Senate Rejects Auto Fuel Standards

*sigh* how did i know it would turn out this way? we haven't raised fuel economy standards in 15 years. look at how much technology has changed since 1987. how far we have advanced. if someone told you that you would be talking to your friends in a little box on your computer screen in 'real time' or that there would be cell phones the size of a deck of cards back then, what would you have thought? yet, as far as automobile fuel efficency, we have not made the strides we could. automakers use scare tactics, saying that we would all be driving 'unsafe' subcompacts and 'whole towns' would shut down because automakers would close plants. huh? they're not recommending that people stop driving. people will still need cars. automakers will still need to manufacture cars. just more efficiant ones.

furthermore, in case you don't get a chance to read the article:

Separately, the Senate by a 56-44 vote, directed that pickup trucks be exempted from future mileage increases, keeping the requirement at 20.7 mpg. The amendment does not affect minivans or SUVS, which technically are in the "light truck" category.

what? considering the percentage of suvs on the road has increased exponentially in the past five years, why do they still lump them together with 'light trucks? they're not light trucks. they're behemoth kid haulers. that suck up a rediculous amount of gas. maybe that's why they all have american flag stickers on the back window. to show their support of the elected officials that keep them on the road, keep them filling their tank every three days, keep them driving 50 in the fast lane with the driver on a phone. some days i think the us just may get it together. then i realize that those thoughts are just wishful thinking.