Government's SUV bias

Yesterday, Congressional investigators basically called the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's automobile crash tests, useless, because they do not accurately report the safety risks of SUVs.

SUVs are safe, as long as you are not in a rollover (30% of all fatalities), or in a car that an SUV is crashing into.

So, the government's crash safety tests hide the true dangers of SUVs, the government's EPA fuel economy ratings make SUVs seem 15% more fuel efficient than reality, and Congress refuses to raise fuel efficiency standards as foreign-oil, and oil dependence in general, become the greatest threats to American security.

Somebody's pockets must be getting lined.

Yes, some people need a large vehicle, but SUVs could be much better designed. One person's crash safety shouldn't come at the expense of someone else's life, just for a higher ride, or a false sense of security; especially, when the same hunk of steel causes the most road damage, spits out the most pollution, and guzzles tons of terrorist-supporting, economy-crushing, earth destroying foreign-oil.

Freedom of choice is important, but not more important than the welfare of the people. Hybrid cars such as the Ford Escape hybrid, or Toyota Highlander hybrid, are a step in the right direction for the American SUV niche.

Inefficient technology has many costs, and hybrids are changing the perception of what's possible. The Toyota Prius demonstrates that automobile technology can change the world today.

What are we waiting for?

Tax credits for hybrids "tinkering around the edges"?

A tough, new article by BusinessWeek, Bush is blowing smoke on energy notes that vehicles account for 60% of U.S. oil consumption and calls the President's tax credit proposal for hybrid cars "tinkering around the edges".

Energy independence from foreign oil is possible with today's technology. That's a fact.

If the U.S. is at war against terror, why isn't ending foreign-oil dependency as quickly as possible a national priority? Why isn't every one conserving and pitching in - as we did during WWI and WWII?

BusinessWeek says it's politics, I say it's pathetic.

Regardless, while tax credits for hybrids and other clean technologies might be tinkering, they could help force Detroit to come to grips with fuel efficiency, and that would be much better than doing nothing.

How can this message be sent to the Senate?

Bush: Foreign oil, "foreign tax on the American people"

Those were Bush's words to a group of small business leaders in a speech promoting his energy policies. While the majority of the speech focused on nuclear power, more oil refineries, and clean coal, Bush did promote his tax credit proposals for hybrid vehicles, and other clean automotive technologies. Let's hope the Senate can add at least one consumer friendly incentive to the energy bill.

America's Fight: Why Detroit must embrace hybrids

Detroit's problems are simple, American multi-national corporations.

In America, as soon as a President or Senator is elected, the next election becomes their top priority. America is only focused on right now, or the next 2 to 4 years. Yet, the decisions made today have impact far beyond just the next couple of years, when our decisions become someone else's responsibility.

Moreover, American multi-national corporations are also typically focused on 'right now' politics, as well as 'right now' profit for shareholders. Thus, responsibility is determined only by 'right now' profitability.

This is bigger than Detroit. This is about the essence of America, which is why the Senate - at the President's request - must add tax credits for hybrid cars and other clean energy technologies.

Right now is the time for change, and hybrids vehicles, including diesel-electric, plug-in, and hydrogen-electric vehicles, prove hybrids have barely tapped their potential.

This isn't Detroit's fight and they are not in it alone. Detroit, Congress, and every President since Jimmy Carter, has failed America by not taking up this fight decades ago.

This is America's fight, and many of us are demanding action RIGHT NOW. Join the hybrid revolution.

Hybrid vehicle tax credits still alive, Bush to push

According to CNN, President Bush is going to give another speech to outline some add-ons to the Energy Bill that Congress recently passed. In addition to new oil refineries and nuclear power, Bush will also promote his tax credit proposal for hybrid cars and other clean vehicle technologies. While the House passed on these initiatives, the Senate still has an opportunity to incorporate them into the current legislation, which the President is hoping to sign by August. Hopefully, the Senate will do a better job than the House.

More on hybrid car tax credits.

Gas prices affecting economy

According to Reuters, "U.S. consumer confidence deteriorated in April to its lowest in five months as higher gasoline prices left Americans uncertain about their economic prospects, a report said on Tuesday."

The so-called "backbone of the U.S. economy" is strongly affected by gasoline prices? Who'da thunk it?

Obviously not Congress, or some action might have been taken regarding fuel efficiency decades ago, when evidence of future problems began to mount.

Protecting inefficient, short-sighted, profit-greedy multi-national corporations is not free market capitalism, it's corrupt politics that has risked both the U.S. economy and National Security. Even after 911 - a day that changed everything(?) - nothing has changed.

Join the revolution, demand nothing less than hybrid car fuel efficiency, and don't forget this issue the next time you vote.

Bio-diesel hybrids and why you should fire your Congressperson

The hybrid vehicle powertrain is a beautiful thing because of the plethora of engine combinations with which it is able to integrate.

Currently, most hybrid cars, such as the Toyota Prius, are gas-electric hybrids that utilize both gasoline engines and electric motors. However, the future of hybrids could be dominated by diesel engine and electric motor combinations, or hydrogen engine electric motor combinations - a vehicle that Ford has already conceptualized.

Still, hydrogen doesn't offer a solution today. Diesel hybrids, on the other hand, pose some interesting possibilities today, such as bio-diesel-electric hybrids. These vehicles could utilize new techniques that could turn American crops into clean bio-diesel fuel for American vehicles.

The point is, hybrid powertrains enable the integration of the best innovations in the automotive industry to create vehicles that can have an immediate impact on the environment, economy, and foreign-oil dependency.

The only obstacle is profit. Making America a safer and more socially responsible country just isn't cost-effective for two of America's most important corporations. Or, even worse, making America safer isn't even a concern.

As an American citizen I find this completely unacceptable. While I realize more than a million jobs are at stake, the fact that these companies - and their cronies in Congress - have put the security of 100's of millions at risk with greed-driven corporate incompetence is unforgivable.

Americans do not owe either GM or Ford anything. GM and Ford owe America - not in decades when they can monopolize fuel cell technology for fat shareholder dividends - today.

More important and unfortunate; however, Congress needs to be fired for serving lobbyists rather than citizens.

Gas prices, the Energy Bill, and Congress

Since the Energy Bill passed the House of Representatives, I have scanned the media for a positive assessment of the Energy Bill.

I have been unable to find one.

A majority of Americans, ones that live near the poverty line - the ones you never hear about on the O.C. or on reruns of Beverly Hills 90210 - are coming up shorter and shorter each month because of gas prices. But, who cares about a bunch of hillbilly, disenfranchised Americans that don't vote anyway?

Definitely not Congress. Gas prices are skyrocketing and the blame falls on both Democrats and Republicans alike. The last President to really push fuel efficiency was Jimmy Carter, according to USAToday.

While it seems obvious that Republicans have oil-lined pockets, Democrats are not nearly as innocent as outspoken Nancy Pelosi-(D)California, would have us believe. Instead of blaming Republicans, perhaps she should start by questioning the UAW-controlled-Democrats that are just as complicit in protecting the status quo of the automotive industry.

Even China is raising fuel efficiency standards. Not because scientific evidence suggests a global warming connection, but because pollution is ALREADY affecting their lives and China isn't very interested in America's decades old, inefficient automotive technology.

Save that for the Americans too stupid to value substance over image.

But I don't blame those Americans because we haven't had much choice, thanks to Congress. Experts, including those from the government, tell us this is an issue of National Security, yet neither corporate America, nor Congress, is taking responsible action.

Instead, billions of tax-payer dollars are being given to rich-in-profit energy corporations to 'save' America from the problems the same corporations created.

So, when you are at the pump this summer, pumping $3.00 gallons of gasoline into your vehicle, remember to thank your well-paid Congress-person.

And, if you are interested in buying a new car, don't forget hybrid cars! Send a message to the automotive industry that you want change.