Great sketch in yesterday’s Washington Post by Dana Milbank about the hypocrisy of America’s politicians when it comes to driving. Suddenly as the price of fuel reaches $3 a gallon, everyone is up in arms.
They preach that America has a problem with rising fuel costs and energy security. Although they moan about it, not up for discussion is their right to drive and drive cars most Europeans would think are the size of a truck or even a well-endowed tank.
“America may be addicted to oil, as President Bush puts it. But America is in the denial phase of this addiction — as evidenced by the behavior of its lawmakers” writes Milbank.”They have proposed all kinds of solutions to high gas prices: taxes on oil companies, domestic oil drilling and releasing petroleum reserves. But they ignore the obvious: that Americans drive too much in too-big cars”
He continues: “At about the same time, House Republicans were meeting in the Capitol for their weekly caucus (Topic A: gas). The House driveway was jammed with cars, many idling, including eight Chevrolet Suburbans (14 mpg)”.
As soon as the nation’s senators had finished voting they all came out and jumped in their fuel-inefficient cars to drive to their offices a block away. Maybe its time for a campaign for America’s lawmakers to have to use bikes to get to work or even, dare I say it, those two funny things beneath their amble girths – that are called legs.