Getchur Clown Car!

Well, the top news story today was Mr. Obama's BIG announcement that by his divine will, the US passenger vehicle fleet will average 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016, saving 1.8 billion barrels of oil.

According to Reuters, Obama was flanked by "auto executives" — that was just to make it appear that the car people actually bought this load of sludge. More than likely, Obama took them out to lunch so they could eat plenty of crow before the photo op. I'm sure Obama used the occasion to remind them that if they want anymore of big daddy's bucky boos, they better toe the government line.

As we discussed previously, Obama obviously believes that if he can gain control of the auto makers, he can then dictate what kinds of cars Americans will be forced to drive. It's no secret that little lightweight cars get better gas mileage than their larger siblings. This is not news. They are also not as safe in a wreck, they are less practical for many folks as there's no room to put stuff, and in many areas of the country, they just aren't practical, period. Perhaps that's why Americans, as a society, don't like them.

Believe it or not, some people do put safety and comfort ahead of MPG. Now, here's the real kicker. Everytime the government does this, the same thing happens. Economy goes up, so people drive more. I'm willing to bet the farm that this doesn't save a single drop, let alone a barrel, of petrol. Won't happen. It's just another excuse for the government to intrude into our lives. Oh, and what happens if the US Automakers can't meet that 35.5 MPG goal - No problem, they'll just bring in more clown cars from China and elsewhere. This is a lose-lose all the way around. I can't wait to hear what Tony Stewart has to say when he sees what NASCAR will be racing in 2016.