Comments on: No Push From Bush on Conservation http://washingtonindependent.com/561/oono-push-from-bush-on-conservation National News in Context Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:40:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: mlillis http://washingtonindependent.com/561/oono-push-from-bush-on-conservation/comment-page-1#comment-563 mlillis Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.washingtonindependent.com.php5-9.websitetestlink.com/?p=561#comment-563 Two points, me2000: One, despite a consumer's personal opinion of Bush, the president still commands the respect of the office and he still has access to the bully pulpit, from which his message is spread far and wide. Following the attacks of 9/11, he had no problem urging Americans to go shopping for the sake of the economy, but now he claims it "presumptuous" to suggest a little conservation for the same end (I guess he thinks our intelligence has evolved since seven years ago, when we weren't "plenty bright" enough to know that our patriotism is best manifest by trips to Disneyland.) During WWII, FDR called on folks to sacrifice a bit for a legitimate cause, and Bush could easily do the same today. Not a mandate, mind you, just a suggestion that might bring down demand and ease fuel prices. There's no good reason that every shoe shop in Georgetown keeps its doors open with the AC blaring in the middle of July. Second point, on your suckers: If you've got a world-class product that everyone wants, sell away! No one's stopping you. But if your suckers were a finite resource, largely imported from volatile plutocracies, and we'd fought two wars in the last two decades simply to preserve their low cost, and thousands of people had died in those wars, and on top of all that the suckers contributed to the deterioration of the earth's atmosphere -- then yes, perhaps the mayor at some point should step in to alter your business model, because at that point you're a public nuisance. This need not be a radical move. It could happen gradually, over years. If you were innovative enough, perhaps the more innocuous product would even be tastier. But instead of being innovative, Detroit grew complacent, pumping out those 15 mpg Suburbans as if gas would forever cost $1/gallon. All the while, Congress watched idly by, never providing the nudge that would force production of better engines. (Recall that last December's congressional move to higher fuel economy standards was the first such increase since 1975.) Perhaps such a nudge would have created the world's first fleet of fuel efficient SUVs, saving Detroit and preserving consumer choice. Certainly it's possible. Don't tell me that a nation that got to the moon within a decade couldn't make a 60-mpg Expedition within three. Two points, me2000: One, despite a consumer’s personal opinion of Bush, the president still commands the respect of the office and he still has access to the bully pulpit, from which his message is spread far and wide. Following the attacks of 9/11, he had no problem urging Americans to go shopping for the sake of the economy, but now he claims it “presumptuous” to suggest a little conservation for the same end (I guess he thinks our intelligence has evolved since seven years ago, when we weren’t “plenty bright” enough to know that our patriotism is best manifest by trips to Disneyland.) During WWII, FDR called on folks to sacrifice a bit for a legitimate cause, and Bush could easily do the same today. Not a mandate, mind you, just a suggestion that might bring down demand and ease fuel prices. There’s no good reason that every shoe shop in Georgetown keeps its doors open with the AC blaring in the middle of July.
Second point, on your suckers: If you’ve got a world-class product that everyone wants, sell away! No one’s stopping you. But if your suckers were a finite resource, largely imported from volatile plutocracies, and we’d fought two wars in the last two decades simply to preserve their low cost, and thousands of people had died in those wars, and on top of all that the suckers contributed to the deterioration of the earth’s atmosphere — then yes, perhaps the mayor at some point should step in to alter your business model, because at that point you’re a public nuisance. This need not be a radical move. It could happen gradually, over years. If you were innovative enough, perhaps the more innocuous product would even be tastier. But instead of being innovative, Detroit grew complacent, pumping out those 15 mpg Suburbans as if gas would forever cost $1/gallon. All the while, Congress watched idly by, never providing the nudge that would force production of better engines. (Recall that last December’s congressional move to higher fuel economy standards was the first such increase since 1975.) Perhaps such a nudge would have created the world’s first fleet of fuel efficient SUVs, saving Detroit and preserving consumer choice. Certainly it’s possible. Don’t tell me that a nation that got to the moon within a decade couldn’t make a 60-mpg Expedition within three.

]]> By: me2000 http://washingtonindependent.com/561/oono-push-from-bush-on-conservation/comment-page-1#comment-564 me2000 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.washingtonindependent.com.php5-9.websitetestlink.com/?p=561#comment-564 I have another point to make too. About the president saying something... If you read this web page you most likely hate Bush...would you even care if he said something like be sure to turn off the lights in your house so you save energy would you listen and change your lifestyle? IF BUSH said that??? What else do you want him to do regulate how much gas you saved by not going to the lake this year?!? or ration gas? If you want to pay then pay. If you don't then don't...I'm glad I live in a country where the president doesn't tell me what to do. I have another point to make too.

About the president saying something…
If you read this web page you most likely hate Bush…would you even care if he said something like be sure to turn off the lights in your house so you save energy would you listen and change your lifestyle? IF BUSH said that???

What else do you want him to do regulate how much gas you saved by not going to the lake this year?!? or ration gas? If you want to pay then pay. If you don’t then don’t…I’m glad I live in a country where the president doesn’t tell me what to do.

]]> By: me2000 http://washingtonindependent.com/561/oono-push-from-bush-on-conservation/comment-page-1#comment-565 me2000 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.washingtonindependent.com.php5-9.websitetestlink.com/?p=561#comment-565 I wonder what reasons that the author wanted GM to move away from SUVs other than threat of bankruptcy? What if the government just forced them saying..."I know that the Japanese are killing you in the small car market, heck they are killing you in the medium car market and even the big car market...But you are rocking their world with your SUVs...but cut that out and make your crappy small cars...and let the Japanese and the Koreans run you into BANKRUPTCY. What if the big wigs in Washington said you cut out making these SUVs or we will tax you...into BANKRUPTCY. We live in a world or at least a country where everything is controlled by the market...if you could have convinced the world that driving a small US car was the thing to do then I guess we wouldn't be having this discussion. Let me put it this way if I have a candy store and sell world famous suckers and the store down the block sells world famous gum...It would be dumb for me to switch to the gum business and stop with the suckers. Then let's say maybe the mayor comes to me and tells me to sell only gum...I go out of business or BANKRUPTCY. I wonder what reasons that the author wanted GM to move away from SUVs other than threat of bankruptcy? What if the government just forced them saying…”I know that the Japanese are killing you in the small car market, heck they are killing you in the medium car market and even the big car market…But you are rocking their world with your SUVs…but cut that out and make your crappy small cars…and let the Japanese and the Koreans run you into BANKRUPTCY.

What if the big wigs in Washington said you cut out making these SUVs or we will tax you…into BANKRUPTCY.

We live in a world or at least a country where everything is controlled by the market…if you could have convinced the world that driving a small US car was the thing to do then I guess we wouldn’t be having this discussion.

Let me put it this way if I have a candy store and sell world famous suckers and the store down the block sells world famous gum…It would be dumb for me to switch to the gum business and stop with the suckers. Then let’s say maybe the mayor comes to me and tells me to sell only gum…I go out of business or BANKRUPTCY.

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