[Cannoneer]

In hindsight, if the pols of past had the foresight to prop up the railroad infrastructure and not put all of the freight on the highways we could save more fuel than any CAFE standard. The cabal of the teamsters and govt in the late 50s and 60s that used "national defense" as an excuse to build the Interstate system destroyed the American railway systems. Now it costs as much or more to travel by rail as it does to fly. Does any of this make sense?

But now we have some wonderful jogging trails!!

BTW what existing or conceivable vehicle that gets 54.5 MPG would anyone buy for more than short commutes? Oh that's right we need to be herded into urban areas so we can utilized the wonderful mass transit systems that exist in say; Orlando, Tampa, Toledo?

[hoosierham]

The 1976 ? Honda mini-hatchback was EPA rated at 54mpg as I remember.

If you simply make nothing but tiny two-seaters like the former Geo 3-cylinder hatchback and similar ,the 50mpg car can be built TODAY.

Mandates are the key;to hell with what the people want!

It is what the Leader says that determines the outcome.Sieg heil Teleprompter!

[Ole Okie]

Oh that's right we need to be herded into urban areas so we can utilized the wonderful mass transit systems that exist in say; Orlando, Tampa, Toledo?

Yo ho! This fine centralized planning is going to work for us about like it did for the USSR.

[BobL]

“Now it costs as much or more to travel by rail as it does to fly. Does any of this make sense?”

It does in Europe too, so what’s your point (or did you stumble on to the wrong website)?

[I am Richard Brandon]

A Modest Proposal - short and oh, so sweet - Get rid of all socialists - Problem Solved!

[Alberta's Child]

That's an interesting thought. I disagree with you mainly because your timing is off . . . the U.S. railroad industry was already in decline by the late 1950s. This was due mainly to a combination of excessive government regulation and poor market conditions for railroads related to population dispersion in the post-WW2 era (it was simply impossible for the railroad industry to serve an increasingly suburban population in a practical way).

The U.S. railroad industry was saved through deregulation in the early 1980s, and what you see now is an industry that is far more cost-efficient than ever before -- carrying more freight on a consolidated system where unprofitable lines have been abandoned or sold.

[cableguymn]

BTW what existing or conceivable vehicle that gets 54.5 MPG would anyone buy for more than short commutes? Oh that’s right we need to be herded into urban areas so we can utilized the wonderful mass transit systems that exist in say; Orlando, Tampa, Toledo?

---

Meet the VW Jetta
http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/reviews/diesel/4235586

Fords doing it with the festiva 60+ MPG. But YOU can’t have one (and neither can I)
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_37/b4099060491065.htm

[NorthStarStateConservative]

Here’s how a vehicle could probably achieve that MPG standard.

Rip out the airbags or at least make them miraculously light, rip out the power windows, make the air conditioning nearly microscopic, give them all ceramic, cro-moly, carbon fiber, titanium or magnesium alloy manual gearboxes and make the thing as sleek as a bullet and about the size of an old Geo Metro (Which I currently drive).

I personally like high MPG vehicles because I’m on a fixed income and they pay for themselves in convenience and job searches. I also think giving the average suburban or rural American driver a big vehicle with an automatic transmission is like giving a kid matches and dynamite because driving is often a necessity in those areas rather than a convenience like it is in the city and people tend to feel as though it’s their right to drive like an inconsiderate jerk rather than figuring out that the roads are for the public to use.

A lot of urban people share my opinion about rural and suburban drivers and I think Obama’s pandering to his urban base. In short, he’s so far left that he’d push his agenda over practicality. A Geo-Sized vehicle cannot haul a motorcycle, a bed or hell, even a snowboard or a BMX. I’ve literally had trouble hauling my BMX to the bike shop in my Geo. So in short, people who enjoy outdoor activities would either have to rent a truck or put it on the train to one of the pre-planned nature reservations our government has wonderfully provided for us..

Yeah, I’m about to turn 30 years old and I still BMX :D