The Steep Cost of Government Regulation
The business section of today’s Washington Post reported, “The Senate passed a sweeping energy legislation package last night that would mandate the first substantial change in the nation’s vehicle fuel-efficiency law since 1975 despite opposition from auto companies and their Senate supporters.” The Post reporter also wrote:
“After the fuel-economy vote, Sen. Byron L. Dorgan (D-ND) . . . said the nation’s desire to be less dependent on foreign oil would be a ‘hopeless journey’ without more efficient cars and trucks.” The Post then reported that Dorgan said, “Now, in our vehicles, we have better cup-holders, we have keyless entry, we have better music systems, we have heated seats . . . It is time that we expect more automobile efficiency.”
That’s all nice and good, and although the Post reported the auto industry would have to build smaller vehicles to meet the higher CAFÉ mileage standards, there was no mention of who would bear the ultimate cost of the smaller vehicles, either by the reporter or by the several Senators quoted in the story.
American citizens will pay a steep price for Congress bowing down to the environmental lobby in lives lost. According to a study from the National Center for Public Policy Research:
“A number of studies have documented the lethal consequences of requiring carmakers to improve fuel standards.”
For example, NCPPR said of one of the studies:
“The USA Today report also said smaller cars – such as the Chevrolet Cavalier or Dodge Neon – accounted for 12,144 fatalities or 37 percent of vehicle deaths in 1997, though such cars comprised only 18 percent of all vehicles."
Perhaps the Post reporter couldn’t get his Google working to find the NCPPR study. Fortunately, the Great One, Mark Levin (6:00 – 8:00 pm, WMAL 630 AM), was able to find the study earlier this week.