Decision day for Webb, Mikulski

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/06/20/decision-day-for-webb-mikulski/

Decision day for Webb, Mikulski.

The Senate will vote today on whether to weaken proposals to make our cars run farther on less gas. The current energy bill includes a provision that requires all cars and light trucks to get 35 miles/gallon by 2020 — the first fuel economy increase in decades. Sen Carl Levin (D-MI) has proposed an amendment favored by automakers that would severely weaken these standards. The two key swing votes in the Senate are Jim Webb (D-VA) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MA). Call their offices toll-free through the Capitol switchboard at [phone], and tell them to take the climate crisis seriously and oppose the Levin energy amendment.

[endarkenment]

1. Mikulski D-MD not D-MA nt.

[SteppingRazor]

2. Sad how Levin's always so dependably Democratic until legislation involves autos n/t

[LeftishBrit]

3. Might this be something to do with his state being the seat of the car industry!

[endarkenment]

4. Yes sure but this is stupid.

Every auto manufacturer would be on the same footing. It is idiocy to view this as protecting our auto industry. in fact it is assuring that we will slide further behind as foreign manufacturers (and what a quaint concept that is on our little global prison planet) build fuel efficient cars and trucks that gas prices alone will drive consumers to buy. It is classic foot-shooting of the worst sort.

[ShortnFiery]

5. One out of every ten pick-up trucks has "any use" type look at all.

I'm so tired of the B.S. argument that "wees need our big ass picky up trucks and SUVs for our work." IMO there could be easy ways of confirming this fact (need it for work - hauling, storing tools, etc.) without giving EVERYONE a buy. :shrug:

[SteppingRazor]

6. Well, I don't think it's a good idea to mandate government approval just to buy a freakin' truck.

I do think, though, that trucks can be made almost as fuel-efficient as cars, and should be. Make demands of the corporation, not the consumer.

[ShortnFiery]

8. JUST, those gas guzzling monsters appropriately serve CONTRACTORS and ELECTRICIANS

but hell no! The days of driving Sherman Tank-like vehicles all over the USA has passed. We need to own up to that fact and "deal with it." Europe and Japan are doing just fine with scaled down cars (and trucks!).

"But wees must be Cowboys Bay-bee?!?" :puke: :thumbsdown:

[SteppingRazor]

9. I agree that gas-guzzling monsters should be put out to pasture...

I just think that should be accomplished by mandating higher fuel standards of the automakers, not demanding that people justify their purchase of a larger vehicle to some gov't bureacrat who can deny one's application for an SUV or some such thing. Just two ways of dealing with the same problem, really. The end result would be the same — far less gas-guzzling monsters on the roads. I just think it's better to get rid of the gas-guzzlers at the source, rather than trying to squeeze them out after they're already on the car lots.

[ShortnFiery]

10. Then we agree! Up the standards. :-)

I love it when that happens. :hi:

[endarkenment]

7. One used to have to get commercial plates for certain vehicles.

But I agree with the other poster that you should not have to get authorization to buy a vehicle.

Instead a carbon use tax with a built in per-capita credit, collected at the pump would self adjust the bigasssuv problem, along with CAFE standards that should not stop at 35, and should be far more aggressive than 2020.

[davidwparker]

11. done. I just called my Senator Webb. It sure is great having a Dem senator.

It was tough when all I had was Allen and Warner.