Mother Gaia strikes again

First up, how about a little cartoon here. Liked that? How about another here. Ok, now for some text to go along with that. Steve Milloy has an article over at the Financial Post entitled Mileage Standards Deadlier Than Iraq. A quote:

Obama’s standards will require automakers to meet a 35 miles-per-gallon standard by 2016 — four years earlier than the same standard imposed by the Energy Security and Independence Act of 2007. The only way for carmakers to meet these standard is to make smaller, lighter and deadlier cars.

The National Academy of Sciences has linked mileage standards with about 2,000 deaths per year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that every 100-pound reduction in the weight of small cars increases annual traffic fatalities by as much as 715. In contrast in the more than six years since the Iraq war began, there have been 4,296 deaths among American military personnel...

So, "The One" must have in mind that Americans will get something in exchange for taking bigger and bigger risks while on the road. Something? Anything?

Well, no, at least as you or I would calculate such things.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — for the purposes of risk assessment — values a single human life at $6.9-million. So under the new mileage standards, it would cost about $35-million per day in human lives (not including non-fatal injuries) to save $5-million in gas.

But you have the joy of knowing that you are saving Gaia by your sacrifices to her. And if she demands a child? Well you can just think how special you are. But don't expect "The One" to sacrifice one of his, or AlGore, or any of the other bigwigs who tell you or I that we have to. They are "too big to fail." Warms to cockles of your heart doesn't it.

Update: Dan Gainor has an article over at Townhall.com entitled
If It's A Smart Car, Why Does It Look So Stupid. He discusses the "Smart Car's" minuses:

You would think it would. The Smart car is the kind of vehicle only a liberal or a guy who parks his car in a closet could love – because it gets decent gas mileage, is half the size of real car, has none of the space of a popular but evil SUV and won’t let you drive over 90 mph. (In the car’s defense, you’d probably have to fall off a cliff to hit 90 with two people inside – though if you are forced to drive one of these, you might wish that result.)

The Smart Car and its equally ridiculous hybrid friends matter because they might be all that’s left on the roads after Democrats destroy what remains of the American automotive industry.

So now let's look at some unintended consequences. The market for these rollerskates is incredibly small, certainly not enough to sustain a giant company like General Motors. People will do all sorts of things to avoid them, like keeping their current cars operating long past their economic prime. Once parts are no longer available, I suspect manufacturers will develop an after market of parts to keep the old war horses running. The J. C. Whitney catalog will expand exponentially. Mechanically gifted individuals will start thriving shops repairing older cars, and possibly putting what once were treated as "Project cars" together from the wrecking yards to sell to people who want a real car.

Of course, all this will enrage the Saviors of Gaia. They will want new laws with more teeth. For example, making everyone document their need for larger vehicles. If you don't need it, they will argue, you will have to buy one of the "Smart Cars" or go to jail on Federal Felony charges. The paper work to get one of these rollerskates will be so long, and tedious that it will make buying a car the traditional way seem like a walk in the park. This is always what happens. First the soft tyranny, which never works because it goes against the natural grain. "But it's for your own good" they will cajole. Then comes ever more tyrannical and intrusive laws to MAKE you do it. "Well, if the public won't do it for altruistic reasons, then we will force you to do it."

Then again, maybe Honda or Toyota will still be allowed to make real cars, since they haven't taken any of the government's money (yet.) Could be that as long as it isn't an American company making a profit, it will be alright.