Ha Ha Ha, No More Taxpayer Funded Guzzlers For You Guys

There's a delightful tidbit in this morning's LA Times on our elected representatives being forced to give up those impressive gas guzzling vehicles they like to drive. As we know, Washington, even unto The (P)resident, has been talking the talk lately about carbon emissions, global warming, foreign oil dependency, yada yada. Congress has been trying to get into high gear on a global warming bill, but most of these folks, okay mainly the Republicans, don't want to give up guzzling gas in their leased Chevy Tahoes, Ford Expeditions, Lincoln Town Cars, Cadillacs, and so on. The day is coming, however, when they're gonna have to walk the walk as well. Or should that be drive the drive? Anyway:

Congress has been bearing down to do more about global warming. But a little-noticed amendment to last year's energy bill has hit especially close to home. It requires House members who lease vehicles through their office budgets to drive cars that emit low levels of greenhouse gases.

Yes! Lawmakers who want us to drive more fuel-efficient vehicles, bring down greenhouse gases, decrease our dependence on foreign oil, yada yada again, are now going to have to start driving hybrid vehicles or at the very least, compact cars. This article has put a smile on my face that may even last through my departmental meeting this afternoon.

The requirement was sought by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Mo.), whose money is exactly where his mouth is: His taxpayer-funded Ford Econoline, a recycled airport shuttle he uses as a mobile office, runs on cooking grease. There, aren't you smiling now? Read the whole piece, you'll be ever so glad you did. There's a sidebar link to a calculator where you can see how fuel-efficient your your personal vehicle, not paid for by the taxpayers, may be. My little Toyota Matrix scores quite well, but the clear winners are the hybrids. Lawmakers Being Forced To Give Up Gas Guzzling Cars.

Technorati Tags: automobiles, Congress, Emanuel Cleaver, energy bill, gas-guzzling, hybrids, LA Times

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