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Friday, May 11, 2007


Obama Still Making It Up

I tended to give Obama a pass (except for poking fun at him) when he said that 10,000 people died in the Kansas Tornado.  (The correct number was 12).

But now I think he’s like Gore (overcrowded classrooms etc) willing to make up anything he has to to make a point.

Obama this week flew to Detroit to deliver his message that the U.S. auto industry is the villain for “investing in bigger and faster cars while foreign competitors invested in more fuel-efficient technology.”

The domestics certainly haven’t flooded showrooms with gas/electric hybrids like the Japanese. But in fairness, the newest Japanese assembly plant in the U.S. produces 14-m.p.g. Toyota Tundra pickups, not Prius hybrids rated at 60 m.p.g.

“While our fuel standards haven’t moved from 27.5 miles per gallon in two decades, both China and Japan have surpassed us, with Japanese cars now getting an average of 45 miles to the gallon,” Obama said.

“I’m not sure where he got that figure,” Toyota spokesman Mike Michels said. “No carmaker gets 45 m.p.g. Ours is closer to 30 m.p.g.”

What a fool.  Anyone with a grip on reality would realize that while the Japanese car makers make smaller cars they aren’t that much smaller.  And anybody who’s not an idiot would realize what kind of car makes 40 miles per gallon and then realize how few there are out there.

Finally anyone who’s aware would realize that the American consumer wants to buy the cars they want to buy.  The reason why GM doesn’t make a ton of small bitty bitty cars is because they wouldn’t sell.  The American consumer does not want to buy a little clown car to drive their 2.4 kids to the park.

It really would be asking too much of Obama to notice how many new small cars are selling now under the new market conditions.  The price of gas has more or less doubled and the market has moved to reflect that.  We don’t need his stinking meddling in the market to tell us what to drive.

I’m even more frightened by this:

Obama did offer Detroit an olive branch, a choice of federal dollars to pay for up to $7 billion of the domestics’ annual health-care costs for retirees through 2017 or $3 billion through 2017 to help retool plants to build more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Retiree health care at GM alone cost $5 billion last year, so $7 billion for the entire industry over 10 years was more austere than august.

A long time ago the auto industry and unions made a terrible mistake by agreeing to pay for retiree health care.  Right now they both are suffering for it.  So why should we taxpayers be held to account for their stupidity and lack of foresight?

 

 

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Comments

Every time he screws up he puts Hillary a step closer to the nomination

Mickey on May 11, 2007 at 06:21 am

Yep, frankly I think that Hillary is such a known quantity that we are better running against her than an unknown. 

Plus she’s do damn unlikeable.


1% of Americans pay 40% of the income tax.
5% of Americans pay 60% of the income tax.
10% of Americans pay 70% of the income tax.


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The Whistler on May 11, 2007 at 06:24 am

Whistler,

I disagree the we do better running against Hillary next year.  Of course, much will depend on who the GOP selects as its candidate, but Hillary is very carefully avoiding the trap of swinging too far to the left to pander to the Dem’s DU/MoveOn/Kos wing to get the nomination.  She will have a much easier time selling herself as a moderate once she is nominated than any of the “Seven Dwarfs.”

There is also the fact that, sadly, there are a lot of people in this country who vote with no clear idea of what the candidates actually stand for or what they propose to do.  Hillary consistently has the highest negatives of any candidate for president, but whether those voters who are put off by her would vote for the GOP alternative, or merely stay at home is still an open question.

Meanwhile, there are an awful lot of people who would vote for her for no better reason than that she is NOT male and NOT a Republican.  The Hildabeast is dangerous… more so than any of the other Democrats, including Obama.

Speaking of Obama… funny we haven’t heard the word “gravitas” lately, isn’t it?


“Capitalism is optimism monetized.”

Bat One on May 11, 2007 at 06:49 am
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Hillary is very carefully avoiding the trap of swinging too far to the left to pander to the Dem’s DU/MoveOn/Kos wing to get the nomination

And, should Hillary lock up the nomination, she would rush flank speed to the center, assured that the left-wing nut buckets wouldn’t have a choice but to vote for her, and then she could work full time on fooling as many in the center as possible.


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Proof on May 11, 2007 at 06:59 am

I’m with The Whistler on this one.  Obama is too shallow to run against.  It’s like running against a cartoon character.

I’m also opposed to welfare for the UAW.  Those bastard make excessive pay, have crazy benefits, and retire early and now the rest of us, in addition to having already paid too much for automobiles, are supposed to pay for their health care?  What a load of crap.

electnixon on May 11, 2007 at 07:02 am

electnixon,

I wouldn’t worry much about the UAW.  They are about to slide onto the ash heap of history.

GM just lost their #1 in the world status to Toyota, and is struggling mightily to stay afloat.  Ford, which has dumped $ billions into some very unwise “international” purchases, seems to be able to sell nothing but trucks in the US.  The Germans are almost frantic to unload Chrysler, and will likely do so at fire sale prices to the first private equity firm that makes a marginally reasonable offer.  Said private buyer will dump the UAW as the very first order of business.

Like Wimpsinger’s airline mechanics union back in the halcyon days of Eastern, the UAW has effectively priced themselves, and their employers, out of the market.  The autoworkers union are the wheelwrights and buggywhip makers of the modern automobile industry.  They won’t be missed.


“Capitalism is optimism monetized.”

Bat One on May 11, 2007 at 07:32 am

Bat, The early polls pretty much have Hillary running 40% would never vote for her, 30% definitely will.

My opinion is that it will be tough for Shrillary to convince 2/3rds of the undecided.

I hope that Obama gives her a good run.  That will pull her to her natural leftie home.  The further left she goes the harder it will be for her to move back to the center.

It’s like running against a cartoon character.

Its like punching Jello.


1% of Americans pay 40% of the income tax.
5% of Americans pay 60% of the income tax.
10% of Americans pay 70% of the income tax.


The Whistler's signature
The Whistler on May 11, 2007 at 07:51 am

“Yesterday, House Democrats once again showed the electorate why they cannot be entrusted with the nation’s national security. Incredibly, the Democrats are insisting that the Intelligence Authorization Act include a provision funding a global warming study. Texas Democrat Silvestre Reyes, Intelligence Committee Chairman preposterously argued that “this is an area where we may be vulnerable in terms of potential terrorists.”
American Thinker article….

Joel on May 11, 2007 at 08:06 am

but Hillary is very carefully avoiding the trap of swinging too far to the left to pander to the Dem’s DU/MoveOn/Kos wing to get the nomination.  She will have a much easier time selling herself as a moderate once she is nominated than any of the “Seven Dwarfs.”

Someone needs to convince Kucinich to run as an independent in the general election.  That would give the far left an option other than Hillary.


“Although I can accept talking scarecrows, lions and great wizards in emerald cities, I find it hard to believe there is no paperwork involved when your house lands on a witch.”
- Dave James

Steve L. on May 11, 2007 at 12:03 pm

Steve L,

Yeah… but he does add a certain symmetry to the loopy candidacy of Ron Paul.


“Capitalism is optimism monetized.”

Bat One on May 11, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Avatar for JulieAnna

Actually, Obama didn’t make anything up.

If you go here:

http://www.autoproject.org.cn/english/new_advance_en/Pew.pdf

You’ll find an October 2004 report on “Comparison of Automobile Fuel Efficiency and GHG Emission Standards around the World.” Scroll down to the table on page 15, “Fleet Average Fuel Economy…” and for Japan, the average mpg is 45.4. The graph on page 16 reflects the same thing.

Incidentally, the Toyota representative quoted in the article is in the U.S.—he obviously has no idea what he’s talking about when it comes to the cars being made IN Japan.

Obama was, in fact, correct.

JulieAnna on May 12, 2007 at 08:22 am
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More on Obama-rama here.. But fuel efficiency isn’t the only issue.

There is a tradeoff between safety and efficiency. The National Academy of Sciences concluded that CAFE standards contributed to as many as 3,200 additional fatalities each year, because downsized cars are less safe in accidents. Other studies from the Brookings Institution and the Competitive Enterprise Institute put that number significantly higher.


Shrugging off the mindless, baseless attacks of Liberal hyenas and jackals since 2007

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”(Proof) You’re, as we say in Hawaii, No Ka Oi!”

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Proof on May 12, 2007 at 08:45 am

Red necks drive gas hogs.  Why does the government hate non-rednecks.


1% of Americans pay 40% of the income tax.
5% of Americans pay 60% of the income tax.
10% of Americans pay 70% of the income tax.


The Whistler's signature
The Whistler on May 12, 2007 at 09:17 am

So Julianna, Obama actually wants to force us to drive the Japanese Domestic cars?  Does he want to make us live in those hive things the Japanese sleep in rather than hotel rooms?


1% of Americans pay 40% of the income tax.
5% of Americans pay 60% of the income tax.
10% of Americans pay 70% of the income tax.


The Whistler's signature
The Whistler on May 12, 2007 at 09:21 am
Avatar for JulieAnna

Whistler, I have no clue about what Obama wants to ‘force us to do,’ if anything. You would have to ask him.

But I DO think a correction should be made to the original claim that Obama is ‘making things up.’

JulieAnna on May 12, 2007 at 09:56 am

He said we were falling behind in “fuel efficient technology” to China and Japan.

Their cars aren’t higher tech, they’re just little bitty clown cars.


1% of Americans pay 40% of the income tax.
5% of Americans pay 60% of the income tax.
10% of Americans pay 70% of the income tax.


The Whistler's signature
The Whistler on May 12, 2007 at 10:24 am
Avatar for JulieAnna

Very interesting read, Proof. I found this report from the National Academy of Sciences:

http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10172

“Effectiveness and Impact of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards”

The information on safety issues begins on pg. 25. I couldn’t find anything that says there are “3,200 additional fatalities each year, but they DO conclude that:

But it is clear that there were more injuries and fatalities than otherwise would have occurred had the fleet in recent years been as large and heavy as the fleet of the mid-1970s

Obviously, we’re way past the point where we can return to cars as large as those produced in the mid-1970s.

But there was something else mentioned on the page you linked to that I’m a tad confused about. Obama said:

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.

Why would they do that? Did they all sign some suicide pact? So I found more of his speech, elsewhere, and learned he went on to say:

Even as they’ve shed thousands of jobs and billions in profits over the last few years, they’ve continued to reward failure with lucrative bonuses for CEOs.

It just makes no sense for them to do this, to lobby against what he claims “could’ve saved the industry,” and for what? Massive job losses, loss in profits, but the ONLY thing driving them to do this was so they could reward those at the top with lucrative bonuses? And it wasn’t just one car company (I could imagine one foolishly doing this, and all the others holding them up as an example of what NOT to do) but the entire industry did this, damning their own futures?

JulieAnna on May 12, 2007 at 10:37 am
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reform that could’ve saved their industry.

That’s known as “editorializing”, not necessarily to be confused with “fact”.


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Proof on May 12, 2007 at 10:43 am
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A 1989 Harvard-Brookings study estimated CAFE “to be responsible for 2,200-3,900 excess occupant fatalities over ten years of a given [car] model years’ use.”  Moreover, the researchers estimated between 11,000 and 19,500 occupants would suffer serious but nonfatal crash injuries as a result of CAFE.16

CAFE Standards Kill: Congress’ Regulatory Solution to Foreign Oil Dependence Comes at a Steep Price


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Proof on May 12, 2007 at 10:48 am
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The evidence clearly shows that smaller cars have significant disadvantages in crashes. They have less space to absorb crash forces. The less the car absorbs, the more the people inside the vehicle must absorb. Consequently, the weight and size reductions resulting from the CAFE standards are linked with the 46,000 deaths through 1998 mentioned above, as well as thousands of injuries. It is time that policymakers stop defending the failed CAFE program and start valuing human lives by repealing the standards.

Why the Government’s CAFE Standards for Fuel Efficiency Should Be Repealed, not Increased


Shrugging off the mindless, baseless attacks of Liberal hyenas and jackals since 2007

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”(Proof) You’re, as we say in Hawaii, No Ka Oi!”

-unsolicited testimonial

Proof on May 12, 2007 at 10:51 am
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