Comments on: Republicans: “Take Away the Car Keys” http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/ Firedoglake weblog Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:36:47 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Robt http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759787 Robt Mon, 15 Dec 2008 05:36:42 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759787 <p>” Senate Republicans see their opposition to the rescue of Detroit as whipping the children. They are not that different from the failed father who thinks his follies can be overcome by beating the wife and kids. Politically, they seek to avoid responsibility for the nation’s economic woes. It’s not the strict authority who’s at fault. It’s the misbehaving children. Conservatives think they must take away the keys to the car. “</p> <p> Most of this article fits the character. Yet there are exceptional quirks to consider.</p> <p> For one, ” Taking the car keys “.</p> <p> Lets say the ” car ” represents a ” gun “. Republicans are and have been completely willing to overlook harm irresponsible gun ownership and use grieves this country. Republicans want to have more cars out there and less control on those cars.</p> <p> Its a concept of having bad drivers in cars. So if we put more drivers on the road with cars, it will get rid of the bad drivers in cars, only. Not caring how many bad drivers are getting cars that they want on the road.</p> <p> So how does one fit this conservative parental disconnect in this well put together “on the couch” with this conservative parent mind set over gun control? Not baning guns just responsible control.?</p> ” Senate Republicans see their opposition to the rescue of Detroit as whipping the children. They are not that different from the failed father who thinks his follies can be overcome by beating the wife and kids. Politically, they seek to avoid responsibility for the nation’s economic woes. It’s not the strict authority who’s at fault. It’s the misbehaving children. Conservatives think they must take away the keys to the car. “

Most of this article fits the character. Yet there are exceptional quirks to consider.

For one, ” Taking the car keys “.

Lets say the ” car ” represents a ” gun “. Republicans are and have been completely willing to overlook harm irresponsible gun ownership and use grieves this country. Republicans want to have more cars out there and less control on those cars.

Its a concept of having bad drivers in cars. So if we put more drivers on the road with cars, it will get rid of the bad drivers in cars, only. Not caring how many bad drivers are getting cars that they want on the road.

So how does one fit this conservative parental disconnect in this well put together “on the couch” with this conservative parent mind set over gun control? Not baning guns just responsible control.?

]]> By: Kassandra http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759584 Kassandra Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:47:46 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759584 <blockquote> <p>I doubt an American –</p> <p>Isn’t throwing shoes at someone an extreme insult in Iraq? </p></blockquote> <p>All I know is that they were probably the guys only pair. I bet shoes don’t come easy in Iraq these days.</p>

I doubt an American –

Isn’t throwing shoes at someone an extreme insult in Iraq?

All I know is that they were probably the guys only pair. I bet shoes don’t come easy in Iraq these days.

]]> By: Kassandra http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759568 Kassandra Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:26:12 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759568 <p>Sorry, I’m late to the topic, but I’ve just gotta say: the author sure is right that this is in our DNA; the necessity to protect the man from recrimination is so deep, he couldn’t even put a pic of a father beating the child; it HAD to be a woman. Weirds me OUT.<br /> I’ll posit now that misogyny is so deep that IT is in our DNA too.<br /> I guess that’s why we had to have consciousness raising groups in the 70’s. Women don’t even see it</p> Sorry, I’m late to the topic, but I’ve just gotta say: the author sure is right that this is in our DNA; the necessity to protect the man from recrimination is so deep, he couldn’t even put a pic of a father beating the child; it HAD to be a woman. Weirds me OUT.
I’ll posit now that misogyny is so deep that IT is in our DNA too.
I guess that’s why we had to have consciousness raising groups in the 70’s. Women don’t even see it

]]> By: oMan http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759521 oMan Sun, 14 Dec 2008 23:20:27 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759521 <p>you seem to think that Detroit has no clue about efficiency and aerodynamics and many other factors. They are supremely aware of all that but they only make what will make them money. Or what they are ordered to make, i.e. what they must make in order to make other things that make them money. This category of mandatory making includes crash-proof vehicles and CAFE standards. As a consumer I am happy enough to get a machine that has good crashproofing and decent MPG. But as a student of basic economics I know that nothing is free. In a perfect world I would bargain with the designer/maker of the vehicle on all attributes from size, power, agility, safety, economy, longevity, creature comfort through price, warranty, etc. But life is short and there are huge informational assymetries. So we largely get what we get. And when the gummint says things have to survive a certain kind of crash test, guess what, they will, but they will weigh a ton more. And the funny thing about that extra ton, you drag it around 24/7 even though you might be using it to avoid one fatal crash every 500K miles (if you are a careful driver, maybe every 1 million miles?). And you therefore pay the insurance premium on that safety policy every time you go to the pump. But wait! CAFE mandates that you have to make cars that average at least X mpg. How can we have all these Abrams tanks of safety on the road, and still get the CAFE constraints met? Something has to give.</p> <p>Couple all that with union deals in which management acquiesces to make its bonus number this year (let the next guy worry about the failing profit model). And with the demographics of huge retiree population expecting the country-club lifestyle from an ever-smaller workforce. It just doesn’t work any more.</p> <p>Study thermodynamics and especially the chapter about free lunch.</p> you seem to think that Detroit has no clue about efficiency and aerodynamics and many other factors. They are supremely aware of all that but they only make what will make them money. Or what they are ordered to make, i.e. what they must make in order to make other things that make them money. This category of mandatory making includes crash-proof vehicles and CAFE standards. As a consumer I am happy enough to get a machine that has good crashproofing and decent MPG. But as a student of basic economics I know that nothing is free. In a perfect world I would bargain with the designer/maker of the vehicle on all attributes from size, power, agility, safety, economy, longevity, creature comfort through price, warranty, etc. But life is short and there are huge informational assymetries. So we largely get what we get. And when the gummint says things have to survive a certain kind of crash test, guess what, they will, but they will weigh a ton more. And the funny thing about that extra ton, you drag it around 24/7 even though you might be using it to avoid one fatal crash every 500K miles (if you are a careful driver, maybe every 1 million miles?). And you therefore pay the insurance premium on that safety policy every time you go to the pump. But wait! CAFE mandates that you have to make cars that average at least X mpg. How can we have all these Abrams tanks of safety on the road, and still get the CAFE constraints met? Something has to give.

Couple all that with union deals in which management acquiesces to make its bonus number this year (let the next guy worry about the failing profit model). And with the demographics of huge retiree population expecting the country-club lifestyle from an ever-smaller workforce. It just doesn’t work any more.

Study thermodynamics and especially the chapter about free lunch.

]]> By: perris http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759304 perris Sun, 14 Dec 2008 20:41:28 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759304 <p>the wankel engine seems it would be more efficient, it seems much more instinctive ande much less elaborate</p> <p>yet it is far less efficient the conventional engines/</p> <p>most elaboration designs address issues, if they are counter productive they are usually tossed</p> <p>an example is variable valve timing, this really increases fuel/power efficiency but it really increases elaboration</p> the wankel engine seems it would be more efficient, it seems much more instinctive ande much less elaborate

yet it is far less efficient the conventional engines/

most elaboration designs address issues, if they are counter productive they are usually tossed

an example is variable valve timing, this really increases fuel/power efficiency but it really increases elaboration

]]> By: Raven http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759216 Raven Sun, 14 Dec 2008 19:30:38 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759216 <p>The NYT magazine is devoted to “Ideas” and this one dude is working on an engine with many fewer parts that would seem to be much more efficient.</p> The NYT magazine is devoted to “Ideas” and this one dude is working on an engine with many fewer parts that would seem to be much more efficient.

]]> By: perris http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759199 perris Sun, 14 Dec 2008 19:20:16 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759199 <p>that might be true and this is why I make the case whenever possible, if they realize the wisdom of what I am saying they not only have chance of saving their seat in power, they can save their party and their country all in the same breath</p> that might be true and this is why I make the case whenever possible, if they realize the wisdom of what I am saying they not only have chance of saving their seat in power, they can save their party and their country all in the same breath

]]> By: perris http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759192 perris Sun, 14 Dec 2008 19:18:49 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759192 <p>there is mechanical fuel injection and most fuel injected cars can be converted to carberation</p> <p>the real problem would be variable valve timing but not too many cars have that technology</p> <p>most engines today could be converted to strict nmechanical operation</p> there is mechanical fuel injection and most fuel injected cars can be converted to carberation

the real problem would be variable valve timing but not too many cars have that technology

most engines today could be converted to strict nmechanical operation

]]> By: cinnamonape http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759188 cinnamonape Sun, 14 Dec 2008 19:17:12 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759188 <p>One more point…I would bet that Detroit workers could manufacture four Tatas (or their equivalent) in the time it takes to manufacture one SUV. That these could be safer by using composites, that they could be made to be hybrids or use electrical starters and flywheels. By carrying less tonnage they’d be vastly more energy-efficient. We might have to open up some roadways or lanes for vehicles that can only go 55 mph full-open, but maybe America would slow down. And with smaller vehicles it would mean fewer sq. meters/vehicle on the traffic jammed commutes. It might actually improve transportation efficiency. </p> <p>Maybe it’s time to create a new MODEL in Detroit. I suspect there hasn’t been a single designer actually drawing up plans for a sub-compact or micro-compact in generations. These could be built to be aerodynamic, sporty, with lots of safety features, and with a limited number of frills that are relevant to the regional distinctions in the US (heaters in the North, efficient AC in the South).</p> One more point…I would bet that Detroit workers could manufacture four Tatas (or their equivalent) in the time it takes to manufacture one SUV. That these could be safer by using composites, that they could be made to be hybrids or use electrical starters and flywheels. By carrying less tonnage they’d be vastly more energy-efficient. We might have to open up some roadways or lanes for vehicles that can only go 55 mph full-open, but maybe America would slow down. And with smaller vehicles it would mean fewer sq. meters/vehicle on the traffic jammed commutes. It might actually improve transportation efficiency.

Maybe it’s time to create a new MODEL in Detroit. I suspect there hasn’t been a single designer actually drawing up plans for a sub-compact or micro-compact in generations. These could be built to be aerodynamic, sporty, with lots of safety features, and with a limited number of frills that are relevant to the regional distinctions in the US (heaters in the North, efficient AC in the South).

]]> By: Raven http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759177 Raven Sun, 14 Dec 2008 19:07:53 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/14/republicans-take-away-the-car-keys/#comment-1759177 <p>What to the french do with their feet and their faces that is the opposite of what we would normally think? (hint, it’s a joke luring mod)</p> What to the french do with their feet and their faces that is the opposite of what we would normally think? (hint, it’s a joke luring mod)

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