Samuel Tenenbaum, author of the Energy Party’s 55-mph plank and ardent advocate of that idea (just ask anyone who’s had a conversation with him in the last year or two), writes a hasty note to inform us of progress on that front:
Senator John Warner has asked the Energy Dept to give him info on 55. Time to write… about it again.I was interviewed on Spart. TV about 55 yesterday ! Have you read "Energy Victory " yet . This is the foremost issue of the time ! We need energy security first, not indepence for that is a long way off . Energy security means getting out of the grip of the thugocracies. 55 mph , flexfuel (M85) mandated that all cars and trucks sold here in 2010 and tax credit to excellerate the trade in of old clunkers . Like if you buy flexfuel car that gets 35 mpg then you get half the price back and have a system that decreases until you hit 26mph which then you add a $ 1,000 per mpg below . So if I want a Rolls or Hummer , I can pay for its abuse of the planet . You still have the freedom , but it costs you !
Yes, he’s still on me about the book he gave me. It’s on my desk! It’s on my short list of stuff to read! But right now I’m reading The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11, which my older son gave me for Father’s Day. At least it’s a related subject…
I’m up to the part where Osama and those who agree with him have just been thoroughly humiliated by the U.S. coming into the Arabian peninsula and kicking Saddam’s butt out of Kuwait and back to Baghdad, thereby illustrating their country’s helplessness and utter dependence on the West.
Of course, it’s a symbiotic relationship — or perhaps I should say, mutually parasitic relationship. We’re just as dependent on their oil, which is the condition that Samuel and the rest of us in the Energy Party would like to change.
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Going back to the bad policies of Jimmy Carter is not progress.
Ok. I will try to be objective and pragmatic on this one. In a world that says, you have to get it done yesterday, I don’t see the public going for it. Besides if you could get a 55mph speed limit it would have to be 35mph to account for the 20mph that people add to the speed limits now.
Actually Richard, if we have a 55 mph speed limit, people will only drive 70, instead of the 85+ they drive now. And if we’d kept, and expanded on Pres. Carter’s plans, we’d be energy independent now, instead of having to start 30 years later, when we’re really caught between a rock and a hard place.
What plans of Carter would have lead America to require no fuel imports?
I can’t wait to hear this!
I remember his Energy Secretary telling us all to drive small cars, then piling his family into 4 subcompacts to haul all the children and their luggage on vacation.
If Brad is so keen on 55mph, then why is he driving 70 on vacation? Same reason we all have problems with 55; we want to get somewhere.
To borrow a term from Tom Wolfe, I’m not a Harry Hairshirt, Herb. At no point have I proposed to be a useless martyr.
It won’t do society much good for me and the few individuals I might inspire to drive 55. It will just put us at high risk of being rear-ended at a relative speed of 25-30 mph. To have the kind of impact we need, it needs to be the law, and it needs to be a law that’s enforced.
In the meantime, I’ll transport my family at a safe and convenient speed, with respect for current law (even though it is not enforced).
Actually, from an energy conservation point of view, this is progress on my part. In the past, I’ve driven at the de facto speed limit (just under 10 mph over). This last trip, I went at or below the speed limit. I was able to do so safely, I’m happy to report. Maybe others are slowing down; I don’t know. Or maybe I’m just getting more patient as I age.
Did you buy a hybrid vehicle or subcompact, or drive your full size sedan at 70 MPH?
Richard, that was a place to start. And it was the public who demanded the smaller cars after gas prices spiked so much. Had we continued to use less gas, and looked to use alternative energy where we could (wind, solar, nuclear, geothermal, and who knows what else down the road) I think we’d be closer to complete alternative energy by now if not already there. We don’t have alternative energy because no one was interested. We started out angry enough because OPEC had purposely cut back on production to increase the price of oil. When it became clear that we could actually use much less, they dropped the price to some extent. We did not stay mad; instead we fell in love (again) with large engines and major gas gulpers. This time in response to a weak dollar (which has occurred because of our massive debt), and increased competition for the oil available it won’t be quite so easy. I can only hope that even if a strengthening dollar, or increased production reduces the price for awhile we’ll have enough sense to get down this creek while we can.
Lead by example, or don’t lead at all.
Or do you just want the rest of us to consume less energy by driving 55, while you, Al Gore-style, burn up whatever it suits you to burn up?
Driving 70 to stay with the traffic is a lame excuse for someone pushing 55 mph speed limits.
55 is just a meaningless number. I’ve spent the past few days driving in New York where the state speed limit is 55. Trust me — NOBODY drives 55. 65 on the Long Island Expressway will get you cars rubbing your back bumper better than Jeff Gordon.
People value their time more than they value the price of gasoline. That’s the way it will also be.
I also have posted on this blog before that the facts show that high rates of speed on the highway are not even statistically significant in terms of highway deaths in SC. The majority of deaths occur on secondary roads.
I could drive 80 mph easily and safely for most of the ride between Columbia and Rock Hill… and would if I could.
Sheesh! For a bunch of so-called conservatives, some of my fellow contributors seem to have a real problem with actually behaving conservatively. Example: Lee’s continual ragging about “one SUV versus four subcompacts.” If you need (versus want) to drive an SUV for business purposes, go right ahead: a lot of the costs can be deducted. If you need to use an SUV one or two times a year to go on trips, drive a smaller car for everyday use and rent an SUV when you need one. Alternatively, drive whatever vehicle you like and can afford, but don’t whine as the cost of fuel rises.
Mr. Gordy,
You are not capable of determining what I need or want in a vechicle, much less what 300,000,000 people need and want. Some people do rent an SUV for vacation. Others use them every day to carpool. It’s none of your business what they choose to drive.
Such arrogance is why socialist central planners always fail the people.
On those who want 55 mph national speed limit, they can get stuffed. I like my 75 mph speed limit.
If you want to drive 55 MPH, do so – it’s a free country. The rest of us will drive what suits us, up to what the law allows.
Actually, Brad, I agree with what you are trying to accomplish, I’m just trying to inject some humor. Goodness knows that Lee won’t.
We’d probably all benefit from slowing down–we race around like idiots all the time, and get into a habit like it’s life essential to do so. Traveling around to some other countries helps me to get some perspective. Sure, we have a fabulous work ethic (sometimes), but as someone has said, when you get to the end of your life, is it going to be important how much time I spent at the office, or for that matter, how much money I made?
Well, Germany is a bit different, but given the fact that they can keep to some strict rules, I suppose they deserve a bit of a break. Of course, part of it is that good, German, socialist education that comes from such a stiff driving exam that you fail it if you miss just one major point (like failing to look behind your shoulder when you’re finished and ready to get out of the car).
There is nothing good about anything socialist.