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So he wants faster trains and greener cars, that's our sputnik moment, doesn't anyone feel we can do better or is even Obama noticing the rise in, to put it bluntly, "dumbness" in our nation?
During the OPEC embargo President Nixon made the goal of ending energy Independence by 1980; he lowered the maximum speed limit to 55 MPH and launched Project Independence who's goal was to produce an unconventionally powered non polluting automobile . President Ford moved the goal to 1985 and enacted CAFE to increase the mileage of automobiles. President Carter declared the moral equivalent of war against importing energy put solar collectors on the roof of the White House and asked Americans to turn down their thermostats and challenged us to achieve energy independence by 1990. President Reagan gave some lip service to energy independence but didn't make it a priority and famously removed the solar collectors from the White House. President Clinton proposed a BTU tax to discourage energy usage and launched the $1 billion Partnership for New Generation Vehicles with the goal of building a car three times as efficient as existing cars.
I've heard this speech before. The problem is that while it sounds good in theory it requires Americans to accept a lower standard of living and if there is anything anathema to the psyche of Americans it is the idea that any of us might have to give up any of our luxuries for the greater good.
We're too busy trying to figure out how to better blow people up.
China is to provide the expertise for the high speed trains as well... so maybe there will be a gap in the market for us to manufacture the cheap vinyl American flags we can wave at the maiden voyage
Excellent analysis... But I hope you are wrong and the trend ends now. Maybe Americans will wake up and see what needs to be done. It will be tough to overcome all the misinformation being thrown out there by the corporate controlled media...
I Agree The Idea Of Obama Being President Was A Lot More Better Then The Reality. But I Like The Idea Of Obama's Sputnik Moment Movement, Because I Think This Nation Is Ready For A Change. It Out With The Old And In Wirh The New!
I think it is not low in standards at all. I think us taking a lead in green technology, and acheiving oil independence is extremely important to our stability and security...
Wait... I think you might've missed the central point entirely :o
Obviously I meant "goal of ending energy depedence"
Well Considering The Mess The Country Is In.. No
Thanks, put's it more into perspective now :)
I Agree 100 Percent!
