Obama Criticizes Automakers on Fuel Economy
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/07/us...gewanted=print

DETROIT, May 7 — Senator Barack Obama of Illinois criticized American
auto companies today for doing too little to lessen the nation’s
dependence on foreign oil and said the United States must adopt a more
aggressive energy policy.

In a speech that hit hard at the failings of Detroit automakers, Mr.
Obama, a Democratic presidential candidate, said Japanese companies had
done far better than their Detroit counterparts to develop energy
efficient vehicles.

Mr. Obama, speaking to a sold-out meeting of the Economic Club of
Detroit, proposed stricter fuel economy standards, wading into a debate
under way in Washington on increasing the corporate average fuel
economy, now at 27.5 miles a gallon for cars and 24 miles a gallon for
light trucks.

“For years, while foreign competitors were investing in more
fuel-efficient technology for their vehicles, American automakers were
spending their time investing in bigger, faster cars,” he said,
according to a text of his remarks. “And whenever an attempt was made to
raise our fuel efficiency standards, the auto companies would lobby
furiously against it, spending millions to prevent the very reform that
could’ve saved their industry.”

Mr. Obama was making his first visit to Detroit since beginning his
presidential campaign. Significantly, he was introduced by Mayor Kwame
Kilpatrick of Detroit, also a Democrat, who has not endorsed a
presidential candidate.

Mr. Kilpatrick called Mr. Obama “presumably, maybe the next president of
the United States.” Mr. Obama received a standing ovation before his
speech, a rarity for an Economic Club event.

In his speech, Mr. Obama proposed stricter fuel economy standards,
greater availability of tax credits to consumers who buy hybrids or
other ultra-efficient vehicles and subsidies to help automakers pay
health care expenses in return for greater investment in advanced
technology.

He asserted that his proposals would save the United States 2.5 million
barrels of oil a day, which he said would be the equivalent of halting
oil imports from the Middle East and would remove 50 million cars’ worth
of pollution from the road.

In article <133vgql650cur30 (AT) corp (DOT) supernews.com>,
Jim Higgins <gordian238 (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote:

How correct he is.
Of course the consumers finally realized their error in buying gas
guzzlers and moved to more efficient vehicles leaving the Big 2.5
sitting on their gas guzzlers.

"who" <i (AT) notaspammer (DOT) net> wrote


I cant blame the car manufacturers for this. They make what people
will buy. Americans have NOT yet seen the need to abandon the
gas guzzlers.

If this is ever going to be done, it wont be done conscientiously
by the manufacturers and the buyers. Big brother may have to
step in.....and big brother cant even enforce the immigration laws.

Sen. Obama is the typical Democrat/Liberal/Bolshevik senator - he
isn't saying anything that Al Gore and numerous other morons in the
Demorat party haven't already said.

If he wants to look somewhere to blame someone for the USs dependence
on foreign oil, all he has to do is look at his side of the isle in
the Senate. ANWR, off-shore CA, off-shore FL - all area with promise
of huge oil fins, all put off limits by the Demorats and the
enviro-wackos.

The car manufacturers build, for the most part, what America wants to
buy. Otherwise they'd be up to their eyeballs in inventory (yes, I
know about Chrysler's present situation, which proves my point).

Instead of increasing the CAFE standards we need to ELIMINATE them.
Where does the government get off telling us (even in this back door
way) what kind of vehicles we will buy? This isn't a Communist country
yet (though the Demorats are working 24/7 to turn it into one)

Hybrids are not the answer: in total energy consumption (including
what is used in the manufacture of the vehicle) a Prius takes more
energy than an H1 Hummer and causes much more pollution (check out
Sudbury, Ontario, Canada and the nickel processing).

Anyway, Mr. Obama is just another hack pol grandstanding to get
himself some ink.

Regards,
Bill Bowen
Sacramento, CA

Jim Higgins <gordian238 (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote:

On Tue, 08 May 2007 08:39:43 -0700, William H. Bowen <wh_bowen (AT) sbcglobal (DOT) net>
wrote:

The American consumer is an ASS !

In the 70's the Democratic congress had the balls to;
eliminate leaded gas
impose pollution standards
set mileage standards for cars
( for a while ) impose the "double nickle" speed limit.

Who fought it tooth and nail.... The Auto Industry !
Every asshole with a 12 mpg behemoth
is using the gas that would power 3 X 36mpg sedans.

That ASSHOLE cuts into the gas supply,
and creates shortages that drive up prices for everyone.




<rj>

<RJ> wrote:
While Detroit was wailing and moaning about how they could not meet the
new requirements the foreign manufacturers had already met the
requirements. Does not say much for Detroit's credibility but it is an
indictment of their laziness and lack of innovation for anything other
than their favored class of vehicle-the Behemoth Belchfire Eight. No
wonder the Little Three are so very far behind the eight ball.

"Jim Higgins" <gordian238 (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote

I'm from Illinois and Obama unfortunately is my senator, but I did not vote
for him! He was a state legislator and he won the senate race by DEFAULT as
his opponent (who I would have voted for) had cancer, was under treatment
and opted out, which gave the seat to Obumha. If he should (by some miracle)
happen to run for president I'll vote for Mickey Mouse!

That may be your opinion but it is actually not the case, the imports only
beat the domestics buy importing small cars that the domestic do not offer.
Check the 2007 CAFE guide, domestics do better on average than the imports,
in the size vehicles where they compete with domestics. Those vehicles are
where the US market is centered and the type of vehicles most Americans want
and need. That is why the real growth in import sales have been in bigger
more powerful cars, SUVs, trucks and luxury cars, not small cars. Look at
Honda they say they are the most fuel efficient manufacturer, but they
spend most of their advertising money on there SUVs and so called 'trucks'
LOL

mike


"Jim Higgins" <gordian238 (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote

"William H. Bowen" <wh_bowen (AT) sbcglobal (DOT) net> wrote

As long as idiots continue to think that there is an infinite supply of
cheap
petroleum, these sorts of problems will continue.

Yes, "Bubba" want a 600 cid pickup truck and $0.50 per gallon gas.

If you think that this country is like a Communist country, you obviously
have never been in a Communist country.