Looking for a campaign bounce before Obama sweeps the media away for his world tour, McCain is confronting the stagnant economy right at its rotten core. But touring the GM Design Center Dome at Warren, McCain may not have uncovered anything energizing for his campaign to latch on to. In fact, early reports seem to indicate that the Senator from Arizona is hardly bending over backwards for the General– or should that be forwards? At an early-morning town hall meeting at GM's technical center, McCain reversed his position on California's emissions regulation, saying "I guess at the end of the day I support the states being able to do that." The gaffery didn't end there. The Detroit News reports that McCain got to visit GM's Volt display, where he was joined by the top brass (CEO Rick Wagoner, Bob Lutz and pals). McCain thought it would be a great place to tout his "Lexington Plan," which includes a $5k tax incentive for buyers of zero-emissions vehicles. But without even entering the "long tailpipe" debate, McCain forgot to remember that the Volt actually has an internal combustion engine. Which means that it ain't exactly zero emissions. Luckily, GM employees have become accustomed to disingenuous pronouncements from their higher-ups. "It'd be nice to have a friend in Washington," said Don Jamison, 49, a GM bumper systems engineer. "Of course, he's politicking for votes, so he's going to be telling us all kinds of things." Roger and me that.
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John McCain must have come to the realization that he isn’t going to win the election. When in Iowa promise more support for ethanol and when in California say a word or two supporting CARB.
The California Air Resources Board has gone over board with regards to their regulatory authority. Their setting the standards for the rest of us is like having the tail wag the dog.
We do need a single and nationwide standard, and Cali’s new law is too aggressive and is more then likely going to damage the industry. Even Toyota is apart of the Alliance that has tried to delay their new law. It’s not like it’s just GM that is saying so. But after all, we can just kick that oil habit overnight if we just had a guy like Al Gore in charge! LOL
On the one hand, we hate flip floppers and admire straight talk. On the other, we make fun of politicians who fail to dance through these hoops in an elegant fashion.
We have met the enemy…
OldandSlow
John McCain must have come to the realization that he isn’t going to win the election. When in Iowa promise more support for ethanol and when in California say a word or two supporting CARB.
Actually, McCain said he DIDN’T support corn (i.e. ethanol) subsidies. In Iowa. No less.
Gasoline out here in California has averaged over $4.50 for several months. Diesel is hovering around $5. Just as the higher CAFE standards will be irrelevant because of the high country-wide fuel prices, CARB mileage standards will be irrelevant because of the even higher CA fuel prices. That said, maybe CARB and EPA should drop all the mileage standards.
From the Freep:
“McCain also said he hopes that all future vehicles will be flex-fuel vehicles powered by ethanol products or electricity.”
E85: the fuel that will not die.
So is that a Flip or a flop for/against ethanol?
On the one hand, we hate flip floppers and admire straight talk. On the other, we make fun of politicians who fail to dance through these hoops in an elegant fashion.
Without taking any sides, I have been very disappointed to see 2 candidates propelled to the nominations by voters who wanted change, the end of pork barrel, the end of Washington insiders, and all that.
And at the same time, those same voters still want their politicians to be the same as they always were! I.e. bring them the pork, appeal to their own vested interests, and bring on the same tired themes.
In the end, I don’t blame Obama or McCain, but I blame all of us for wanting change, without changing ourselves.
Orian,
The flip flops both candidates are doing is the same old politics (I thought Obama was a new kind of politician. Oh well).
That being said, I guess one could argue that Obama’s voting record (with more ‘present’ votes than nearly all his peers) indicates that it’s not so much that he’s a flip flopper, but lacks an opinion one way or another. This should trouble his supporters, but for them, they don’t seem to want to be troubled by any pesky facts.
Sunnyvale,
CA has one of the highest, if not the highest, taxes on gasoline in the country. Gas is not that expensive in california, gas plus california state government inefficiency is that expensive.
Any chance you guys might start drilling off the coast anytime soon? It would put a real crimp in the speculators style if they couldn’t be so sure that no more fuel may come on the market.
AKM
Yep, agreed.
Just so long as McCain (for once) didn’t confuse the C in CARB for Czechoslovakia again.
Plus the Volt won’t be available until 2030. Woops, I mean the year of magic – 2010.
That guy in the picture sure does have a hopeless look on his face. Meanwhile, Milkshake McGee is taking a nap, because that’s what 90 year olds do. I think both candidates are lying weasels, but Johnny is way too greasy for me. I hate having to chose between the lesser of 2 evils, but I guess that’s just the way she goes.
jkross – they both are flip floppers…in some ways I think that is better than someone with too strong of an opinion that refuses to see the forest for the trees when the facts are presented to them (see current administration).
Honestly I think some flip flopping has to take place as more information is brought to light – it’s human nature to form an opinion on something only to change our minds later once more information is provided.
We’re seeing first hand what can happen when a leader/leadership sticks to their guns in light of all sorts of new and pertinent information (Wagonner and GM’s board of bystanders).
$4 gas and $5 diesel has just about made CAFE irrelevant. Most mainstream shoppers won’t even look at anything below 25mpg and have a preference for 30mpg+.
Not that it had all that much effect anyway with all its loopholes. Call the HHR and PT Crusier “Trucks” sure! Vehciles getting 30mpg+ credit for a never to be used ability to burn ethanol, right on! Add an extra 1000 lbs to your Full Size SUV and make it entirely exempt the regs!
Orian,
Yes, we all have to be flexible and open to new information. The problem with pervasive flip flopping is that it indicates a lack of courage to stand up for a core opinion/belief you hold, even when it’s not popular to do so. Obama has done this on a regular basis and as a result, unless you’re at the Obama trough, you’ve got to question what the guy really believes. The lack of a paper trail on him should also set off some alarms, but unfortunately, his supporters are clearly not open minded enough to ask those questions.
Same thing can be said for GM’s non-existent leadership. That’s a company with such little vision because it’s insulated itself from reality. Talk about groupthink. Organizationally, it acts like a child with arrested development.
If the Feds cannot draw the line between State and Federal rights, USA will become the State of California.
If we play this “democratic republic” game by the rules, that would be the Constitution of the USA, then just WTF can a Commander in Chief and the highest ranking cop in the nation do to “save” the 2.8’s ass?
He can enforce the laws Congress enacts.
Of course I forgot, people in this country think they are actually electing an emperor for a term of office, and it sure appears like that is what we will be getting.
I hope and suspect Obama’s reported backgroud in Constitutional law will make him perhaps a bit more of a rule player, but his FISA vote leaves me quite doubtful at this time. Additonally I have NEVER seen a politician like McCain just say anything at any given moment, and something else the next, and then display utter ignorance (about so many things) the next, and get such a pass from the TV press.
Apalling. So this is face of amorality and decline. Too bad we cannot imitate Switzerland instead of the Roman Empire.
McCain reversed his position on California’s emissions regulation, saying “I guess at the end of the day I support the states being able to do that.”…
“As goes California, so goes the nation”…which IMHO could be a good thing in this case, provided it is handled properly. But as all things political, I have my doubts…Now my wife wants a divorce because I agreed with something Johnny boy said.