This HAS GOT to be a hoax.
This is the first I've ever heard of it.
"This HAS GOT to be a hoax. This is the first I've ever heard of it."
http://www.off-road.com/ford/news/2002_01.html "Some members of Congress and their allies have stepped up to the plate once again to make decisions for millions of consumers about our choice in vehicles. The will of the people and the concept of the free market and supporting market conditions are taking a backseat while politicians are under pressure from environmental extremists to impose further restrictions on our vehicle buying ability.
The auto industry can't possibly meet the standards proposed without radically changing the design of the vehicles and making them smaller, less powerful, less safe, and less desirable. No one wants to trust his or her family to a Flintstone-mobile."
http://www.visteon.com/newsroom/autoline/2003/051503.shtml "Current National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) rules require a fleet average of 20.7 miles per gallon (mpg) for all light trucks sold by each manufacturer. Beginning in 2005, the number ratchets up to 21.0 and rises to 21.6 for 2006 and 22.2 in 2007. The CAFE number for passenger cars will remain at 27.5 mpg,
NHTSA says the move to make trucks more fuel efficient will save about 3.6 billion barrels of oil over the life of the affected vehicles.
Environmentalists charge the move is not strong enough, noting that overall fuel economy numbers for both cars and trucks has done a little backsliding in the last decade with the increasing popularity of larger sport utility vehicles. Critics in other camps contend that the move will push consumers to buy lighter vehicles that are not as safe.
The Bush Administration isn’t likely to appease the Green crowd, but it may in fact craft an answer to the “smaller isn’t safer” crowd. It’s considering further changes to the fuel economy rules that would encourage automakers to offer more medium size vehicle: large cars, station wagons and smaller sport utility vehicles built on car-like platforms."
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/1818/3_1suv.htm "The new fad, all the rage among yuppies, suburban families and seemingly testosterone unbalanced males, is the sport utility vehicle (SUV) as everyday commuting machine. Not only is the SUV a public menace, it’s true purpose has been abducted and distorted by Madison Avenue. And those who embrace this new transportation fad are so caught up in it, they throw away all common sense and reason in order to be part of a trend...
... The SUV culture is a very good example of rampant greed and selfishness in our society. On the one hand, greedy corporations are popularizing vehicles that aggravate an already bad pollution problem, as well as make the roads unsafe for the millions of Americans who choose to drive economical automobiles.
On the other hand, consumers are showing a great deal of selfishness by purchasing vehicles that are life threatening to their fellow citizens. They also show a great lack of respect for others on the road (see “SUVs, unsafe at any height” pg. 3), not to mention the environment and the world’s limited supply of oil.
We’ve already seen one war waged over the control of oil reserves. Since 1991, all Americans lives lost in the middle east (need I remind anyone of the bombing of the American barracks in Saudi Arabia) are a result of trying to satisfy our ever increasing dependency on oil. Are we so brainwashed by Madison Avenue and Wall Street that we will be willing to start wars to drive our big cars?"
[So the real reason we forcibly removed Saddam from power is to feed our SUVs!]
http://www.commondreams.org/pressreleases/june99/061699a.htm "Americans could have reduced global warming pollution by 187 million tons per year and saved more than $13 billion if not for a loophole in miles per gallon laws for 45% of passenger vehicles sold last year, according to a report released today by U.S. PIRG. "Danger Ahead: Putting the Brakes on Global Warming Pollution" documents the excess global warming pollution, oil consumption, and gasoline expenditures caused by lower fuel economy standards for light trucks (a category comprised of Sport Utility Vehicles, minivans, and pick up trucks.)
"Sport Utility Vehicles and minivans don’t have to be gas guzzlers," said Katherine Silverthorne, Director of U.S. PIRG’s Campaign to Stop Global Warming. " Its time for automakers to stop taking advantage of the loophole in the miles per gallon standard and start making these vehicles go farther on a gallon of gas."
[I'm still looking for the bill referenced in the article that started this thread, but SUVs have been under attack for some time. As it is, the large station wagon was abandoned by the public and automakers in favor of the SUV as a direct result of CAFE. The SUV is the station wagon of today. Because of the fact that the US is a large, spread-out country, a suitable highway cruiser is optimal for many Americans.
The real reason for this (that which underlies all Leftist initiatives) is control for its own sake. Of course those who advocate this will reserve the right to drive their own gas-guzzlers; they are important people]