Posted by
Shogrensus on Tuesday, May 01, 2007 3:55:44 PM
Senator Bill Bradley came on the View on Monday to promote his new book. If we addressed healthcare, education, social security and oil dependence we could solve all the problems of the world.
He tried to explain some theory about Republicans building a pyramid that leads to a cookie cutter presidential candidate and Democrats having an inverted pyramid that isn't working. Sounds interesting but made no sense, actually.
Barbara asked him to tell us what individuals can do to solve our problems.
First, he explained, they can read his book.
Then he says they need to get together with others to solve problems. People have to stop depending on politicians to fix problems because they aren't going to do it.
He hasn't been talking to Rosie because he thinks the greatest lie perpetrated on the American people over the last few decades has been the Red-Blue divide. How can he not think it is the lies about war and terror? Rosie must have had to bite her tongue.
He then talks about oil dependence. Its very easy. If we simply had the same mileage standards as they have in Europe- about 45 miles a gallon- we would import no oil from OPEC. Thats zero oil from OPEC.
Its all because of the lobbyists for the oil companies and car manufacturers. If it werent for those lobbyists, he explained, we would have 45 mile per gallon cars, easy.
Really? Easy! This guy is nuts!
We dont have this standard because it is not possible at this time to have cars that meet the needs of the American consumer get 45 miles per gallon. Americans can not all be driving around in little two seater cars with no storage for the hockey bags. Mini-vans and SUVs just dont get that kind of mileage and all the little battery-powered cars for sale today arent going to solve that problem in the near future. Making the cars of the future so lightweight they will crumple in a strong wind will also not satisfy the average mom in America.
Most Americans do a lot of driving on side roads in their neighborhoods. Hybrids might be neat, but they dont solve the problems people want to pretend they solve.
There is no easy answer to this problem. One of the best solutions to minimizing fuel consumption in America would be to offer tax credits to businesses that allow employees to computer commute to work.
Otherwise, buy Bradleys book if you have money to spare.
I, for one, doubt its worth 5 gallons of gas.