If GM can sell Volts next year, they can sell them now. Why are they stalling? If Ford has an electric car in Europe, I want one right now, and will buy it right now. But, “No!” I believe the closest thing I am ever get to a plug-in is a Prius.

Nissan is going to have its Leaf on the sales floors long before the Volt hits the market. I hope the Chinese ‘Volt” is sold in America next year. I’ll tell GM, Ford, and Chrysler now. I am going to buy the first one I can, so GM, Ford, and Chrysler better stop dragging their feet.

None of these Auto manufacturers has ever done a thing to actually help progress. Without governmental edicts, especially from California, our cars would still be getting 10 miles to the gallon, and the emissions would have us all dying by the thousands. I give no kudos to Ford, and even less to the other two. Obama needs to say to GM, “Sell the Volt now!!!!!! We will cover your screw-ups”

Yet, despite that we as consumers continue to break all of the rules of practicality…but that doesn’t make it right or excuse us from the ruin that has been caused by all of this “got to have it now” mentality.

Ok, I admit, we all have been brainwashed to “keep up with the Jones’” by Madison Ave. In reality, the Jones’ really don’t exist…they are a mythical family invented by the ad agencies, and marketing departments of our nations retailers and consumer product companies.

A Hummer doesn’t make you an adventurer and the 21st century version of Sir Edmund Hillary…a Rolex doesn’t make you a better timekeeper or determine your intelligence or success…a big house doesn’t really turn you into the king of your own castle….in fact…a large home and the larger mortgage payment that accompanies it only adds to the stress of everyday life and dulls our pursuit of happiness.

Our economy will straighten out, when we straighten up. We still can buy necessities…lot’s of them as a matter of fact…but does it have to have Prada’s name on it? Life will go on if we all accept the fact that we don’t need a perceived better brand name of this or a karat of that.

I agree with you people need to be more responsible and yes I grew up in the Midwest too so I know the work mentality and conservative ways people have up there maybe it is all that damn snow people have to deal with and that salt that ruins the underside of everyone’s cars…. I think there are reasonable people but some get caught up with”keeping up with the Jones” There is no required class in all Highschools that teaches people how credit works and budgeting so some grow up not really understanding. I think to say all people should live within their means is like saying everyone should check tire pressure and go 55mpg to save fuel, that just doesn’t happen. My point was the credit bubble was egged on by the financial industry and even to this day not enough congressmen and women have the guts to make major reforms to the shady practices that go on in our credit system so don’t think its only the Reps. its also Democrats that can’t say no to the hand that feeds them.

1) You can raise CAFE standards.

Though you have to do it right to have an effect without crippling manufacturers.

2) You can raise fuel taxes.

Would be interesting if the $0.04 original gas tax had kept up with inflation.

3) You can institute a mileage tax.

Too much “Big Brother” for this country. The fuel tax does the same thing (raise money and promote fuel efficiency).

4) You can give incentives for buying hybrids and/or alternative fueled vehicles.

Which we do in a backhanded way – expiring tax credits.

5) You can take over GM and force them to build high MPG cars.

Because we all know how well government-directed manufacturing works.

6) You can treat CO2 as pollution.

Are you ready to pay your “body tax”? We breathe this stuff out!

7) You could ration fuel.

Maybe if a World War started you would get a ‘buy in’ to this.

8) You can have a personal carbon cap and trade system.

So we could have more market speculators profiting? I still want to know where the money is supposed to come from and where it’s supposed to go.

9) You can make mass transit free.

Speaking as one who rode Boston’s MBTA for years (and still occasionally do), if you do that, ridership will plummet because homeless will use the subways as their home and bathroom. Invest more in mass transit and make it attractive, fast, efficient and, most important of all, make it go where people want to go and you’ll see ridership soar.