House Drops Tougher Auto Fuel Economy

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

(08-01) 17:16 PDT WASHINGTON, (AP) --

After weeks of uncertainty, House Democrats have decided against a confrontation over automobile fuel economy when they take up energy legislation later this week.

Two proposals to boost the required mileage for new automobiles were submitted Wednesday for consideration as amendments to the energy legislation, but they were withdrawn by their Democratic sponsors.

Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., sponsor of a proposal to boost vehicle mileage to 35 miles per gallon by 2019, said he decided not to pursue the matter after consulting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Pelosi in a statement said she supported requiring automakers to make more fuel efficient vehicles but that the issue was deferred "in the interest of promoting passage of a consensus energy bill."



Read more: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/08/01/national/w161437D77.DTL

[villager]

1. between this and the surveillance "compromise," remind me again what the Democrats

are good for, exactly?

[KoKo]

2. Here's more from article...It was fight between Blue Dogs & Progressives...Nancy tabled until the

Bill comes back from Senate so that some amendments can be inserted. She was stuck between the opposing forces...but can do what Repugs did and change the Legislation once it comes back for reconciliation.

I'll give her a break on this one. Remember Steney Hoyer is DLC and so is Rahm...and both are for Big Business. Markey tried to break the DLC/Blue Dogs and they fought back. Couldn't reach Compromise.

That's what my read of this is:

from the end of the article:

Also abandoned was a proposal backed by some of the auto manufacturers that was supported by both Democrats and many Republicans. It would have required cars and trucks to meet efficiency rules of 32 to 35 mpg by 2022.

Its chief sponsor, Rep. Baron Hill, D-Ind., had offered the amendment as a "pre-emptive measure" to counter the Markey proposal, his spokeswoman, Katie Moreau, said.

Markey said he believed he had a majority of House members with him on his legislation. The bill sponsored by Hill had at least 143 co-sponsors and on Wednesday the centrist-to-conservative "Blue Dog Democrats" said at least two-thirds of its 47-member group preferred Hill's bill over Markey's.

Automakers had lobbied heavily against the Markey legislation, as they had unsuccessfully in the Senate last month.

Gloria Bergquist, a spokeswoman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said the trade group would continue to push for "realistic fuel economy standards" that would preserve jobs and vehicle choice.

Congress has not changed the federal auto fuel economy standard since it was imposed in 1975. It has been at 27.5 mpg fleet average for cars since 1989. The truck requirements, which include SUVs and passenger vans, recently were raised to 22.2 mpg.

The Markey bill, as well as the Senate-passed measure, would combine cars with small trucks, SUVs and vans under one requirement.

[peacebird]

3. What matters MORE Nancy? Doing the right thing, making the hard choices, LEADING or

"passage of a consensus" bill?!?!?

:eyes:

good grief. Be sure to keep that powder dry, Nancy - it did us so much good with Roberts and Alito - right?

:grr:

[Morereason]

4. Pelosi AGAIN! AAARG!

[brentspeak]

6. The Democrats are going to try it again after the recess

Hopefully, this time, they'll have finally achieved a consensus to get tough standards passed.

[Canuckistanian]

5. Wait, what did Ralph Nader say again?

Something about a dime?

[ProudDad]

8. When it comes to doing the bidding of the corporate capitalist masters

it's




Tweedledum and Tweedledee

[Canuckistanian]

13. I keep hoping that you'll be proven wrong

I'm not holding out much hope now.

[ProudDad]

7. I read that obscene legislation

in order to respond to our DLC-lite congresscritter.

It's pure shit!!!

It's a give-away to the nuclear, oil and gas business.

There's shit nothing supporting the real solution -- Decentralized Solar...

It looks like the one cheney wrote...hell, maybe he wrote that one too...


On Edit:

"Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., sponsor of a proposal to boost vehicle mileage to 35 miles per gallon by 2019, said he decided not to pursue the matter after consulting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi."

Here's the voice Nancy seems to listen to:

"Gloria Bergquist, a spokeswoman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said the trade group would continue to push for "realistic fuel economy standards" that would preserve jobs and vehicle choice.

"Congress has not changed the federal auto fuel economy standard since it was imposed in 1975. It has been at 27.5 mpg fleet average for cars since 1989. The truck requirements, which include SUVs and passenger vans, recently were raised to 22.2 mpg."

"Vehicle Choice" means huge price cuts and low interest loans for fucking SUVs (especially hummers) and a 6 month waiting list to pay a premium for a limited production run of Prius hybreds... Wow, great fucking choice...

[ozone_man]

9. One thing that Congress might have actually done right.

"35 miles per gallon by 2019".

I remember it as being 35 mpg by 2015. What a sorry bunch. I hope Al Gore decides to run.

[ryanmuegge]

10. This is outrageous, but not surprising.

Why would anyone ever want to do anything about the biggest issue facing our species (energy)? God forbid.

[robinlynne]

11. Just think, they can leave autos as they are, whcih will benefit a handful of people

or pass a law (a really easy no brainer at that, not a big change) which would benefit all people. easy choice!

[Ilsa]

12. Why bother if we're going to be out of oil by then anyway? Or are they

just spewing crap?

[LIVESIPOG]

14. The democrats I voted for, really tick me off. WHIMPS!

 I think subject line says it all, but what the heck, Im
P*ssed.  All the promises, all the pre election Hype. Its was
business as usual. Say what you need to say to get elected,
then do whatever you can to increase you coffers.  They used
us, and now they are trying to make us feel good about it.
Lying Rat B*ast*rds.  I hoped they would fight the rise of
Satan in the White House and Congress, but no, they just ask
them what they want, and then give it to them.  What a choice
at election time in 08. The totally greedy corporate
controlled evil Right. Or the greedy and totally submissive
lame democrats. They might as well call it what it is. A
dictatorship with puppet theater. 

[depakid]

15. Meet the new boss- same as the old boss

I honestly don't know who the Dems are planning to get to vote for them.

Fact is that a pretty substantial plurality have only one thing to recommend them- they're not Republicans. Well, mostly not. Sort of.

This really has gotten pathetic- and if the "leadership" doesn't see that, then maybe they ought to step aside.

I have a funny feeling that these folks will once again manage to pull defeat out of the jaws of victory.

[tom_paine]

16. I am trying to believe in Pelosi. At every turn she makes it difficult

Too afraid to go nose-to-nose on THIS?

Yes, it's another "keep the powder dry" moment, which result in our Dems being rolled 90% of the time, I am sorry to say.

Maybe THIS time, unlike all the other times, Pelosis political maneuvering will gain some concrete results, when it appears all Bushler will do is ignore or neutralize the "Congressional Law" (when will the Dems realize such quaint antiquities do not really exsist anymore)

[IndianaGreen]

17. How much money did Pelosi get from the Big Three?

She blocks impeachment, and now she blocks an extremely modest CAFE standard.

How is Pelosi different from the GOP when it comes to climate crisis?

Can't we get a Democrat to challenge her in the primary next year?

[BulletproofLandshark]

18. Yeah, because the supply of oil is infinite, right?

Jackasses.

[Le Taz Hot]

19. Oh good godess!

I just don't know what to say anymore. No other Democrat will run against her because The Machine is behind her and they'd starve any campaign that tried. I think the best we can hope for is that she is replaced as Speaker after the 2008 elections.

[Demeter]

20. Europe and Japan Are Already Above 40 MPG

and they expect us to believe that it cannot be done? Well, maybe only if you insist on buying and driving something the size of a small school bus! I am so tired of not being able to see over, through the windows, or around the average Urban Assault Vehicle!

[hatrack]

21. Let's see . . . . Ford July sales down 19% YOY, GM down 22%, Chrysler down 8% . . . .

The Japanese companies' sales were down as well for the month. However, Toyota reported hybrid sales up 19% YOY, and total hybrid sales were up 59% for the first six months, and they've already sold more than 1,000,000 hybrids worldwide since production came online.

But tougher fuel economy standards would hurt Detroit. Worse than they're already hurting themselves? How?