Industry Alliance to Feds: Keep on Truckin'
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and National Automobile Dealers Association have launched a new website dividing the country into "car states" and "truck states." If that doesn't give the game away, the url might: AutoChoice.org. That's right: the carmakers (BMW Group, Chrysler, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Mazda, Mitsubishi Motors, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen) are defending Americans' right to choose a light truck (SUVs, pickup, vans and minivans) instead one of them little high mileage runabouts. The villain of the piece: [unnamed] federal legislators who would regulate both car and truck fuel economy using the same formula. The official defense: "Continuing to meet the vehicle needs of recreation enthusiasts and American family vacations is a paramount concern of automakers. Pick-ups, SUVs and crossover vehicles are instrumental in meeting those needs." While it's kinda cool checking the percentage of car vs. light truck registrations by congressional district, I wonder why the industry is so worried about this potential facet of CAFE standards– as it doesn't have a hope in Hell of happening. So I called "The Alliance."
More by Robert Farago
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Here's a novel idea. How about we let people drive whatever the hell kind of car they want? Instead of threats of violence by government agents with guns, let the market decide. Oh wait, somehow feel-good threats of force against a few million Americans will offset the global impact of billions of Chinese heating, cooking, and manufacturing. I'm about ready to give up and let people like GEMorris above have the gawdamned fascist government-by-force society they want.
" Let the market decide" Well said Tommy J. The only reason I don't use a full sized 4 X 4 V8 powered pick up for my winter vehicle is 4 cdn $ gallon gas.
Same here. My wife drives a Honda CR-V to work each day. I ride a BMW motorcycle to work and don't even have a car. Many laborers where I live who earn $1,200 a month choose to blow $900 a month rolling around in a ridiculous Dodge Ram 3500 4x4 MegaCab. It's retarded, but that's their choice! I hate fascists more every day. They think the solution to every problem is yet another government threat of violence to *force* someone to do something. Threats and violence are not the way.
We have a BMW X3. We get excellent mileage, and it is a SUPER low emmissions vehicle. Combine that with the fact that we live close to where we work and therefore drive almost half of what the average citizens do, and we will be happy to compare "Carbon Footprints" with most anyone. We bought the X3 for my wife when we lived in Calgary. She walked to work, but wanted a safe vehicle for use when she did need to drive, and that could carry 4 adults with ski gear and luggage. Would someone please explain why we are BAD people, but the people who use more gas driving a compact (especilly the old, poorly maintained ones with sticker pollution on the trunk and smoke coming from the pipe) while telling us how to live are somehow righteous? [ tapping foot ] ...still waiting.