Published March 16, 2012
By Jeff Cobb
President Obama has endorsed all sorts of alternatives, including gas-electric vehicles like this Chevy Volt.
Theoretically the effort to develop solutions to the world’s energy problems is one that should appeal to all, but the move toward alternative transportation has become extremely politicized, and today President Obama was quoted as fighting back.
“A lot of the folks who are running for a certain office who shall go unnamed, they’ve been talking down new sources of energy,” he said during a speech to students in Maryland. “They dismiss wind power. They dismiss solar power. They make jokes about biofuels. They were against raising fuel standards. I guess they like gas-guzzlers.”
According to the Detroit News, Obama was lashing out in response to – among other things – political rhetoric over rising gas prices. And though he said presidential candidates would remain unnamed, it was further noted Newt Gingrich has quipped that Obama was “president Algae” because he supports biofuel research.
Gingrich has also said he would end the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program in place since 1975, and if elected to Obama's office, will get gasoline prices down to $2.50 per gallon by extracting more oil from the earth’s not infinite supplies – a statement Obama also lashed out a response to.
"I guess this year they decided, we're going to make it $2.50," Obama said. "I don't know where — why not $2.40? Why not $2.10? But they tell the same story. They head down to the gas station; they make sure a few cameras are following them and then they start acting like we've got a magic wand and we will give you cheap gas forever if you just elect us. Every time. Been the same script for 30 years. It's like a bad rerun."
Saying essentially that he's trying to change the channel for good, President Obama continues to push for more alternative fuel vehicles as well as more fuel efficient cars and trucks through increase CAFE standards, in search of a 54.5 mpg average by 2025.
Detroit News via AutoGuide.
