Filed under: Legislation and Policy, Green Daily, USA
Which cars would a President Obama or McCain promote?
Apparently, Marty Padgett and Bengt Halvorson over at The Car Connection had a little extra time over the weekend. As part of the political frenzy being created thanks to the national party conventions happening over the next two weeks, the automotive website has taken it upon itself to predict which types of vehicles will become more popular depending on who is president of the U.S. starting in January. Their take? A President Barack Obama would promote diesel pickups, the Honda Accord diesel, the Ford Fiesta and the Chrysler 300C HEMI. On the other side, a President John McCain would mean more Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrids, Toyota Priuses, Honda Civic GXs, Chevrolet Volts and Nissan EVs on the roads. You can read their reason for these choices after the jump, but it basically comes down to which broad automotive policies each candidate has promoted thus far in the race. Still, I thought the Prius was the car of choice for Obamaniacs?
[Source: TheCarConnection.com]
PRESS RELEASE:
The Car Connection Names Cars for the Next Four Years
One of these candidates is going to be our next president - and these are the cars you'll be seeing more of in the next term
PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- With the election quickly approaching, it's time for car enthusiasts and shoppers everywhere to get to the real issue for the next presidential term: What's going to be cool to drive for the next four years?
The two leading candidates for president, Sen. John McCain from Arizona and Sen. Barack Obama from Illinois, have both voiced strong opinions on the auto industry in recent months. Obama, for example, says he'll give Detroit money to stop building SUVs and start building 35-mpg cars; McCain's been a champion of higher fuel economy laws and wants $300 million for a new generation of electric cars.
Marty Padgett and Bengt Halvorson of TheCarConnection.com analyzed the candidates' preferences and proposed policies to predict which cars, trucks and SUVs would be more popular with each of the candidates in the running.
Though the Illinois senator is clearly in favor with the green movement, Halvorson says the Chrysler 300C might get a bump from an Obama administration: "He may drive a Ford Escape Hybrid now, but it's hard to forget the blingy Chrysler 300C was his whip until his media handlers took charge." As for McCain, Padgett says Toyota's popular Prius is set for a bigger slice of the market. "Like McCain himself, it's getting a second wind thanks to rising gas prices."
These are TheCarConnection.com's predictions for the vehicles most likely to be a hit under the next President of the United States:
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.)
Diesel pickups. Big pickups aren't going away, Halvorson says, but neither are drastic new fuel economy standards. "Obama has been a vocal supporter of biodiesel, and each of the Detroit carmakers is planning diesel for their big trucks," he says.
Honda Accord diesel. The diesel lead in cars might be with Volkswagen for now, but Halvorson says just wait until the segment-killing Honda Accord gets in on the action. "It's a new turbo diesel estimated at 50 mpg on the highway," he points out. "Obamacans will flock to it, along with some of the other 300,000-plus buyers who line up for the Accord each year."
Ford Fiesta. It's coming in 2010, and Ford's new subcompact is just the ticket for an Obama administration. "Obama wants $4 billion for Detroit to build new small cars, and Ford is already planning on building it in North America," Halvorson says. "They could use the incentives to make a hybrid or diesel version for real 50-mpg capability."
Chrysler 300C HEMI. Be like Barack? Last year Obama was singled out by the media for driving this stylish sedan. "It was perhaps a little too extravagant for a Democrat," Halvorson observes. "Now he's driving the politician's stand-by, a Ford Escape Hybrid, but he hasn't been able to shake the 300C image."
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid. Like McCain, "It's green and it's tough as nails," Padgett says. "Throw Mitt Romney in the back seat, have him come up with a way to lop $5000 off the sticker price and it's a deal."
Toyota Prius. McCain's come out in favor of across-the-board incentives for high-mileage cars -- and the Prius' tax credits expired long ago. "The Prius is poised for an even stronger second wind under McCain," Padgett points out.
Honda Civic GX. Natural gas is one way to divert cars from the oil stream -- and McCain's spoken out for more compressed-natural-gas vehicles like the ones your city's bus system probably uses today. The Honda Civic GX uses compressed natural gas (CNG); "you can refill it at home and you can get natural gas from domestic sources," Padgett says, making it a more friendly alternative to more offshore drilling.
Chevrolet Volt. The GM PR machine has been working overtime on the gas-electric Volt, the plug-in hybrid they hope to launch by late 2009. They can expect McCain to be an ally, Padgett says: "McCain wants more nuclear power, which will help keep the Volt charged up, and he's in favor of tax credits for zero-carbon-emission cars." http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/blogs/marty_blog/2011/gm-leaks-more-pics-of- 2011-chevrolet-volt/
Nissan EV. With his $300 million plan to fund a new generation of electric-car batteries, McCain might be giving a lift to Nissan, which wants to sell mainstream electric vehicles by 2012. "Giving power to the people doesn't have to involve fossil fuels," Padgett says, "and this proves McCain is as green as Republicans come."
For more predictions, go to: http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/blogs/marty_blog/2008/five-cars-for-the- next-four-years/
About TheCarConnection.com
TheCarConnection.com is the Web's Automotive Authority, offering car buyers the reviews, spy shots and shopping guides, tips and expert advice they need to buy the right car.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Tim 2:45PM (8/25/2008)
"Which cars would a President Obama or McCain promote?"
Answer: Who Cares!
The REAL questions are:
Will either OBEY and DEFEND the Constitution INCLUDING the 10th Amendment which LIMITS their power?
Will either defend OUR boarders from foreign invaders stealing our treasury?
Will either immediately stop undeclared preemptive wars and stop our troops from occupying foreign countries with over 500 bases in foreign countries?
These are what REALLY matters.
Anything else is total diversionary B.S.!!!
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Chris Carpenter 3:22PM (8/25/2008)
Yes, Yes, and Yes!
The president is a public servant that is bound to act by the constitution (or at least should be). He is not a celebrity advocate, nor is he a market driver. He is the head of the executive branch of the government. It is important to let the market do its thing and the government do theirs.
We are all too eager to let other people tell us what we want or what we need.
gorr 3:22PM (8/25/2008)
If a were one of them i'll choose an eco-fueler or a tesla both of them made in america except the tesla battery and body.
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tankd0g 3:33PM (8/25/2008)
McCain can't even remember what car he OWNS, you want him to promote another one?
Get used to hearing this: "The Chevy Bolt", "The Chevy Prius", "The Toyota Volt" etc..
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Andy 3:44PM (8/25/2008)
Ditto Tim.
The greatest power of the PoTUS is in his/her authority in foreign relations, commander in chief of the armed forces, and in choosing to operate the government in accordance with the law (all notable weak points of GWB's talents.)
All the pork barrel politics (Farm and Oil subsidies), micromanaging technological development and rewarding companies for doing nothing is the job of the legislature.
Both candidates support a carbon cap and trade system which if implemented would have vastly more impact on the develpment of green technologies than these piddly battery grants or imbalanced car rebates.
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meme 3:48PM (8/25/2008)
Huh? Did these people even read their energy policies? Here's McCain's:
http://www.johnmccain.com//Informing/Issues/17671aa4-2fe8-4008-859f-0ef1468e96f4.htm
Here's Obama's:
http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/factsheet_energy_speech_080308.pdf
Here's a breakdown comparison.
McCain offers an unfunded $300M battery prize. Obama offers $15B a year for cleantech, funded by a carbon credit trading system (McCain also proposes carbon trading, but his system is revenue-neutral).
McCain offers an unfunded $5,000 tax credit for ZEV cars. Obama offers a $7,000 tax credit for EVs and similar, funded as part of the $15B.
Both support flex-fuel vehicles and expanding their use. Both support a greater use of next-gen biofuels. Obama wants a mandate for flex-fuel capability on new vehicles. McCain wants to eliminate the tarrif on imported ethanol.
McCain wants more enforcement of existing CAFE standards. Obama wants tighter CAFE standards
McCain supports a smart grid, but offers no funding for it. Obama does as well, and offers to pay for 1/4 of the cost of development.
Apart from mentioning a smart grid and a battery prize, McCain has no further mention of EVs. Obama's additional EV/PHEV planks include:
* Converting the entire White Gouse fleet within one year, except as security dictates.
* Mandating half of all federal vehicle purchases be EVs/PHEVs by 2012
* Partially funding the retooling of car factories for making EVs/PHEVs.
* Goal of 1 million EVs/PHEVs on the road by 2015.
From a direct comparison of their energy policies, both are bullish on biofuels (Obama is a little more bullish than McCain), while Obama is more focused on tighter CAFE standards and has a big focus on EVs/PHEVs. So, I can't picture how these people can possibly get the list of cars that they do.
(Oh, and I loved the swipe, "Chrysler 300C HEMI. Be like Barack? Last year Obama was singled out by the media for driving this stylish sedan." Um, hello, John McCain bought a *private plane* because, according to his wife, it's the only way to get around in Arizona. Could these people make it any more obvious which side of the aisle they're on?)
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vfx 3:49PM (8/25/2008)
EVs at the DNC
http://evshowcase.wordpress.com/
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Tim 4:48PM (8/25/2008)
Meme (#6)
Please show me EXACTLY where in the Constitution the President has been given the power to redistribute my tax money to his friends, supporters and campaign contributors who own for profit corporations thus short-circuiting all the benefits of free competition?
I guess socialists like YOU believe that the government should not only choose which cars we drive and the power source they use, but also which foods we eat and which toilet paper we wipe with.
The gov't should ONLY break-up monopolies so the market can choose what products best serves it, not destroy competition by creating monopolies with taxpayer money.
I guess you should read your economics 101 textbook book again.
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meme 6:26PM (8/25/2008)
Oh, give me a break, Tim. While you're at it, why not complain about the $250B/year space industry that provides the satellites we depend on for just about everything these days that wouldn't have existed had the federal government not paid for the early research. No company was big enough to tolerate the risk or the expenditure to develop launch systems and get the costs down and tech base developed enough that privately-owned satellites could be economically viable. But it most definitely was worth it.
Don't get me wrong -- the free market is great. I'd never support, say, a nationalized car company or anything of that nature. But the free market is not a panacaea. You yourself noted one flaw: monopolies. I already mentioned one: tasks that are too big, too long-term, or would take private industry too long (such as the space industry). Here's another for you: "externalities". Things such as pollution or upstream water consumption -- things that don't factor into the economic ledger of companies but make things worse for everyone else. Nobody can force externalities to appear on the ledger but the government, and carbon cap & trade is a prime example of this. Suddenly, there's a cost for carbon, and the free market can now optimally balance its actions to account for this. This is far better than a communist-style approach, which would be to tell each individual factory, "here is what I'm going to allow you to emit". With a cost for carbon, the market on its own will decide where it's best to cut and where it's too expensive to do so.
It's a case of a clash between pragmatism and idealism. You can take your idealism and have the government butt out of everything, and watch as we turn our world into a polluted hellhole because externalities don't show up on the balance sheet. Or, you can accept a small amount of government interference and get the free market to account for pollution, and have the money jump-start technology in ways that the free market on its own couldn't have afforded to do as quickly, if at all. I know which I'd choose, and it's what most Americans would choose, too.
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Tom Gill 6:32PM (8/25/2008)
Obama won't promote any. Transportation must be limited.
Priority 1. walk (live near work) 2. bicycle 3. Public transportation 4. automobile, buy it & keep it for a long long time, like Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun's Volkswagen.
McCain: Forget it, he probably doesn't have a drivers license.
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Tim 11:08PM (8/25/2008)
meme (9)
The problem is that the seduction of gov't intrusion of our daily lives is like a cancer or a drug. Power always needs more power and corruption always takes over the oligarchy which is (a) connected, (b) recognized and (c) can afford or raise the huge amount of capital to run for office.
You can't be almost pregnant, you can't be “almost” legal and you can’t give the Constitution lip service while you totally ignore it’s limitations on the Federal Government’s authority. Don’t like it? Amend it, don’t ignore it.
Power corrupts and ultimate (unchecked) power corrupts ultimately. Congress is refusing to check the power of the executive, the Judiciary thinks it can make law from the bench and the major media “watchdog” is owned by only a hand full of powerful international corporations who profit from THEIR candidates.
America, the last stand of TRUE freedom is in serious peril and the fault lies squarely in the lap of WEAK minded, corrupt people like the NeoCons, Democratic-Socialists and YOU who don't understand human nature, don't understand simple economics, refuse to learn from history and believe that the ends justify the means.
When they come to conscript your friends, family, sons or daughters for military service in a never-ending war against a tactic or to collect you and to hold indefinitely without charge in a secret prison as a potential “terrorist”, look in the mirror to discover what went wrong. It’s happened over and over again thought history. A little always turns into a lot.
NEVER turn you back on a leaking dam.
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jen 1:40AM (8/26/2008)
McCain couldn't find his dick with two hands, a map and GPS!
Vote Smart in '08. No More Stupid Presidents. Ever.
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Wally 8:24AM (8/26/2008)
McCain was recently asked, by a reporter, what kind of car he owned....he didn't know, and an aide answered for him.
Says alot.
Do YOU know what kind of car YOU own?
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Chris M 3:57AM (8/27/2008)
More importantly, do you know how many houses you own?
kurt 10:01AM (8/26/2008)
Tim~
Please take your soap box and go to another blog. This one is supposed to be about automobiles....
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Tim 2:42PM (8/26/2008)
Kurt (#14)
Are you the free speech police?
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kurt 3:40PM (8/26/2008)
Just a good samaritan, and you clearly seem lost, so I thought I'd help direct you home...
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Tim 4:28PM (8/26/2008)
Beware those who offer unwanted, unsolicited "help" for one day they may FORCE it upon you, like it or not....
M.Y.O.B.!
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jake 11:03AM (8/27/2008)
Tim~
Free speech is welcome, which is why I'll also suggest that you take your non-automotive comments elsewhere... This is a blog about cars right?
Jake
Serge 4:37PM (8/26/2008)
Some people say McCain would drive a FOSH mobile.
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