I posted this on 20sb.net as a reply to a whole bunch of people wanting to debate topics. It seemed like there was a lot of, "Can't wait 'till this gets started!" and at lot less, "Yeah, so what do you think about this!?!" So this is what I wrote and I liked it so much I posted it twice. I hope you enjoy it, I hope you learn something and I hope it pisses some people off (only because I know it will).
I voted for Obama, but I think outside the health-care issue (which I've not been following too closely, I'll admit), he's done nothing but hurt our economy more. Do I think McCain would have fared better? Definitely not. However I'm unable to fully support him right now due to decisions he's made that were downright stupid.
CARS? Are you serious? Not only was that a phenomenal failure among economists, but it pissed off AN ENTIRE INDUSTRY (That wasn't already fucking pissed at him anyway). Although the program was designed to remove less-than-stellar MPG rated cars from the highways and replace them with "greener", more fuel-efficient vehicles, some economists and ecologists agree it did no noticeable difference in the economy or ecology. Reasons being many, including: 1) Hybrids have a comparable carbon footprint to large SUVs due to the mining, manufacturing and shipping of the lithium-ion and nickel-cadmium batteries used to supply power for the hybrid motors. 2) This program just told America, "Please, go buy ANOTHER car you can't afford and will never pay off. Please, go get yourself into more debt because your debt is what GOT US HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE." (I'm not saying everyone or anyone who has ever had their car/boat/home/etc. repossessed/forclosed intentionally never paid their debt, I'm just pointing out the harsh difference between what the government was telling us to do six months ago, versus what this government sponsored program is telling us what to do now.) Meanwhile #3 seems to take the irony cake...3) Sodium silicate is the chemical that is used in replacement of engine oil to lock up the engine in a "clunker". After the engine reaches operating temperature the sodium silicate begins to turn to glass, seizing the engine. During an engine seize, the vehicle may burst a full radiator (full of ethylene glycol, you must remember, as these are older vehicles requiring only the old standard "green" antifreeze), or split a block (although they drained and replaced the engine oil some remains), potentially starting a fire (from any NUMBER OF PLACES ON AN OVERHEATING CAR), and then a huge mess to put it out. All because this little 2001 Ford Explorer only got 17 MPG. If you can seriously tell me that burning a quart of used motor oil or dumping 2 gallons of antifreeze into our groundwater (Really. It's an explosion. You can't seriously expect them to COLLECT all that fluid.) is better in the long run than replacing a few older vehicles that I'm sure some less-than-fortunate family would more than LOVE to have, I think you deserve an award.
Bam. So there it is. I don't think your Corolla's dumb (yeah, I kinda do), and I don't think your Aveo is dumb (I just think you're dumb for buying that Korean piece of shit. I kid, I kid. No. Really. Trade it in.), I just think that if you have something that gets you around and passes inspections, why not just keep it? It'll probably cost you less in the long run.
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"Do I think McCain would have fared better?" i thought you said farted. and it got me all confused and made me laugh at the same time.
in other, blog related news, i too, was sad the the hybrid cars with their batteries take such a high toll on the environment as well... more research needs to go into this whole sitchu for sure.
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