To SUV or not to SUV?

Articles

Ken Hughes

To SUV or not to SUV?
Sept 18, 2003

This energy crises and the urgent need to find alternative sourses had me confused until I applied a little common sense. Drilling 20 miles off the California and Florida Coasts will have no adverse effect on the enviroment. The marine life love those platforms. Drilling in ANWAR will have no adverse effects. Who would want to vacation in the Artic.

I see this more as a social and political issue than a real energy problem. The real need isn't energy its issues for Politicians, Enviro-Nuts, The Politically Correct crowd. Its for all those Wacko's who want to run our lives until we no longer have any life left.

The automobile has improved 200 plus percent in the past 30 odd years. Better gas milage, better emissions control, more dependable, much safer. I would say the Automobile industry has done a very good job. My first car got 8 miles to the gallon, My Brothers got 6, We both used 2 quarts of oil ever 1,000 miles. That was 50 years ago it wasn't that bad then.

Lets say we can fuel cars with hydrogen, electric- hybirds, solar energy, chicken manure, or some other form of alternative energy. We are able to reduce oil consumption by 90% or even 70 %. What happens to the other 4000 chemical products extracted from a barrel of oil? The plastics used in our every day lives. Household items, car parts, food containers, etc etc. Who would give up Coke and Pepsi? No more Dacron thongs on Beach Beauties. Panty hose would be a thing of the past. Oh my God, no DVD's. I can't possibly name all the products made from oil by- products, I doubt anyone can. It has been suggested those products could be made from Soy and Corn, What about the cost of re-formulating, re-tooling, would taxpayers pay. Would people buy those products?

Then there is the delivory system, I have no idea the number of gas stations in this country, I would say a bunch. The cost of conversion would need to be paid for, I doubt many Oil Companies would take on that burdon. Who then would pay ? The taxpayer of course. It would take a National law requirering everone to drive one of these new alturnative fueled cars in order to make it feasibe to do the conversion. With the exception of Children, Senior Citizens, The Poor, The Handycapped, African Americans, The Obese, Latino's, Native Americans, Mixed Bloods, Students, PETA, The National Teachers Union, Have I left out any other special interests?

This is a Political Hot Button without marit. When Congress tells us we have a crises, The crises is never what Congress tells us. The energy crises is a miss-direction to divert our attention from the other problems in our Government. There is no energy crises. We pay less than $ 2.00 a gallon for gas and no shortage. The rest of the world pays twice that.

Our problem is to many have feed at the public trough for to long. Our Government is blotted, Congress is not addressing the real issues, Educaton, Health care, Term limits, Corruption. It is time to think about replacing some of the long serving Congressman who have lost their ability to serve their constituents. Those who have served 20 or more years and still tell us of all the problems we face they shouldn't be re-elected. If in 20 years they haven't found a salution what good are they?

I don't think the Founding Fathers ever envisioned elective public service being a life time position. We need to elect a Congress who will serve the public not special interests. We also need term limits on Congress much the same as they put on the President. We need to elect a Congress who will be honest with the voters. I don't want to come across as Chicken-Little But it is time to rain in our Government. The only way to do that is to make congress accountable to the people again. This game of blaming the President for all the ills of the country is bogas,Presidents make speaches, The Congress pass laws and spend tax money.

In November 2004 we will be voteing. As a Conservitive Republican I hope all will vote as I do. As a realist I know many will vote the for other Candidates. There are many good Candidates from both parties who deserve the oppertunity to serve. LETS ELECT A NEW CONGRESS AND GET RID OF THE OLD. REMEMBER IT IS IMPORTANT TO VOTE.

I said it now I'm Happy

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About the author: Ken Hughes is a retired International Businessman living in Michigan. He's a Conservitive Republican with a heart. He's interested in National politics as long as he can sit at his computer and pontificate. His passion is irritating Liberals, he's pretty much a pain in the butt. Email Ken Hughes: umncleken@wwnet.net

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