Bush will call for 20 percent decrease in gas use...

[CoffeeCat]

The media is reporting that during Junior's SOTU speech this evening--he
will call for a 20 percent decrease in gas consumption.

In light of this brilliant idea---which comes several years into his pResidency--I would
just like to remind everyone what Vice President Dick Cheney said in April 2001 at the
Annual Meeting of the Associated Press regarding this administration's official energy
policy:

"The aim here is efficiency, not austerity," Cheney said of calls for increased efforts to conserve energy. "Conservation may be a sign of personal virtue, but it is not a sufficient basis for a sound, comprehensive energy policy."

These bastards gave tax breaks to people who purchased large SUVs for business use. They
rewarded people with money for buying Expeditions and Suburbans! Cheney belittled conservation,
as part of this administration's roll out of their energy policy!!!

We should all be blown away by the fact that this administration assumes that the
citizens of the United States are fleeceable, loggerheaded, cloddish, yokel-heads.

[meegbear]

1. You decrease the troop levels and we'll decrease gas usage ...

you first.

[DemKR]

11. See how the SUV owners react to this one n/t

[meegbear]

12. Yep, I got my little Metro ...

it ain't so big, but at 38MPG, I ain't complaining. And ...

:party: WELCOME ABOARD!! :party:

[havocmom]

2. But, but, but... how are we supposed to go shopping?

Damn wanker. NOW he starts to notice issues? NOW?

[CoffeeCat]

4. And also...

How are people supposed to decrease gas consumption--when this
administration has encouraged the entire nation to drive vehicles
that get 2 mpg?

He's an ironical decider with a bizarre strategery.

[Philosoraptor]

3. Air force one too?

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

27. Yeah, right. He'll probably tour the country to promote this idea in Air Force One

along with his mighty entourage of concubines, pages, ChimpFluffers, and the like, in several planes, along with the limos, the helicopters, etc. that accompany the Chimp wherever he goes to do his primitive dances at his speechifyin' events.

[Sir Jeffrey]

5. Check this out...

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/briefings/20010507.html

" Q Is one of the problems with this, and the entire energy field, American lifestyles? Does the President believe that, given the amount of energy Americans consume per capita, how much it exceeds any other citizen in any other country in the world, does the President believe we need to correct our lifestyles to address the energy problem?

MR. FLEISCHER: That's a big no. The President believes that it's an American way of life, and that it should be the goal of policy makers to protect the American way of life. The American way of life is a blessed one. And we have a bounty of resources in this country. What we need to do is make certain that we're able to get those resources in an efficient way, in a way that also emphasizes protecting the environment and conservation, into the hands of consumers so they can make the choices that they want to make as they live their lives day to day. "

[Swamp Rat]

6. I thought we were all supposed to buy SUVs and drive around all day going shopping?

Flip floppers!

[Norquist Nemesis]

7. And how does he propose that be done?

We've already cut down as much as we possibly can in order to just AFFORD the damned gas!

[wiggs]

8. Smart on someone's part....if true. But we've heard this kind of promise before...

...asking Congress to "set aside money"..."calling for legislation". This is a far FAR cry from actually getting it done. We've even seen where money is set aside and not spent. Knowing these guys, it means the opposite of what it sounds like. So I say bullshit. I bet he calls for a 20% drop by 2020 or something far out like that, when we're running out of oil anyway and when half the cars are hybrids or run on hydrogen.

I'm also skeptical because a 20% drop in gas use soon would drastically reduce prices....these are all oil guys who would have a lot to answer for with their buds.

To be clear: If it does get done now, it's huge and a win for everyone.

[wiggs]

31. Just saw on Yahoo...20% decrease by 2017, as suspected. This is a very

misleading tactic...trying to get credit for something that will happen in a decade anyway.

[TomClash]

9. Want a 20% decrease in gas usage?

STFU

[ProfessorGAC]

14. Funny Stuff

He did say "gas" not "gasoline". Good one.
The Professor

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. If Bush used 20% less of his brain he'd be a turnip.

[shadowknows69]

13. Fine, Impose rations on everyone in the nation

if we're at war the country shouldbe on war footing. The reason this has gone on this long is that there is no sacrifice form 90% of John Q Public. We are a selfish species and usually don't act until something hits us at home.

[Deja Q]

21. We've been hit. It's called $3.00/gallon gas.

ALL Americans need to sacrifice. 90% has; everybody I know is struggling to pay basic bills and not all of them are steeped in credit card debt.

And ALL Americans includes the gas companies, who'd rather charge our arms, legs, and other body parts off because they feel they are better than Americans*.

* just an opinion, I'd love to be proven wrong.

[shadowknows69]

23. Not enough

to affect the power players. They can afford the gas spike but can they afford only getting to use 15 gallons a week.

[gatorboy]

15. FLASHBACK 2005: Bush wastes roughly $170,000 in jet fuel as he urges nation to conserve

http://www.attytood.com/archives/002382.html

Bush has visited the Gulf region seven times, as well as an Air Force One flyover, since the Aug. 29 impact by Katrina, the most expensive national disaster in American history and one of the deadliest. But experts and even some White House officials have said the frequent trips have had as much or more to do with rebuilding the president's tarnished image than rebuilding the Gulf Coast.

Many of the trips seem targeted towards conveying television images of Bush as an involved leader. In fact, Bush's flight schedule last weekend was rearranged because, according to aides, Hurricane Rita had shifted course and the weather would be sunny in San Antonio. At several of the meetings that Bush has attended other officials have taken part by teleconferencing rather than by attending in person.

"Seven trips in a month -- what can he really do down there?," asked Larry Sabato, the University of Virginia political scientist and presidential pundit. He said the trips "are all about photo ops and reassurance and Clintonian moments of feeling people's pain."

The cost to taxpayers for all of Bush's storm related travel has been much higher. Some studies have placed the total cost of operating Air Force One at at least $56,800 an hour or more, meaning that Bush's hurricane related travel has cost taxpayers somewhere in the range of $2 million or more -- just for the air travel!

[DaveJ]

25. Somebody must have explained the math to him

If all of the "low class" in the U.S. conserve by 20% that will leave 1000 times more fuel for * to burn.

I am sort of curious to hear how he words this, in such as way that indicates 'citizens' should conserve, but not his constituency which he will be addressing.

[converted_democrat]

16. I can't wait for him to spew this tonight for 2 reasons..

First off, as much as I hate to give him credit it, it is a good idea.. The second reason is that it will come off to the freepers like when Carter asked, with his sweater on, to decrease consumption (of energy).. This is going to make the freepers heads pop right off their shoulders. The question in their tiny little brains will be.."Why are we in Iraq to grab their oil if we can't use it????" The war will finally look pointless, even to them...

edited to make clearer

[DaveJ]

26. Yeah, they thought is was about oil and supported it

Oil has something to do with it but Iraq is really about profiting a very select few individuals. There is no reason for * to be coy about it now.

[kentuck]

17. Withdraw the troops from Iraq...

That should save about 20% and ease the pressures on the world market.

[Deja Q]

18. The problem is, repubs like Michele Bachmann say public transport costs more per person, than

private transport.

The problem is, private transport uses much more fuel and components. And in many cities, there is no public transport at all.

Not very bright on town or city planners... many of which vote nitwits like Bachmann in in the first place.

Bush has a point regarding using less fuel. The trouble is, there is no standardization in place and people on both sides will find quaint excuses to nix it entirely.

In short, it's hard to have faith when there's nobody to lean on.

[windbreeze]

19. OK....well, then, how about if we tell him to drive to Crawford next time

instead of taking AF 1??? or better yet...let him use his blasted scooter...
windbreeze

[formerrepuke]

20. Carter tried this 28 years ago......it didn't take:

from Wikipedia

".....he convinced the Democratic Congress to create the United States Department of Energy. Following its recommendations to conserve energy, Carter wore sweaters, installed solar power panels on the roof of the White House, installed a wood stove in the living quarters, ordered the General Services Administration to turn off hot water in some facilities and requested that Christmas decorations remain dark in 1979 and 1980. Nationwide controls were put on thermostats in government and commercial buildings to prevent people from raising temperatures in the winter... or lowering them in the summer...."


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter#Energy_crisis

[Deja Q]

22. Agreed. Bush is now proving he's not the only selfish one.

The people need to sacrifice too. Maybe that is why prices were so high... (like I said a moment ago, I could be wrong...)

[spanone]

24. Two words.....FLIP / FLOP

[bullwinkle428]

28. This a-hole has done NOTHING to raise CAFE standards; in fact,

they've dropped them over the past 6 years.

[mod mom]

29. Why doesn't he tax the hell out of big luxury SUVs (FUVs) as not to hurt the working

folks and try and push wealthy into buying fuel efficient vehicles?

[DaveJ]

30. * never 'pushes' the wealthy

The * version of your idea is similar, just slightly different... encourage the wealthy to buy even larger SUVS and make the rest of us walk.

[baldguy]

32. Get the fucking SUVs off the road, this'll be easy.