyone has followed since andmuch more.One absurd fact:"A quicker and less costly way to conserve fuel would be to tighten upthe Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency standards, which President Fordintroduced.</p><p> The fuel-efficiency requirements—27.5 miles per gallonfor cars; 21 miles per gallon for light trucks—have hardly beenraised since 1986.</p><p> Moreover, many S.U.V.s are officially classed aslight trucks, which means they are subject to less stringentrequirements.</p><p> If this loophole was closed, at least according to someestimates, demand for gasoline would drop by a million barrels aday—two-thirds of what we import from Saudi Arabia."We've done nothing to demand more fuel efficient cars in almost 20years and haven't closed the loophole involving SUVs, the mostpopular category today? That's insane.President Kerry (God willing) should call in the big auto makers andtell them it's their duty to the nation to do everything they can.</p><p> Heshouldn't ask them, he should tell them they MUST improve fuelefficiency dramatically and make those cars widely available (they'renot keeping up with demand for hybrids).And Kerry should publicly tell them he'll inform the American peoplethat WHATEVER company introduces an affordable, significantly morefuel efficient car will get his endorsement that it's ourPATRIOTICDUTY to buy that car -- whether it's made by Ford or GM or Toyota orHyundai or Honda.</p><p> And if the losers don't like it they can make onejust as competive themselves and he'll add it to the list.</p><p> Just athought.</p><p> And don't tell me this won't solve the problem.</p><p> Every drop ofoil (and blood) counts.</p><p> MINI Fuel Efficiency40 Miles Per Gallon. 41 with a Good Tailwind.www.MINIUSA.comCaliber Fuel EfficiencyLearn About the New Fuel Efficient 2009Dodge Caliber at Dodge.com!www.Dodge.com/CaliberIncrease Your Car's MPGLearn More About how Castrol GTX® CanImprove Your Fuel Efficiency.www.sludgeprotection.com/Castrol Add New Comment Logged in as AnonymousUser Logout from DisqusLogged in as Daily Kos"Difference isn't a threat" - Dave Neiwert, theblogosphere's leading expert on the eliminationistmovement, has a typically excellent post about theweekend's tragic shooting at Croo...4 minutes agoFiredoglakeConyers Explains Failure to Impeach - The HouseCommittee on the Judiciary Majority Staff haswritten a Final Report to Chairman John Conyers,Jr. last month (March 2009), REINING IN THEIMPERI...14 minutes agoHuffPost PoliticsAllison Kilkenny: Obama, Nukes, and the World -While Obama's pursuit of nuclear disarmamentwould be noble, double standards, favoritism, andfear-mongering are cancerous elements that robthe U.S. of res...19 minutes agoEschatonDeep Thought - Why is Chris Hayes always on myteevee?1 hour agoCrooks and LiarsNCAA Basketball Open Thread - Satire from TheOnion.</p><p> Yeah, yer brackets are in the toilet.</p><p> Openthread for the NCAA Championship game, a regularopen thread appears at 8:30 Pacific Ti...1 hour agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S The 2009 Honda PilotNamed #1 SUV by Car and Driver.Learn more at the Official Site.www.honda.comToyota HybridFind the Car that Fits You: VisitYour Illinois Toyota Dealer Now!www.buyatoyota.comFord fuel economyLearn More About ENVI & the NewChrysler Fuel-less Vehicles Today.www.ChryslerLLC.comFuel EconomyFuel Economy Guide atedmunds.com Find Unbiased CarBuying Research.www.edmunds.com/fueleconomy AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Oil, G...http://www.americablog.com/2004/10/oil-gas-guzzlers-and-nati... 1 of 64/6/09 10:36 PM
