Before everyone gets all upset over what appears to be a peice of imflammatory
propaganda, let's look at this calmly and rationally and historically.
For one thing-the 'story' of Gore claiming invention of the Internet is a
missquote-sort of like many of those Dan Quayle legendary malaprops. (I can't
believe I'm sort of defending Quayle! Don't let my aunt know!)
The quote given says nothing about internal combustion engines-it makes a
statement about the environment. The writer takes it from there.
Gore is merely re-stating what enviromentalists have been saying for years. And
I do mean *years*. I'm over 40, and can remember hearing this sort of thing
since the 3rd grade. You do the math. (Then again, back then there was also a
great concern about over-population-which today pops up once in a while like
it's a new thing...)
My mother and step-father worked in smog control in the early '70s here, in
L.A. His company had an emissions device that was more effective than the
catalytic converter-and affected engine performance a lot less. The battles
they had with the Sacremento. My mum told me that Reagan (when he was gov.) was
very helpful and wanted to see that we Californians had a choice in smog
device. But that Jerry Brown was a lot less helpful and his government killed
the project. And so the catalytic converter became 'king'.
But, even before those years, as a child, I remember hearing people talking
about how we were going to have to find a less polluting engine-and one that
wouldn't use up all the oil in the world.
People just sometimes treat Al Gore as a new bubonic plague! Wake up-they've
been trying to get junker bills passed in California since the late 1980s (as
far as I know-I was out of the country for a long time). They've come close.
But, we keep fighting them. And it's not just junkers they want off the road. I
think there is a definite coalition between policy makers and car companies-the
more regulations that they put on the books, the more it forces people to buy
newer cars (making money for car companies); and the more it penalizes people
who don't have the means to keep up with emissions (and safety) laws.
On the news the other night, they were talking about how it's expected to have
federal legislation on emissions that will push towards electric vehicles in
the next few years. That is truly horrifying-not from a classic cars point of
veiw, but from the point of view that a.) the automotive industry says there's
no way it can be ready for this-the cost of the electric car batteries being
very high and the range being rather short. Technology not quite being there
yet. And b.) the electric cars that are available are prohibitively expensive
for the majority of the population! (Most today are lease only-not available
for outright purchase and the credit check and income requirements are quite
high. Face it-the majority of the U.S. populations makes less than 100k a year!)
And who is this congress who's trying to push this through?
Isn't Congress predominately Republican? I'm more worried how someone like me
would ever be able to afford a one of these new wonder vehicles. And there are
millions upon millions who wouldn't be able to have transportation-it would be
an economic disaster.
And then there industry-take trucking to begin with. And how would a
developement affect mass transportation? (L.A. transit workers are clammering
for a strike as it is because they want nedical benefits and some
guarentees!-Can you imagine if in a few years they;re told they can't have
benefits or a living wage because of costly, government mandated 'equipement
upgrades'? And because there would be all the people who can longer have a
car-there would be more people depending on a transit system that is
inadequete....)
So, if one sits down, does a little research, a little logical thinking,-get
beyond a knee jerk re-action of fear- one would see that the first letter is
propogandist rhetoric from someone (I don't know who this 'Dean Blythe' is, but
could be someone who fears and hates Al Gore the way medievel people hated the
Black Plague!) The best thing to do, is as many of us have been for the last 10
years-research the issues; write to our representatives; sign petitions; be
politically active. And band together. You don't have to join a local car
club-Hemmings Motor News has been active in informing people and organizing
ways of letting the legislature know how we, the hobbyist, feel on these
issues.
(And yes, I'm voting for Gore-I don't feel that the confiscation and
destruction of all the LBCs and LICs and old American classics is a terrible
threat-they'll just make it more difficult to keep these cars-but we'll just
keep fighting it. I'm voting for Gore bscause I am desperate for Health care-as
are a very great many people in this country.)
Keep Triumphing! (In more ways than one!) ;-)
Laura G.
|