Alternative Fuel Vehicles Wreak Havoc on the Environment the Economy and American Lifestyles
Fuel efficient cars and those that use alternative fuels threaten to take millions of drivers off the road if the government continues to increase its regulation of the automotive industry. A few thousand printed pages in the dark recesses of the EPA or the DOT and people who need transportation the most will find themselves jobless and dependent on their shoes and bicycles to get around. With such a promising future, ordinary citizens might wonder why a survey would suggest that more drivers seem to favor such a transition.Hope You Can Spare Some ChangeNew environmental stipulations imposed by the Obama regime on automakers will increase the price of cars by $3,000 or more. In an economy that shows few signs of life, the extra burden on consumers will leave many on the sidelines. Although most U.S. politicians could lose $3,000 between the cushions of their sofas without missing it, many working Americans simply cannot absorb extra transportation costs.Alternative Fuels Cost MoreFrom ethanol-blended gasoline to electricity, alternative fuels cost more than most motorists realize. For example, theOklahomanreported that motorists need about 1.5 gallons of ethanol to deliver the same energy as one gallon of gasoline. Even worse, more energy is required to produce a gallon of ethanol than a gallon of ethanol contains. Such inefficiencies have led the government to pay lucrative subsidies intended to make ethanol-based fuels affordable for consumers. Meanwhile farmers now sell disproportionate amounts of their crops for use in ethanol production rather than for food production.As a result, workers pay at least three times for ethanol-based fuel. They pay once through higher taxes forcibly taken from paychecks. They pay for ethanol again at the supermarket checkout where rampant food inflation now leaves record numbers of Americans hungry. Finally, they pay at the gas pump where they get fewer miles-per-gallon from fuel that artificially costs more than necessary.Electric Cars are the Answer?The Obama regime has vigorously promoted and mandated the production of electric cars, suggesting that their lack of emissions helps the environment. However, the politicians and bureaucrats forget to mention the devastating effects battery production has on the environment.Meanwhile, a shift toward alternative fuels for use in electricity production has so far yielded disastrous results. First, U.S. taxpayers have been forced to pay billions of dollars for fraudulent and failed wind and solar companies. Second, the Obama regime has aggressively waged war against coal. AsFox Newsreports, electricity rates have already skyrocketed as Obama suggested they would as a result of his then-proposed energy policies during his 2008 campaign.Thanks to the strangulation of coal-based power production, electricity generation for 2015 will cost about eight-times the cost of generation in 2012. As a result, motorists who buy electric cars and plug-in hybrids will find their transportation costs skyrocketing with their power bills.Study: Why more drivers are considering alternative-fuel vehiclesIn light of the inherent problems, costs and inefficiencies of alternative-fuel vehicles, understanding why drivers might consider buying them seems difficult. Perhaps the study surveyed wealthy drivers who can easily afford the costs of alternative energy that will leave other drivers stranded. Perhaps the study surveyed politicians who do neither drive nor fuel their own vehicles and do not understand what it’s like to have to pay for irresponsible government policies. Perhaps the study surveyed drivers who have not taken the time to learn about the devastation that alternative fuels are wreaking on the environment, the economy and modern standards of living. Perhaps the study overlooked millions of Americans who care more about feeding their families than about anything else.
