THE ISSUE: President Obama’s new national fuel-economy and tailpipe-emission standards.
***
As usual, President Obama puts on a great show with little substance (“O Unveils Emission Strategy,” May 20).
Changes to emissions standards, designed to pacify the “greenies,” do nothing to end our dependence on foreign oil.
What it will do is further cripple an already dying auto industry and make it that much harder for the economy to recover.
Once again, we see that Obama’s priority is not what’s good for the country, but placating his supporters and passing his agenda.
Michael Chimenti
Oakland Gardens
***
Watching the president on the White House lawn surrounded by the automakers to announce new emission standards, I looked at the suits and said to myself, “federal workers.”
I wonder how much independent opinion was allowed by the Obama administration, since we now own major stakes in some of these companies.
Wayne Olson
Suffern
***
Now that Obama decides that he is committed to better gas mileage goals, which take effect in 2012 and are to be achieved by 2016, we will see if the “greenies” will rush out to buy those coffins on wheels (“Obama To Boost Auto Fuel Mileage Standard,” May 18).
The greater the mass of a vehicle, the greater the personal protection. Think tank versus Mini-Cooper.
Vincent DiPippo
Yonkers
***
The latest in the never-ending saga of the Obama Follies is his decision mandating that automakers produce vehicles that meet strict gas-mileage standards.
The big problem is that it will cost billions of dollars — which the automakers do not have — to comply with these standards, while increasing the average cost of vehicles.
In the near future, as we putt-putt around in our new vehicles, our biggest problem will be how to keep from being run off the road by those who are still driving those big, bad SUVS.
Dan Clemens
Marlboro, NJ
***
The goal is to make more fuel-efficient cars and, in order to do this, the cars must be made smaller and lighter.
This will increase the number of people dying in car accidents, which will increase car insurance rates.
If we use less oil, won’t the oil-producing countries produce less in order to keep the price high?
If we buy less gasoline at the pump, won’t the government make less money from taxes, which will make it increase our gas taxes?
Since the cars are smaller, which means less passengers per car, won’t we need more than one soccer mom to drive the kids around?
More cars on the road means more risk of injury and more congestion. This will again raise the issue of putting tolls on our East River crossings.
No matter what the government proposes, it always costs the working, taxpaying stiff more money.
Mario Costanza
Woodstock