PDA

View Full Version : Trading blood for oil: Feinstein (D-CA) proposes increasing gas mileage standards



Little-Acorn
05-10-2007, 02:24 PM
With Democrats newly in majorities in Congress, they are looking at yet another proposal to mandate increased gas-mileage standards for automakers.

Higher mileage can certainly be had. Mostly by building smaller, lighter cars. Expensive methods such as developing dual-drive "hybrid" vehicles can nearly double the price of the car, eating up any potential fuel cost savings and more, as well as pricing these highlky-effficient bvehicles out of the range of what most people who buy cars of that size, can afford.

And just as inevitably, driving smaller, lighter cars, translates directly to more injuries and deaths from car crashes. Study after study has shown that, when two small cars collide, the resulting injuries and deaths are worse on average, whan when two large cars collide. And of course, when a small car and a large car collide, it's not difficult to predict which car's occupants will come out worse.

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) is proposing a bill to force auto makers to increase their corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards. Apparently Ms. Feinstein believes that the savings in fuel would more than offset the thousands of additional deaths that would result.

Recently we have been treated to TV pictures of "protesters" carrying leftover signs screaming "NO BLOOD FOR OIL". When do you suppose they will visit Ms. Feinstein's office to remind her of the (possibly unintended) consequences of her plans?

Has there ever been a time when one of these do-gooder legislators has looked out beyond the rosy glow of their own idealistic vision, to the real world where people suffer the REAL consequences of what they propose?

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-cafe9may09,0,3790776.story?coll=la-opinion-leftrail