New CAFE standards

[reborn55]

My .02---what I don't understand is that everyone talks technology.  We are supposed to be the greatest technological nation in the world(at least that i what we are told) but we are not allowed to drill for oil any where in the U.S. because the technology is supposedly not there to cohabitate with the evnviromentalists.  We can't drill in the gulf because there might be an oil spill or vacationers may see an oil rig that is 150 miles offshore(even though foriegn countries can drill off the coast of Cuba)--how far is that from our shores.  E85 is a boon for the corn industry not for the average motorist.  When do people allow our technology to wean us off foreign oil or do we forever live with smoke and mirrors around us.
have a great New Years.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

nothing new.. we get screw'd by big business and the gov.

they used to take turns, now they work both ends.

[CQQL33]

I guess I am a NONE BELIEVER when it comes to this global warming thing.   If we actually are seeing the beginning of global warming, why is the North polar ice cap melting BUT the South polar ice cap is growing   None of our experts has mentioned anything about the South Pole and the growth of the ice cap (?).     Further, thru the history of the earth (as we know it) there has been cycles in the earth temperatures......if the ice IS melting how come Florida is still there
I read, if the water level increased by 5 feet most of Florida would be under water (?) if the water leverl increased by 17 feet there would be NO Florida...........
As mentioned, other countries are drilling for oil off the coast of Cube but the United States is restricting any drilling in the Golf area, what gives (?).
Any time the GOV. helps me it always costs me MONEY......    Back in the 80's the Japanese produced cars that delivered 50 miles per gallon.....and now, with the Gov. help, none produce that kind of mileage......mmmmm..
I wish they (Government) would stop helping me !!!!!        

[CQQL33]

ONE MORE THING....
Did you know that it takes more energy to produce one gallon of ethanol than exists in a gallon of ethanol ?   I remember some one stating E=mc2. what that means is one cannot destroy energy, they can only change it from one form to another (?).    Where is the gain ?  Also there is less energy in that gallon of ethanol than in a gallon of gasoline......which means; less energy lower fuel economy.......   Is this ethanol going to be less costly than gasoline ?.......I don't think so.
It all boils down to MONEY......    Look at the history of gasoline.   Gas used to contain lead......there was a process that had to be performed to add lead into the fuel.....when the law was passed to eliminate lead from gas that reduced the processing of the fuel by 2 or 3 steps (that should have saved money, right) but the cost of unleaded fuel actually went UP...
.....go figure........        I believe it is all about MONEY !!!

[Uncle Bob]

It all boils down to MONEY......    Look at the history of gasoline.   Gas used to contain lead......there was a process that had to be performed to add lead into the fuel.....when the law was passed to eliminate lead from gas that reduced the processing of the fuel by 2 or 3 steps (that should have saved money, right) but the cost of unleaded fuel actually went UP...
.....go figure........        I believe it is all about MONEY !!!

Your comment regarding unleaded gasoline production cost would be logical if your statement about unleaded requiring "reduced......2 or 3 steps......." were accurate.  However leaded fuel increased octane rating by basically opening a valve to insert a comparatively cheap additive that modified the burn rate of the air/fuel mixture.  Government mandate (I detect a pattern here )forcing unleaded fuel required a more costly (compared to adding tetraethyl lead) method to increase octane by making changes to the gasoline stocks at a molecular level.  If interested here's a description of one method; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_reforming

[BFS57]

Hello;
Time for me to pop all ballons here!
My question is: If the good ol USA adopts these rules what about all the other countries in the world? China, Russia, India, Ect. Believe me, these third world countries have no intention of observing 45 MPG laws! So what does this make us? The only people on the planet doing anything?
This whole idea won't work if we are the only ones conserving and making rules to follow that are as stupid as most government authorities!
The whole world has to participate in conservation, not just the USA!
I recently was teching (Audio Visual) a 3 day meeting for the Republican Women here in Orlando. One of the guest speakers was a top professor in the country on all this global warming stuff. He showed graphs, before and after photos and his thought was that this Global Warming thing was pure B.S.!
So, My thought is if we have to, the whole world has to!!! Don't make me do it if everyone else won't do it!!

Bruce