Bush to ask Americans to stop guzzling gas

[MetroMPG]

Bush to ask Americans to stop guzzling gas

WASHINGTON ? In his first State of the Union address to a Democratic-controlled Congress, President Bush is calling for Americans to slash gasoline consumption by up to 20 per cent by 2017. Bush envisions the goal being achieved primarily through a sharp escalation in the amount of ethanol and other alternative fuels that the federal government mandates must be produced. The rest of the fuel use reduction is to come from raising fuel economy standards for passenger cars, Joel Kaplan, White House deputy chief of staff, told reporters in a briefing before Bush's Tuesday night speech to a joint session of Congress.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl.../Business/home

[GasSavers_TomO]

hmm, good intentions, but a day late and a dollar short. Well, actually 30 years late and who knows how many millions short??

It is good to see that this issue is starting to "really" get addressed though.

[zpiloto]

Fat chance at $2.00 a gallon.

[GasSavers_TomO]

Originally Posted by zpiloto

Fat chance at $2.00 a gallon.

Agreed, especially when the gas prices have been between $1.82 and $1.88 for almost two weeks now around me.

Side note: I wonder how many people will actually listen to the president that has achieved the worst popularity rating ever?

[Silveredwings]

Oh man, don't get me started.
Rhetoric, rhetoric, rhetoric. Find a parade and get in front of it. Last year he correctly accused us of being addicted to oil, the next day he had his spin lackeys retract the statement as a misunderstanding after King Abdullah asked him just what he thought he was doing.

slash gasoline consumption by up to 20 per cent by 2017

20 percent of exactly what? The 2050 projections?

Depending primarily on ethanol and alternative fuels means "folks, don't change an F'ing thing about what or how you drive."

How much are we proposing to raise FE standards? 0.5 mpg? It was once 27.5 but is now something like 22 (Toecutter help me out here...).

...sorry, you just had to get me started, didn't you.

Seriously, I wish these words were more than a feeble attempt to pacify his opposition.

[Silveredwings]

Originally Posted by theclencher

This from the same admin that treats wasteful energy consumption as a god-given american right. Hmmm, the same guy that killed the PNGV program, the same party that opposed CAFE increases, the same guy that gave tax incentives for large truck and suv purchases. Hmmmm.

Don't forget over $14B in gifts to pig oil.

[MetroMPG]

This week the Canadian media has been full of reports of our Conservative government suddenly funding environmental programs (investment into renewables, conservation programs) that it slashed a year ago when they took power.

Very much a "getting in front of the parade" thing, as polls here have shown a significant shift over the last 12 months in public attitudes on energy use, emissions & the environment.

Others are saying they don't care whether it's just cynical politics that is leading to the legislation, or genuine interest, as long as it happens.

[cfg83]

Hello -

I would just love it if bush wore a sweater when he's reading from his arm scribbles. I'm sure that President Carter could spare one. Irony is a dish best served with a snit-eating grin!

CarloSW2

[GasSavers_roadrunner]

Do anyone have any idea how much OIL our President uses in one year? When he was running for election in 2004 he came into our area three times on his jet, and stopped traffic for miles, while his caravan of huge SUV's went driving by. I know, for I was stopped for 0.5 hour twice so he could visit our area. I would like to say more, but......................

[GasSavers_roadrunner]

Originally Posted by theclencher

How could I forget that?

I like it!