Lets just say you're right, lets just for a minute say we could have 35 mpg CAFE standards any time we wanted (I don't think its possible but I'm playing along). If Americans all of a sudden tomorrow had these options A) not everyone would buy them because most people still like trucks and SUVs, and B) the people who buy the more efficient cars will most likely drive more and negate any fuel savings because thats what American consumers do. So in the end you're really not winning me with this argument. CAFE standards are just a Washington political buzz word. It sounds like governments doing something, but in the end they're really not. I work with the AAM, and CAFE is just a way to make noise and place costs on nonvoters - it doesn't even do anything about all the cars already on the road.

It is important that his point of view is continued to be raised. Right now I feel like most of Congress is trying hike up CAFE standards not because they feel they will work, but because it is an easy way to say they are doing something. CAFE is politically easy because the manufacturers and not consumers pay for it. Thats nice for people who are worried about getting reelected, but its not going to have a positive impact. I do some work with the Auto Alliance, and consumers are not buying the higher mileage cars - they're still buying cars and SUVs so this approach really doesn't make sense. Consumer demand must be taken into account and just jacking up CAFE is not the solution.

Raising CAFE standards is fine - but as long as it is done responsibly and to a reasonable level. All the Dems in the race are talking more extreme than the most liberal stance in Congress - what does that say to you. I do some work with the AAM and I know its important for Washington to not force legislation onto companies without proper consumer demand. The effects that could have could be really bad for consumers as well too in the long run.

The folks at American Eagle think they’re so cool with their online series and ads. What a joke. I would encourage you to submit an ad that makes fun of AE. It’s all part of my organization’s Back to School Boycott. The winners of “Defeathering the Eagle” get a nice chunk of change. Visit www.AmericanVulture.org for details.

I'm sure he'll ride in a hybrid, just like Harry Reid does...

Honestly, this type of unrealistic posturing should be exposed for what it is and this "anything is possible if you wish hard enough" attitude means they will most likely be an ineffective leader. This country needs CAFE standards that are realistic and legislation that can actually get passed.

CAFE legislation will get passed before the 08 election by Congress meaning all of this will be moot - it won't matter what a President can do if its a dead issue and we've moved on. We should be focusing on the House now. We should be focused on people like Pelosi who are pulling CAFE standards off the table because she doesn't want Democrats fighting with each other on TV.

We have an opportunity because the auto industry is actually coming to the table right now and is supporting a raise in CAFE standards - and that is something we should consider and grasp. The reasonable standards they are agreeing to now are a million times better than the political posturing of any of these wannabe presidents.

Should Congress's energy bill already be completed by the time they get into office should they get elected anyway? It sounds as if this could be a lot of posturing so they can say they were for stricter standards later that they know can't be approved. Additionally, if these standards were achievable why aren't the progressives in Congress already calling for them now?

When there's two sides in Congress each usually starts with the most extreme so that compromise is reached in the middle. The 35 from the liberal side is already suppose to hurt manufacturers but car manufacturers know that change has to come so they will find something they can support too and a compromise will be worked out. I do some work with the AAM and thats how I understand this process to work.

The best idea I've heard so far is to increase CAFE standards to the highest point that won't have the negative effects of plans that don't take into consideration auto workers and the state of the current auto industry.

Also, I'm not really keen on relying on technology that isn't invented yet either - having standards that separates cars and trucks sounds like the smarter move.

In general the most effective push for change on this front will come from consumers and not legislation from Washington. If consumers are demanding trucks and SUVs in the US that don't have 50mpg then expect manufacturers to make them. CAFE standards do nothing to effectively address this - I do some work with the Auto Alliance and these standards in fact negatively target those with car lineups that have trucks in them and reward those that focus only on the small cars. I think its good that the Congress is addressing these issues and that something will get done to improve the situation but I think its a good bipartisan compromise to list trucks and cars under different standards.

On a similar note - I saw from a group that I work with that consumers also pick up the tab for all of those credit card offers you get too - check it out here http://www.unfaircreditcardfees.com/site/press/consumers_picking_up_tab Its kind of amazing that we pay billions of dollars every year in these hidden interchange fees the credit card company tack onto all of our purchases and then they use the money to try to sell us on more credit cards which results in so much junk mail. They have a lot more info on that site too on how the credit card industry is hurting consumers. Thanks for sharing this post - I really can't stand all the junk mail - and especially all the credit card offers I get. Hopefully both of these campaigns will have some success in stopping all of this waste.

Thats a really great idea to help people get motivated to action. Another great thing that I saw today is the new campaign that the Center for American Progress has just started - they got a bunch of actors and actresses together to promote something called Clean My Ride. Its a serious of funny online videos that promote alternative fuels, bio fuels, and the first one has Ben Affleck in it: www.cleanmyride.com I think its a cool way to try to help get people educated on this issue and I hope it takes off.

The idea that raising taxes on gas so that it is around $7.00 seems to me to be at odds with the principle of CAFE standards. The most powerful force for change in the US is consumer demand and therefore if gas prices rise consumers will be more likely to choose cars that have greater fuel efficiency which the market will be forced to respond to. Washington making more legislation on the issue to force the industry to build cars that are not what consumers are demanding will probably have a negative impact on not just the industry but consumers as well. Encouraging alternative energy solutions is a much more effective way of creating progressive change when it comes to developing new technologies rather than politicians writing more CAFE standard laws to go on top of the ones they wrote before. Besides, creating a CAFE standard of 52mpg by 2030 is a bad idea because its assuming there will be technologies that don’t even exist yet. The standard is an average of the mpg for all the cars in a company’s lineup, and the Prius itself only gets 48mpg. While I am all for the government trying to make a positive impact and working to protect the environment, I seriously doubt that playing with CAFE standards again is really the best way to do it. Additionally, the possibility that this will cost American consumers and workers more than it will help is definitely real – Washington forcing the industry to implement standards like this instead of being forced by consumers is never a good thing. Also, I actually do some work with the Auto Alliance, and believe me, they know it is a good idea to invest in cleaner technologies and cars that have better gas mileage, consumers are demanding them more and more and car manufactures want to meet that demand. But at the same time consumers still want to be able to buy trucks for their business, mothers want their minivans, etc… and that’s what CAFE standards will most likely have a negative impact on – their choices.