My jaw just hit the floor: Bush supports hybrid and flex/fuel cars!

irishgrl · #1 11-10-2006, 05:30 PM

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Yahoo! News
Bush supports hybrids, flex-fuel cars: spokesman

2 hours, 19 minutes ago

President George W. Bush will tell Detroit auto executives next week that he supports efforts to build more hybrids and vehicles that run on alternative fuels, the White House said on Friday.

Spokesman Tony Snow said Bush will tell the chiefs of Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp. and DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler Group on Tuesday that he wants to see their businesses grow. But Snow would not say whether the Bush administration was poised to offer any help to the struggling companies.

"I don't want to get into discussions or even characterizations of the American auto industry other than to say that we are committed to its success," Snow said.

Ford, General Motors and Chrysler have for a year sought a meeting with Bush on things they think the government could do to help them. Two previously scheduled meetings were postponed.

Ford and General Motors, especially, have sustained staggering financial losses due to declining market share at the hands of foreign rivals and overwhelming legacy costs for worker and retiree health care and pensions.

Among other things, the U.S.-based companies would like more government incentives to retool factories and help lower their costs.

Detroit has stressed that it does not want a government bailout. And the White House has been cool to any suggestion of substantial government help and has encouraged the auto companies to work out their problems on their own.

Nevertheless, Bush has said the United States is "addicted to oil" and has encouraged new technologies to reduce the country's dependence on imported energy.

U.S. demand for gasoline accounts for about half the nation's use of nearly 21 million barrels of petroleum per day, according to Energy Department figures.

American-based automakers are gearing up their operations to produce more gasoline-electric hybrids and other vehicles that run on alternative fuels, like crop-based ethanol and bio diesel blends.

Snow signaled that Bush would raise energy issues at the meeting and support Detroit's efforts to explore alternatives to gasoline, which Snow said "gives us a little better ability to try to wean ourselves from an addiction to oil, especially foreign oil."

But Ford, GM and Chrysler trail Japanese manufacturers in the production of hybrid vehicles. Foreign manufacturers are not invited to the meeting.

BlackWidow · #2 11-10-2006, 06:16 PM

^^^^^
it's a kinder, gentler, lame-duck Bushie....

MacMan · #3 11-10-2006, 07:16 PM

So then why did they Kill the electric car initiatives that were going on?

priestofnothing · #4 11-10-2006, 07:41 PM

sure, why not (now), Bush made all of his Texas oil buddies mega wealthy the last couple of years with high oil/gas prices.... which conveniently came down for several weeks/months preceding the elections.... and then last night I noticed the station on the corner adding +0.10 a gallon.... it's gonna go back up now.... just you wait and see... as long as he still has some influence.

there is no shortage... we haven't run out have we?

now that he's on the way out... he is "saying" he's in support of what he should have been in support of all along.... it's too bad money and testosterone come before ethics and morals in this world.....

Nixxxed · #5 11-10-2006, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Ford, General Motors and Chrysler have for a year sought a meeting with Bush on things they think the government could do to help them. Two previously scheduled meetings were postponed.

And this is AFTER he mentioned this initiative in his SOTU speech, what, 4 years ago? And how he's babbled on and on about our "addiction to foreign oil" without actually doing anything about it for 6 years.

BU****. Smells like another auto industry (read: Republican) bailout to me. Goodness knows the last two have helped them so much that they're back on the bankruptcy train.

BlackWidow · #6 11-10-2006, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by priestofnothing

sure, why not (now), Bush made all of his Texas oil buddies mega wealthy the last couple of years with high oil/gas prices.... which conveniently came down for several weeks/months preceding the elections.... and then last night I noticed the station on the corner adding +0.10 a gallon.... it's gonna go back up now.... just you wait and see... as long as he still has some influence.

there is no shortage... we haven't run out have we?

now that he's on the way out... he is "saying" he's in support of what he should have been in support of all along.... it's too bad money and testosterone come before ethics and morals in this world.....

...and let's not forget about all those pesky dead bodies in Iraq!

irishgrl · #7 11-10-2006, 10:05 PM

lookit. Im just as skeptical as all of you. I know Monkey Boy talks out of both sides of his mouth at once.

that doesnt mean Im not glad he's finally coming around to embracing alternatives. for WHATEVER reason. He is OUT, and his influence is GONE. and all of his big business buds KNOW it. that is why they are throwing us these bones... dont think I dont know whats what. but, at the end of the day, Im all for whatever HELPS the environment whether it be a token gesture by big oil or a bail out move by a lame duck pres. whatever.

SuzeQuze · #8 11-11-2006, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishgrl

lookit. Im just as skeptical as all of you. I know Monkey Boy talks out of both sides of his mouth at once.

that doesnt mean Im not glad he's finally coming around to embracing alternatives. for WHATEVER reason. He is OUT, and his influence is GONE. and all of his big business buds KNOW it. that is why they are throwing us these bones... dont think I dont know whats what. but, at the end of the day, Im all for whatever HELPS the environment whether it be a token gesture by big oil or a bail out move by a lame duck pres. whatever.

Do you think he could be relieved to no longer be beholden to the neocons? Frigging Rush said he felt liberated because he no longer had to carry water for those that don't deserve it.

irishgrl · #9 11-11-2006, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

Do you think he could be relieved to no longer be beholden to the neocons? Frigging Rush said he felt liberated because he no longer had to carry water for those that don't deserve it.

who knows?

strandinthewind · #10 11-11-2006, 11:30 AM

W has always said he promoted this area of development - he said it in a few SOU speeches. He just never, to my knowledge, did anything significant about it. But, I could be wrong and though I think some money in the past has gone to this research.

irishgrl · #11 11-11-2006, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

W has always said he promoted this area of development - he said it in a few SOU speeches. He just never, to my knowledge, did anything significant about it. But, I could be wrong and though I think some money in the past has gone to this research.

he may have paid lip service to the idea, but I'd be willing to bet he didnt authorize any $$$ for research/development

SuzeQuze · #12 11-11-2006, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishgrl

he may have paid lip service to the idea, but I'd be willing to bet he didnt authorize any $$$ for research/development

Because he was beholden to the neocons to which he can now say, "I have to cooperate with the dems now that they are in the majority."

strandinthewind · #13 11-11-2006, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishgrl

he may have paid lip service to the idea, but I'd be willing to bet he didnt authorize any $$$ for research/development

Well, the R Congress ganted huge tax breaks for buying the cars. If the cars sell, the research will come. So, there is that.

But, here is an article on it and it is not a good one per se for W, though the tax benefits are still there, which is a good thing.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washing...h-energy_x.htm

irishgrl · #14 11-11-2006, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Well, the R Congress ganted huge tax breaks for buying the cars. If the cars sell, the research will come. So, there is that.

But, here is an article on it and it is not a good one per se for W, though the tax benefits are still there, which is a good thing.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washing...h-energy_x.htm

you call $3200 HUGE? its nice but for the price of those cars it hardly makes a dent...but its better than nothing I suppose...

I just feel the Dem congress will go a heck of a lot further with this than W ever has, and its about time!

strandinthewind · #15 11-11-2006, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishgrl

you call $3200 HUGE? its nice but for the price of those cars it hardly makes a dent...but its better than nothing I suppose...

I just feel the Dem congress will go a heck of a lot further with this than W ever has, and its about time!

Times the number of people who bought them, yes, it is significant. So, to say W did nothing is incorrect.

As for the D's, now that Beaux is gone, maybe. But the D's and just as tightly held by big oil as the R's. I mean Clinton hardly did more

Note - I certainly hope the D's are. But, history does not bode well for that.