Lisa Benson for August 16, 2011

I notice not many folks bothered to comment on your sarcasm.

30 mpg CAFE would have been possible nearly 40 years ago, even WITH “smog rules”. As to safety, the Insurance institute ran a 65 Chevy head-on into a 2009 much smaller and more efficient Chevy. All on board the smaller 2009 would have walked away uninjured, all in the ‘65 would have been killed. I’ve driven “smaller” cars since ‘61, and even the “crossover” SUV I have is much, much smaller than a Hummer, and MUCH SAFER in crash testing AND actual accident statistics. Hummers are EXTREMELY dangerous to their occupants, not just who they hit. Bigger and more fuel consumptive being “safer” is the ultimate fraud sold by the oil companies to promote the sale of inefficient cars in the US. And Eryx does hit the nail on the head about those who buy Hummers- they aren’t even any good in “off road” applications, too wide, and they get trapped by trails or “tight spots” smaller OHVs have no problem with.

Black Mariah One.

Metros (one friend had 3, another friend 1) didn’t really get that great a mileage with the basically MG engine. My Corvairs got better than 30, safe and quite comfortable- especially the ‘65, and my Lotus even better- at speed. Today’s technology makes the WISDOM of high mileage, like full-sized Mercedes “clean” diesel simply an intelligent decision, lost on the American public. Hummers (the original) are just plain stupid, and Americans are proven good at that. The II and II are just Chevys with different bodywork. Jeep tried to make the line look more “macho” and “Hummer-like” for egocentric morons not smart enough to buy better products from Toyota and Rover, among others. But, never let it be said that Americans are willing to accept regulatory standards that merely make good sense, or act in their own best interests.

I agree with many of the points made here, why should the government be involved. Just keep making the same old technology cars while other countries make modern efficient ones. One of two things will then happen, change the rules to give advantage to the USA companies or go out of business. If business failure is the result they will want to be bailed out. But car companies are to smart for that right? Oh, I guess we already did that.

The idea that this Administration’s fuel standard improvement is a burden to the auto industry is hogwash. The entire auto industry has welcomed it with open arms. They appreciate there is a common standard which doesn’t burden one car maker over another. It only benefits the drivers on the road as well.

If there is another message to this comic, such as Obama’s bus being fuel inefficient somehow is a burden on the auto industry…it falls flat on it’s face.

Oh, mileage standards are going to doom the auto industry and ruin America? Sorry, Boy Who Cried Wolf. The same argument was used for airbags, anti-lock brakes, seat belts, catalytic converters, the last improvement in MPG standards— in fact, any safety or environmental standard ever proposed for the auto industry. Every one was going to cause the downfall of civilization. Then after the auto industry spends more fighting the standard than they would have spent to implement it, they come back a year or two later and say: Look at the wonderful safety and environmental improvement we made because we just love our customers! Aren’t we special!

What a load of hypocritical BS. And Benson fell for it again. I must have put her on my list by mistake, and will correct it now.

I suspect that Lisa is illustrating the #1 Cause of the Effect that in the 50 states of the USA (sorry Obama, not “57 states”)….you see so many foreign make vehicles! The Mandates loaded on the backs of American car builders have driven US Car Manufacturers to the bottom of the list. Coping with Fed Mandates is costly and creates inferior products—IMO

There was bus-van back in 1950 that got 50 miles to the gallon!

dt—- ALL cars sold in the U.S. must meet the same standards, it’s just that for years, Japanese and European manufacturers usually EXCEEDED them long before “American” companies complied. “American made” is now Toyota, BMW, Volkswagen, Mazda and others. “Made in Mexico”=Ford, “Made in Canada”= Chevy and Dodge. So that new “North American content” label hides more real facts. At least Ford IS supposed to open a new domestic plant soon.

Hey, at least the bus (even 2 of ’em) beat a 747.

^Yep, AND with all the complaining about the $1.2 million purchase price for each of the two the Secret Service bought, leasing was more expensive, and—- My nephew has two on the lot that sell for $1.6 million, so I thought that was pretty cheap.(must not actually include the cost of all the “electronics” on “Ground Bus One”), yep, beats the cost of operating even a 737, 757, OR 747.

Beebee Doodle says;But higher fuel efficiency standards are in your interest, people! You’ll pay less gas! Why is it so hard to understand?

You humans are like that neutered chihuahua who came to me after he jumped off a cliff because “The government had no right to put a fence and infrign his God-given right to jump off.”

Of course the moron Eryx fails to disclose WHY modern cars don’t get as good of gas mileage as the Nash Metro and Civic CRX..It’s because of two things..1. Federally mandated safety laws that require things like airbags and require car to meet NHTSA prerequisites before they can be sold. This all adds weight to a car..2. Federally mandated pollution standards which make cars run less efficiently and get worse gas mileage..I’m not even saying these are bad things. But don’t leave them out of your mronic rants…

Church, it may be from CNN, even Alex Jones wouldn’t blieve that nonsense!

In norway, few cars use more than 0.6 liters to 10 KM. 1km being 1,6 miles.