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Drive Carefully

By REP Policy Director Jim DiPeso
published in Newsweek on December 10, 2001

Drivers have many reasons for buying SUVs, but a deliberate desire to waste gas and increase U.S. dependence on terrorism-fomenting dictatorships is not one of them ("Driving Toward Independence," War on Terror, Nov. 19). Americans want what's best for their country. If more efficient SUVs were available, they'd probably sell well; for now, buyers should choose the most efficient models available. This nation, however, will not shake off its dangerous dependence on Persian Gulf oil without tougher federal fuel-economy standards that require automakers to bring forward new generations of fuel-efficient vehicles. Detroit will complain that fuel economy ought to be left to the market, but fuel economy is more than a business decision. It's a matter of national security, which is the primary responsibility of the federal government. To strengthen America's security,Congress and President Bush must toughen fuel-economy standards without delay.