President Trump- The Implications

[heironymouspasparagus]

Well there is apparently a "smoking gun" on spying. Nope. Not caring (and not believing).

Spying on Russia and just happening to catch the activities Trump and his cronies were involved in with Russia is not exactly the same as spying on Trump.

But good lawyer parsing there...

[swake]

The Republican House and Senate have passed and Trump says he will sign a repeal of Internet Privacy Rules. Basically, your ISP can now sell your browsing data to the highest bidder and there's nothing you can do about it.

Yay, another win for the little guy against big business via Trump!

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-internet-idUSKBN1702TA?il=0

[swake]

Trump has removed Obama's requirements for fuel economy in cars. These rules known as café standards, aside from not creating any jobs and further battering the environment, will drive up our demand for oil which will drive up the price of gasoline and increase our trade deficit. Winning! For Exxon, Devon and Saudi Arabia anyway.

Oh, and Russia of course. Russia badly needs high oil prices. But nothing to see there, nothing at all.

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/trump-rolls-back-obama-era-fuel-economy-standards-n734256

[Conan71]

Trump has removed Obama's requirements for fuel economy in cars. These rules known as café standards, aside from not creating any jobs and further battering the environment, will drive up our demand for oil which will drive up the price of gasoline and increase our trade deficit. Winning! For Exxon, Devon and Saudi Arabia anyway.

Oh, and Russia of course. Russia badly needs high oil prices. But nothing to see there, nothing at all.

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/trump-rolls-back-obama-era-fuel-economy-standards-n734256

The Trump Admin is a complete shitshow, no doubt.  But this is one area they may want to roll back I can't argue too much with.

Honestly, I'm not sure how realistic a fleet average of 54.5 MPG would have been in 8 years, if there's no demand for the cars or if they end up being priced higher than the average consumer can afford.  The auto industry is saying that might cost 1 million jobs.

At this point, they've repealed nothing, they are simply opening this up for review.  If they set the CAFE standard at 45 MPG or 50 MPG, is that really going to wreck the environment?  I'm sensing some preemptive hysteria from the left on this one.

/Edit- re-reading the headline of the story, it's somewhere between very misleading to a blatant lie.

[swake]

The Trump Admin is a complete shitshow, no doubt.  But this is one area they may want to roll back I can't argue too much with.

Honestly, I'm not sure how realistic a fleet average of 54.5 MPG would have been in 8 years, if there's no demand for the cars or if they end up being priced higher than the average consumer can afford.  The auto industry is saying that might cost 1 million jobs.

At this point, they've repealed nothing, they are simply opening this up for review.  If they set the CAFE standard at 45 MPG or 50 MPG, is that really going to wreck the environment?  I'm sensing some preemptive hysteria from the left on this one.

/Edit- re-reading the headline of the story, it's somewhere between very misleading to a blatant lie.

Car companies have always complained they couldn't meet CAFE standards. All they have to do is sell more electric cars to average out the fuel economy for thier fleets. With more and more economy of scale for batteries those prices are all ready going down in a hurry.

We are already facing the imminent collapse of the glacier on Greenland. The climate issues are here now.

[erfalf]

Car companies have always complained they couldn't meet CAFE standards. All they have to do is sell more electric cars to average out the fuel economy for thier fleets. With more and more economy of scale for batteries those prices are all ready going down in a hurry.

We are already facing the imminent collapse of the glacier on Greenland. The climate issues are here now.

If "the people" don't want them, is it our government's responsibility to force them to buy them?

I know that's a rhetorical question as our government has already done so in other areas.

[AquaMan]

Yeah, I really don't want a Tesla sedan that can outperform a Corvette and wean me from gasoline. I wish the government wouldn't push it down my throat at about 2/3 of the cost of the Vette.

[swake]

Yeah, I really don't want a Tesla sedan that can outperform a Corvette and wean me from gasoline. I wish the government wouldn't push it down my throat at about 2/3 of the cost of the Vette.

Corvette? Please.

The Tesla S P100D matches or beats the fastest car in the world, the $2.4 million Bugatti Veyron. And adds better handling, fully automated driving, seating for five with plenty of luggage space and much better reliability. Who would want that at 1/15th the price of the Bugatti? Who?

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-24/here-s-how-the-new-teslas-stack-up-against-bugatti-lamborghini-and-ferrari

[Red Arrow]

Yeah, I really don't want a Tesla sedan that can outperform a Corvette and wean me from gasoline. I wish the government wouldn't push it down my throat at about 2/3 of the cost of the Vette.

There are lots of videos at the drag strips. Yep, electric low end torque is a winner.  I could only find one (without spending gobs of hours) on a road track. (Road racing is real racing.) The Tesla Model S is right up there with a Vette but it is not a walk-away for either.  It depends on which model Vette you compare with.  I didn't thoroughly examine the rebates where I help others buy a Tesla through my taxes but the list price of a Model S is well above the price of even a Z06 Vette.  I have not seen comparisons of lesser model Teslas against the Vette.  FWIW, I do not own a Corvette or a Tesla.  I could be happy with either as a gift. 

[Red Arrow]

We are already facing the imminent collapse of the glacier on Greenland. The climate issues are here now.

Water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas.  We need to get rid of all the artificial lakes in the world to prevent evaporation.
(A bit of sarcasm but not entirely.)

[Red Arrow]

Car companies have always complained they couldn't meet CAFE standards. All they have to do is sell more electric cars to average out the fuel economy for thier fleets. With more and more economy of scale for batteries those prices are all ready going down in a hurry.

We are already facing the imminent collapse of the glacier on Greenland. The climate issues are here now.

As I remember, you bought a Q50, not a totally electric car.  Please explain.

[Red Arrow]

If "the people" don't want them, is it our government's responsibility to force them to buy them?

YES!  Get with the program. 

[Red Arrow]

Trump has removed Obama's requirements for fuel economy in cars. These rules known as café standards, aside from not creating any jobs and further battering the environment, will drive up our demand for oil which will drive up the price of gasoline and increase our trade deficit.

If Obama's desires had really been so universally correct, he could have convinced even a Republican House and Senate to make them law rather than Presidential edicts. You probably won't agree but that is your problem, not mine.

[heironymouspasparagus]

If "the people" don't want them, is it our government's responsibility to force them to buy them?

I know that's a rhetorical question as our government has already done so in other areas.

Yeah, like subsidizing the oil industry to the tune of billions a year of our tax money to keep people pointed directly at oil dug out of the ground.  As opposed to say maybe just letting the free market system work by removing restrictions on growing certain plants that grow as weeds that could provide a big majority of our fuel and oil needs.

As for forcing anyone to buy a Tesla, well that is not a "push" demand - it is a "pull" demand - people buying them really want them!  The styling is impeccable - they look really good (for the Okies amongst us)!!  Performance is amazing - even though it is stupid to do actual road racing, it is good to ride the highways at a reasonable speed.  And the cost for fuel is the best of any available automobile...at least for a little while longer - it's free for life using one of their charging stations.  Stay with the high end luxury model and it remains free!

[swake]

As I remember, you bought a Q50, not a totally electric car.  Please explain.

Good memory. Tesla was out of my price range. My next car, we will see.