John Edwards: Fellow Americans, Sacrifice Your SUVs
August 30, 2007
Democratic Presidential Candidate John Edwards is calling for Americans to make a sacrifice for the environment by getting out of their SUVs and into more fuel-efficient vehicles.
"I think Americans are actually willing to sacrifice," Edwards told the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Wednesday. "One of the things they should be asked to do is drive more fuel-efficient vehicles."
It didn’t take long for one automaker to respond.
“Sacrifice?” wrote Jason Vines, Chrysler's vice president of communications on the automaker's The Firehouse blog. “Would any president sacrifice their safety, or comfort, and give up the presidential motorcade, which includes many SUVs laden with heavy armor?”
Vines, naturally, took the opportunity to promote Chrysler’s new diesel-powered Jeep Grand Cherokee and upcoming hybrid Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango, all designed for significant improvement in fuel-efficiency.
Upon this we agree with Chrysler’s Vines: America is about choice. However, choices can be helped along.
Hitting the wallets of Americans is what changes their behavior as recent high gas prices have shown. The international forecasting firm, Global Insight, points out –- and Edmunds.com numbers concur -- Americans already are giving up their SUVs in ever-increasing numbers. Only this week, General Motors, for instance, cut production at plants that produce large SUVs due to slower sales.
Global Insight concludes the increase in gasoline prices is doing through “natural market actions” what government mandates, like Corporate Average Fuel Economy, do not achieve. Consumers always buy the best item they can afford that fits their needs. SUVs are no longer as affordable to operate, so the behavioral shift has already begun,” Global Insight notes. “Simply declaring that Americans should sacrifice to drive more fuel-efficient vehicles is unrealistic; an American family of five will not fit into a compact car.”
Also in his speech, Edwards advocated a cap on greenhouse gas emissions. "We are the worst polluter on the planet. We are 4 percent of the world's population, we're putting out 25 percent of the world's greenhouse gas," Edwards said. "America's going to have to change."
Posted by Michelle Krebs at 11:04 AM under Chrysler , Commentary , Personalities , Technology | Comments (6) | digg this | Seed Newsvine
Yea, you tell 'em John. Lead by example.
Posted by: Jim | August 30, 2007 at 6:22 PM
first of all, this jerk (excuse the language) is a low-life, ambulance-chasing, empty seat-has-been senator who doesn't have the experience or right to tell a bum where to piss. Secondly, he can go ahead and cut down on the number of houses he has if he really wants to cut down on Greenhouse emissions.
Posted by: Disgusted | August 30, 2007 at 7:24 PM
Hey Disgusted, nice post....ya know, if you don't have a clue. Do atleast a LITTLE research before you slam the guy. And by the way, John Edwards did NOT say in his speech that Americans must give up SUV's. His point was that Americans are WILLING to sacrifice for the right cause, and driving more fuel efficient vehicles that might give them a little less room and road presence is one way to do that. The SUV specific topic was brought up by a REPORTER. The Reporter asked if that meant Americans may have to give up their SUV's and he said "yes."
Posted by: Hmmmmm | August 30, 2007 at 8:27 PM
I hope thats how it went down Hmmmm. I'd really, really hate if the folks up in Washington told me what I can and can't drive. Yeah, gas prices are going to influence a lot of people, and thats ... sort of fine. As long as gas prices are not artificially inflated by whatever means. I don't drive an SUV, and don't plan on it. However I live out in the midwest and there a lot of people who own them, and legitly use their capabilities for towing and cargo capacity. There are lots of farmers who use them to haul cargo, as well as their families. I live in a city of about 100k too so it's not like the roads are as packed as an LA or a Chicago either, so their size honestly doesn't bother me at all. There's lots of areas where SUVs just don't seem that evil, and forcing people like that to give up their SUV, or force them to buy new SUVs due to regulations seems wrong to me. "But what about their emissions and regulating that?" I have no good answer for that. I'm not sold that carbon dioxide is as evil as everyone says, but it's entirely possible. I just haven't seen enough to convince me, and there are other really good theories out there. I've seen a lot of mud slinging from both camps, and there are possible underhanded motives for both camps. So I'm still on the fence there.
Posted by: Mcrunfast | August 31, 2007 at 7:53 AM
I totally agree, get lard assed Americans out of their Supersize me vehicles and stop fighting foreign wars to support their addiction to gasoline.
Posted by: Dogbolter | September 01, 2007 at 11:02 AM
I totally agree, get lard assed Americans out of their Supersize me vehicles and stop fighting foreign wars to support their addiction to gasoline.
Posted by: Dogbolter | September 01, 2007 at 11:03 AM