With regards to human and environmental health, Mitt Romney is unequivocally on the opposite side of each and his stance on President Obama’s “extreme” fuel efficiency standards for trucks and cars is no exception.
Romney has publicly slammed President Obama’s fuel efficiency standards on numerous occasions in 2012 (all Romney positions should be dated to give everyone a better idea of which “Mitt” is being referred to). Romney told The Detroit News in June that he would look for “a better way of encouraging fuel economy” than the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) requirements.
More recently, a spokesperson for Romney reemphasized his opposition to CAFÉ requirements, claiming that savings accrued from CAFÉ “will be wiped out by having to pay thousands of dollars more upfront for unproven technology that they may not even want.” Could it be that the Romney campaign is being disingenuous, again? Of course!
Even according to the automaker-bankrolled Center for Automotive Research, 56 mpg would help consumers save enough on gas to pay for the increased vehicle prices within 3 to 4 years of ownership. Whoops! Another Team Romney oversight, perhaps?
Romney’s main purpose for opposing the CAFÉ appears to be his distaste for “government intrusion” into the affairs of private industry. Romney also implies that the new CAFÉ standards would place an unnecessary financial burden on America’s automakers, but the latter approved of the new standards.
Of course, the government attempted to allow automakers leeway in crafting more fuel efficient cars in the past, but due to the lack of profitability of these vehicles, America’s automakers tried just about every trick and legislative loophole to limit the amount of these vehicles it produced. Instead, the focus of America’s automakers continued to be the big money-making gas hogs. The free-market failed America’s health and Romney wishes to repeat previous mistakes. Imagine that!
Whether or not Romney is serious about changing President Obama’s CAFÉ standards, his campaign positions once again illustrate his total disregard for human-caused climate change and human health. Last I checked, Presidents of the United States were supposed to protect its citizens while also promoting business. Romney appears to only be concerned with the latter.
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