Should auto fuel economy standards (CAFE) be raised?

[Robson]

According to this article Speaker Nancy Pelosi has decided not to fight to raise auto fuel economy standards as part of the energy bill. These standards have not been raised since 1975. Even my GOP Congressman supports raising them.

I'm disappointed that Nancy Pelosi is not the fighter that I thought she would be. Anything of controversy she takes off the table and most important of all is the impeachment of Bush and Cheney.

This compromising on a wrong headed position just to get support for business or to get people reelected is why I could never be a successful politician

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20079816/

[FiveGoodMen]

1. Where's the 'OH, HELL YES' choice?

[Kutjara]

2. The Model-T Ford got 23 MPG.

Today's average is almost exactly the same. Every other single aspect of passenger cars (safety, speed, power, entertainment, comfort, you name it) has evolved out of all recognition. Only fuel economy has remained static. Cars should be getting 100 mpg by now, yet it's never been in the interests of the oil industry or auto manufacturers to build cars that do.

It still isn't.

[rwheeler31]

3. It does not work.

Americans have proved over and over they will drive what they want.

[Nihil]

5. It works better than the alternative.

> Americans have proved over and over they will drive what they want.

Hence raising the CAFE standard AND ENFORCING IT will at least improve
the bottom end of "what they want" by taking the real guzzling heaps
of shit off the market.

The alternative is to carry on doing nothing (always the preferred way)
and let Americans (and others of like mind) carry on watching the world
die from the windows of their polished chrome wank-mobiles.

Don't worry, I *do* realise that the number of politicians actually
committed to doing anything about it can probably be counted on the
thumbs of one hand but even getting the law on paper is a start when
you're in this position.

[damntexdem]

4. It's ridiculous that they were not raised long ago.

We now lag BEHIND the rest of the world, including China.

[YankeyMCC]

6. Yes but it's a very small factor overall

Improving energy efficiency is a good idea but only when it's coupled with energy conservation otherwise usage just increases as cost goes down.

[phantom power]

7. Yes on general principles, but pragmatically, it's too late.

The price of oil and gasoline are going to make CAFE more or less irrelevant, as oil exports plummet over the next 5 years. If anybody buys cars at all, they will be high-mileage cars, via economic brute force.

Congress missed the useful window for increasing CAFE. Thanks, Detroit, for all your tireless lobbying.

[One_Life_To_Give]

8. Tax Gas Instead

$1/gal all revenues to be used exclusively for the building (but not maintenance) of renewable energy generators. Such as Wind-farms, etc. (Maintenance will be paid by proceeds from the sale of produced renewable energy)