Bush: “More Power!”
Speaking at a “surprise” appearance at a Biloxi, MS gas station yesterday, President Bush said that part of his long-term plan to bring down high gas prices would be to raise fuel efficiency standards in cars. Some of us have been saying that for years, but alright, fine, welcome to the show – better late than never, Mr. President.
Here’s the problem. Bush reverted to what seems to be this administration’s default position when something needs to be done: give me the authority to do it. Just what Bush needs – more power. Apparently he wants Congress to delegate the authority to set fuel efficiency standards directly to the Administration; as Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta said yesterday “At the president’s request, I hereby ask that the Congress take prompt action to authorize the U.S. Department of Transportation to reform fuel economy standards for passenger automobiles.”
Bush noted “It’s an authority I used for light trucks, and I intend to use it wisely if Congress will give me that authority.” Because you’ve used what authority you have so very wisely for the past six years, forgive me if I’m not leaping for joy.
Raising fuel efficiency standards is an absolutely crucial component of reducing our nation’s dependence on foreign oil and for lowering gas prices (in the long term, it will not help overnight). Congress should pass a framework that would lay out a progressive increase in standards over the next x-number of years, and then hand it over to the DoT for enforcement. Congress should not blithely hand over its authority and allow the DoT to set the rules itself.
Congress is currently falling all over itself to take whatever steps it can to look like it’s doing something about gas prices (so long as it doesn’t hurt the poor starving oil companies, of course – ExxonMobil’s first-quarter earnings were only up 7% this year). The House and Senate ought to do their jobs and pass fuel efficiency reform. The President should then do his and enforce that reform.
5 Responses to “Bush: “More Power!””
Yes, if congress is serious about making the public happy, they should start by repealing the tax breaks that they voted for the oil companies last year. It won’t lower gas prices, but that was an incredibly bone-headed move on their part in the first place.
I heard yesterday that the big investors were disappointed that Exxon’s earnings weren’t high enough. I mean, with record oil prices and the tax breaks, they could only scrape out a 7% earnings increase? I expect the especially slimy corporations (Exxon holds a special place in my heart after Valdez) to at least be competent at making money in boom times.
I agree that the tax breaks given to Big Oil had more to do with unprecedented access to power, than actual need. The CEO’s testified in front of the Senate a month ago, and admitted then that the tax breaks weren’t necessary. Although they are not a monopoly, they have consolidated and colluded within the industry so that the effect is the same. Small independent energy companies can no longer compete.
Our politicians need their support to stay in power.
Can’t they be called on to sacrifice in a time of crisis just like the rest of us? They may not be to blame for the hikes in gas prices, but isn’t it just a little embarrassing that Exxon’s CEO is retiring with a golden parachute of $400 million? What does one do with $400 million anyway? Buy a Lear jet? A villa in Tuscany?
I believe in a society that tempers the extremes of capitalism, and our’s has been going in the wrong direction for a long time. Its not socialism to plan (as we have not done for 30 years) for the eventuality that oil will become a scarce commodity. President Bush and Congress need to seize the moment, legislate higher CAFE standards and put the money from the enormous tax breaks given to oil companies into alternative fuels.
The guy who pushed for a pretty small increase a few years ago suddenly wants the power to do what exactly? Increase it by another 1 MPG? How about we start including the biggest vehicles such as the hummer in these cafe standards. I can’t see giving him any more power than he has, in fact I think he needs to be put back in his place by congress….wishful thinking I know.
It’s times like this that I’m embarrassed American car makers haven’t increased mileage performance in 20+ years, and that American consumers insist upon more POWERful cars rather than more fuel efficient ones.
Maybe now people will stop thinking this is a “crying wolf” scenario and put some real effort into it.
And yes, CAFE needs to be raised significantly.
Well, unfortunately, I was driving during the late 70′s when we had severe shortages and gas lines. People would wait for an hour in line, and if someone cut in, things got really ugly.
Sad to say, thirty years later, that not much has
changed, in fact they have gotten worse. Consumers are definitely slow on the uptake—of course increased tensions in the Middle East result in higher prices at home—and car makers have gotten caught up in the SUV craze—building them bigger, better and more powerful. They became a symbol of our prosperity, and now look like a symbol of our wastefulness and inability to adapt to a changing world.
Conservation and fuel economy have not been encouraged by our government, as no one wanted to be seen looking like poor Jimmy Carter in his cardigan sweater. Free market economies don’t encourage planning for this type of eventuality, and I really think Bush and Cheney’s ties to big oil aren’t helping us.