Carys Weldon Blog
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
230 mpg, electric cars, $4500 cash, and health care?I'm willing to admit, straight up, that I don't really get some of the "mastermind" thinking going on in this country. Please read, figure it out, and explain it to me?
I read an article that you might find interesting: http://apnews.myway.com//article/20090811/D9A0UEG00.html
It talks about electric cars, the "supposed" wave of the future. Apparently you can drive 230 miles in the GM Volt before you have to charge it, and they say that should take about 10 minutes. At first, I sat back with a "Wow. That would be so cool." But then the ugly little inner id I argue with daily began to poke its ugly little head out with bothersome possibilities.
Really, I need you to explain the good parts to me. Or tell me what your opinion is, good or bad, on the whole enchilada dinner cooking in my brain.
The appetizer was, of course, the cool car with amazing gas mileage. And then I fell into the soup...
It interested me in particular because it got me thinking. If we don't have to buy gas, or at least not as much, what will happen to all our convenience stores? I don't think they'll go out of business. I think they'll put electrical outlets in front of the parking spots, so you can come and charge up there, and shop for ten minutes.
Of course, that brings to mind the Walmart auto center and how two hours of waiting costs me a fortune, even if I just wander around with the intention of window shopping. I always find things I need, or the impulse to buy won't let me walk away from.
Back to the soupy car talk, though...
Alaska and other colder climate areas have electrical outlets like the ones I'm talking about because cars in those places have extra heaters, and literally have a plug-in for hooking up so their cars don't freeze up. So, I can see that some areas won't have a problem with converting to the hybrids/electric cars.
But I think a lot of people will quickly realize that we're switching our gas usage to electric usage. I would think gas stations and recharging stations, even restaurant parking, would have to charge for your electrical charge-up time. I mean, somebody has to pay the electrical bill. And since most of the U.S. doesn't have these electrical outlets already, they will have to be installed, and we all know the initial costs of those being put in will be passed on to us, the consumers.
Imagine the gas station which will then provide electrical charging options. I can't see them paying that extra portion of their power bill to charge up hundreds of customers a day and not getting anything out of it but the profit off the snacks you buy while waiting.
What do you think?
On one hand, not using a fossil fuel sounds good. We don't want to run out of our natural resources. Save the planet and all that. I really am PRO planet, andsaving resources, not trashing the world we live in so our kids and grandkids (and on down the line) will be able to enjoy some of the great vistas and recreations we do when we go to, say, our parks and lakes.
Just thinking about it almost lulls me into a peaceful little cocoon where I can dream of butterflies everywhere, and the sight and fragrance of woods, and flower filled landscapes, and wonderful riverways where canoes float peacefully, and shade trees make the world just seem heavenly.
But then, I always see the rapids up ahead and know I'm gonna get my happy little ship dumped upside down. It's inevitable. I'm not that good at captaining when there's waterfalls or rapids. I'm the girl squealing "Hang on and pray we don't flip out!" That is, of course, right before I run into a rock, or tip the boat to one side avoiding an overhanging branch. Picture: Fat chick going, "Aaaaaggghh! That wasn't a good move!" Right about the time I do the first half of the cool kayak upside down deal.
I might even hit my head on a rock while I'm under there. I'm silly enough to think it's fun after I survive that sort of thing.
Which is actually a metaphor for...can I stand to be turned upside down by this whole car thing, will I be smiling when I come up for air?
But then to figure it out, we have to look at what will be generating the extra power requirements. Will whole grids need upgraded to handle the increase the world/country will require if we all switch to the electric cars? Will we see more blackouts? How will generate this extra power? I thought they were scrambling to provide our current needs.
I guess we could put in some more hydro powered dams, and solar panels and windmills. I dunno where, but thankfully I'm the blissfully blinded and can just drive around in my new electric car with obliviousness to how it's powered. Beyond plugging it in, I mean.
I'm not against the hybrids. I'm just thinking about the whole deal. I like to travel, to drive across country. I stop at a lot of gas stations for gas and bathroom and snacks, but I think the mandatory ten minutes for charging might seem like five minutes too long. Maybe you could stop and do five, and stop every hundred miles and do five minutes. I dunno. I'm sure it would be good for those of us who really should walk a little more.
Some people would obviously charge up at home every time. Most people probably don't drive as far as I do in spurts. So, this won't matter to them. But I'm wondering if it will effectively take care of our gas problems or just transfer them to electrical problems.
And, of course, we're generally talking hybrid cars, so they can use gas and you won't have to stop and charge if you don't want to. You can fill up your gas tank and fall back on that when your power unit needs recharged. I'd say battery but I'm a little confused on the battery pack needed for the electrical car versus the battery a regular car uses. Obviously the battery packs would take up more space. Cargo area? My trunk, where I put my groceries? Or what?
Most of the hybrid cars I see on the road are two seaters that look like nothing more than the front seating area and the motor compartment. Too tiny for my tastes. But then, I'm not a scrawny chick. Maybe little people would love them. I know a ton of people that think the hybrids "are so cute." Me? I'm always looking at head room (claustrophobic), and leg room (leg, hip, and back problems demand I consider the space for my legs to be stretched out, or shifted around--whether I'm a driver or a passenger.)
I guess it doesn't matter. We regular folks will deal with whatever comes. If we can afford one, we'll get one. Maybe two or three. It'll be just like tv. Everybody'll have to buy to be cool...or whatever.
I would like to go on record saying...I don't think SOME people will ever give up their gasoline engines and muscle cars. There will always be classic car enthusiasts. I will always think the 65 mustang, or the Shelby, or the 66 Fairlane, or the 57 Chevy's of the world are truly worth owning.
The thing that makes me rave most, or which fired me up so much more than the thinking I've already tossed out for you, believe it or not, wasn't the gunk I just chatted about. Think about this...
We did the auto industry bailout. What was it? $700...BILLION? We bailed them out and then had a price tag of about the same for the banking bailout, right? (I'll stomp and rant on that another day.)
Okay, GM was supposedly going under, we bail them out, and then I hear they are selling over to Fiat, a non-American company. I'm still dizzy from trying to figure out how they can accept our tax money turned bailout cash and then sellout what it seems our government now has the lien on. If anything, you'd think the government would say, "Okay, we're selling cars now, too, and everybody can get a car at a socialist price, like we're gonna do on the health care."
(Yeah, I'm being facetious. I don't think that's realistic. Government doesn't appear to be good at managing business, in my opinion.)
But okay, we're Americans, we deal. We take it, whatever gets shoved down our throats. (Gag reflex here, and as an erotica writer, I immediately think of being on my knees in front of a man...insisting I'll like it, if I just try it.)
But then I blink, shove that aside, and see this article that says GM has this Volt car that is so amazing, but they aren't releasing it until late NEXT YEAR.
Well, folks, I read that to mean...they are busy reaping not only the happy low interest bailout cash we'll be paying back in increased taxes, (money our government borrowed from China, by the way), but they/GM are going to let the government (read this to mean US taxpayers) give the $4500 cash to QUALIFIED buyers, and sell a ton of cars through that little program, which costs taxpayers in tax levies to come--which is gonna be really crappy for those who don't qualify for the $4500 but qualify to pay higher taxes to cover the giveaways.
Maybe you qualify for the $4500 tax back and bought yourself a new car and are thrilled with the whole program. I dunno. But I'm thinking I wouldn't qualify for it, from what I hear about the deal, so I'm a little bit snippy on the topic.
So maybe I need you to explain to me why this program is great for everybody? All I can see is the bailout money coming out in future raised taxes, and the $4500 per car sold under this other program as another increase in taxes. I mean, the government doesn't have the cash sitting in Fort Knox. They have to raise the money, or pull it from somewhere.
Which brings us back in our circle jerk to the taxpayers on their knees and a whole array of taxes bombarding us, and standing outside the ring of fire is the Chinese government, the largest COMMUNIST regime on the planet. The ones who attacked MONKS not too long ago.
I wonder if this isn't a conspiracy to have us sell more of ourselves out to the enemy. They could take us over without lifting a weapon. As it is, Chinese folks are buying a lot of American property.
I'm just saying we need to pay attention to what's going on. We need to think through it, not just believe the first newscast we hear on a topic. Not just believe the folks that say, "Oh, this is gonna be so good for all of us. Trust us. Let us do what we want and you'll see."
Because, invariably, we can't see the forest for the trees, until the woods are on fire and the smoke is choking us, and burning our eyes so bad all we can do is run, and then stop, drop and roll until we're in a fetal position.
Is this too melodramatic? What do you think? Do you see it differently? If so, explain it to me (nicely please).
Until we chat again,
Carys
Labels: $4500 cash back, electric cars, GM, Volt
1 Comments:
I am finding lots of reporting to be less than accurate. I beleive in giving more information and not telling me to trust them right with out giving me a reason to.
