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Politics : Don't Blame Me, I Voted For Kerry -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dan B. who wrote (65538)	8/17/2005 3:25:09 PM
From: ChinuSFO	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 81568

Those who exterminate because of political ideology are called communists. So take your pick. Nazi or a Communist.

To: Dan B. who wrote (65538)	8/17/2005 3:48:44 PM
From: American Spirit	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 81568

Not comparing anyone to Nazis in terms of racism, just propaganda techniques and making dishonest excuses to invade countries. I believe if Bushies had their way they'd be readying a second invasion of Iran now. All for the oil. The problem is, the public is fed up, and our military is over-extended and exhausted.

To: Dan B. who wrote (65538)	8/17/2005 9:17:18 PM
From: Skywatcher	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 81568

BUSH the scumbag OIL BOY strikes again at the HEART of America and our POLLUTION and ADDICTION TO OIL.... only WRONG AGAIN US Fuel Rules Are Likely to Exempt Big SUVs By Danny Hakim The New York Times Wednesday 17 August 2005 Detroit - The Bush administration is expected to abandon a proposal to extend fuel economy regulations to include Hummer H2s and other huge sport utility vehicles, according to auto industry and other officials. The proposal was among a number of potential strategies outlined by the administration in 2003 to overhaul mileage requirements for light trucks, a category that covers sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks and minivans. It had been seen by industry officials as likely to be adopted. But the effect of the tougher requirements would have been borne almost solely by the increasingly troubled U.S. auto industry, causing concern among administration officials. The broad plan to overhaul the light-truck mileage rules would change the regulatory system from one using averaged mileage for an automaker's entire annual light-truck output to one that sets up five or six classes, determined by vehicle size. New rules, the first major rewriting of fuel economy standards since they were created in the 1970s, are scheduled to be released late this month. They seem sure to renew vigorous debate about the United States' dependence on foreign oil, a matter underlined by rapidly rising oil and gas prices. The administration plan is still being reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget, which has had a role in drafting the plan. Further revisions could be made, including on the question of extending the regulatory system to cover larger vehicles. Until the details are published, its potential effect on U.S. oil consumption will not be fully clear. And the volatility of oil prices could push consumers toward buying more efficient vehicles. Because cars, SUVs and other light-duty vehicles account for 40 percent of U.S. oil use, changes in the regulatory system are always watched closely, all the more so in this era of increased concern over oil imports, rising fuel prices and global warming. The broad outline of the administration's plan is almost certain to meet with objections from environmentalists and those hoping for an aggressive approach to curbing dependence on foreign oil. But U.S. automakers are likely to see it as a victory, since the plan would decrease advantages that some foreign competitors, like Honda Motor, have in the current system because they do not make the heaviest trucks and SUVs. Roughly speaking, corporate average fuel economy regulations divide each automaker's annual new vehicle production into two categories: passenger cars and light-duty trucks. New cars must average 27.5 miles a gallon, or 8.5 liters per 100 kilometers; in 2005, light trucks are required to average 21.2 miles a gallon, and by 2007, the target is 22.2 miles. The figures represent lab-generated mileage and overstate the numbers that can be achieved on the road. Rules for cars are not being changed. When the current two-category system was created in the 1970s, cars ruled the American road. Since then, automakers have developed new classes of vehicles that qualify as trucks, including SUVs, minivans and family-style pickup trucks with two rows of seats. As a result, not only is the number of vehicles on the road increasing, but the average new vehicle is also getting lower mileage than it did two decades ago because so many more new vehicles are trucks. An increasing emphasis on horsepower is also a major factor. When loaded, larger sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks weighing more than 8,500 pounds, or about 3,800 kilograms, like many Hummers and Ford Excursions, have been exempt from the regulations. When the system was created, vehicles of that weight were generally used for commercial purposes, but now hundreds of thousands sold each year are intended for personal use. Automakers have had powerful incentives to produce such vehicles because they are exempt from fuel regulations and have had rich profit margins and many consumers can claim tax breaks for them. The decision not to include larger SUVs was a recent development, said people briefed on the deliberations, who declined to be identified before the plan is made public. The plan's release will be followed by a public comment period and then a revised final rule, which must be published by next April to have an effect on 2008 models. Gasoline prices have become a powerful counterweight to regulatory benefits given to the biggest fuel guzzlers. Many automakers, seeing the weakness in sales of large SUVs this year, are re-emphasizing plans for smaller, lighter SUVs in the future. Under the administration's plan, about half a dozen size classes would be determined by the vehicle's length and width. Instead of an overall mileage requirement for the total fleet of light trucks that a manufacturer sells in a model year, makers will have to meet some kind of target or average within each class. As a result of the proliferating categories, it will probably become more difficult to predict fuel economy trends.