Posted on 03/08/2007 5:09:31 PM PST by calcowgirl
A Michigan congressman is defending the U.S. auto industry against calls for increased fuel efficiency by criticizing a famous foe of global warming: California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Republican Rep. Joe Knollenberg's re-election campaign placed a billboard along a busy interstate in Detroit that reads, "Arnold to Michigan: Drop Dead!" It shows a grim-looking picture of the actor-turned-politician and draws attention to Knollenberg's Web site.
"Michigan and the Big Three are being unfairly bullied by politicians who have no understanding of auto manufacturing," Knollenberg said Thursday in a statement.
Knollenberg said he "picked on Schwarzenegger because he's a perfect symbol of a bully and because he has become the Republican Al Gore."
Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear said the governor's work was "allowing the auto industry to move into the future instead of this kind of backward thinking that will negatively impact job growth and the economy."
The congressman, whose district includes the headquarters of DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group and several major auto suppliers, has criticized President Bush's proposal to raise federal fuel economy standards for new passenger vehicles.
Knollenberg contends it would lead to massive job losses in the domestic auto industry.
Schwarzenegger signed the nation's first statewide cap on greenhouse gas emissions last year and has supported a California law passed in 2002 regulating tailpipe standards for automobiles. Automakers have sued the state, asserting the rule is a de facto mandate on fuel economy standards, which can be set only by the federal government.
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On the Net:
Big Three Defense: http://www.big3defense.com
Rep. Joe Knollenberg: http://www.knollenberg.house.gov/
I thought they were being unfairly bullied by consumers who refuse to do their patriotic duty and "Buy American" UAW-made crap? ;)
Union Health care and Pensions lead to massive job losses in the domestic auto industry.
SoCal Ping + others
We've been bullied by more than politicians but it's a start.
Arnie's global warming regulation drives the last stake in the industry--in many industries, for that matter.
Typical Republican. Instead of making a bold statement saying that global warming is a scam, and pointing out the fact that unions and trade agreements are responsible for the decline in U.S. auto, he calls Schwarzenegger a bully. I bet he talks with a lisp too.
"Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, insisting he is "100 percent committed" to running for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, wooed Silicon Valley's tech leaders Monday -- saying he "definitely'' believes in global warming, praising Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for being a "progressive'' leader on the environment and calling for immigration policies that welcome "people who make contributions" to America's economy." http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/02/13/GIULIANI.TMP
As another Californian and former Midwesterner I can agree with that. The exodus from California of good jobs continues, even with Arnie in charge, to be replaced by immigrants, legal and illegal, from south of the border, driving down wages and extending the reach of the welfare state ever more.
He's been saying it for years. This from 1999:
Knollenberg and his supporters feel there are several problems with the treaty, beginning with the claim that the scientific basis for global warming is questionable. The same people that said 20 years ago that the Earth was cooling down are the same ones that said the Earth is now heating up, said Welday. "The science is immature at best."
... he calls Schwarzenegger a bully. I bet he talks with a lisp too.
Why are you personally insulting the Republican fighting the likes of the Kyoto treaty? Have you jumped on Al Gore's bandwagon, too?
Our business community here in Michigan has started a spanish language "Come to Michigan" campaign. I don't know what the game is but they're killing us.
I feel your pain. :-)
¡Buena suerte!
LOL! I'm just saying there's a better way for the Congressman to handle this instead of calling Schwarzenegger a "bully." How about just calling global warming a bunch of BS?
Lots of things are in Spanish around here including street signs, voter ballots, instructions for a multitude of public forms, Catholic masses (also some for Vietnamese & others), schools, etc., etc. You can visit some areas of cities were you will not see or hear a word of English spoken, except perhaps for some old English street signs. Of course California has a Spanish heritage all its own as evidenced in the names of numerous cities and towns, but I never imagined we would have 2,500,000+ illegal aliens living in our midst, the number cited in a 2005 study by CIS. The costs of accommodating these aliens is staggering.
Because Schwarzenegger, through legislation and his administration, is taking specific actions that harm the auto industry. He IS a bully when it comes to his economically damaging actions. As to the latter, Knollenberg HAS been fighting Global Warming BS for years and has been one of the most outspoken.
San Diego is looking at $3 for REGULAR grade gasoline this weekend. Oil is much cheaper now than this time last year when gas at the pump cost less.
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