Did you notice how President Barack Obama misinformed, and even misled, the country about certain aspects of his health care law, which imposed significant burdens on millions of Americans?
Well, ditto for his mandate requiring cars, light trucks and SUVs to meet a 54.5 miles per gallon standard by 2025.
In an effort to reduce oil dependency, Congress passed the first Corporate Average Fuel Economy mandate in 1975, when oil was scarce and gas lines were long. Neither is true anymore.
And yet the Obama administration has decided, without approval from Congress - yet again - to dramatically increase the CAFE mandate, doubling 2010's 27.5 mpg standard to 54.5 mpg in a mere 10 years.
The president will claim that the nation's top automakers endorsed the increase in 2011. But what's an automaker called to the White House supposed to say when the president, whose administration can make life very difficult for those who don't toe the White House line, demands concessions at the point of a gas pump?
The Obama administration is touting the mandate's environmental benefits and claims that consumers will save thousands of dollars by driving more fuel-efficient cars. But as with Obamacare, there's more to the story.
First, the increase will drive up the cost of cars. The Environmental Protection Agency concedes that the mandate will increase the price of a new car by about $2,000 by 2025.
Don't be surprised if the government is underestimating that cost increase.
The EPA boasts consumers will get that "investment" back within four years because they will spend less on gasoline. However, that prediction was based on a gas price of about $3.50 per gallon, before the price of oil tanked.
And what if millions of Americans can't afford the higher price? At least consumers have a vibrant used car market to fall back on, but how would that shift affect high-paying automaker jobs?
But that's not all; auto repairs will cost more. Carmakers are looking for lighter-weight metals as one way to squeeze more miles out of a gallon. But those metals could be more costly to repair.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates consumers will be spending an extra $12 billion to $15 billion in repairs over the lifespan of the newer cars because of the EPA's new CAFE standards.
Saving money has never cost so much!
And, of course, there is the biggest consumer cost: your life. As cars and trucks become smaller and lighter to meet the government's mandates, they also become less safe, which is one reason so many families with children like to drive large, heavy SUVs.
Which leads to the real problem with Obama's mandate: Consumers don't want what he's selling. The Wall Street Journal reports that 2.5 million cars have been sold through April of this year as compared to 4.8 million mostly larger and heavier trucks and SUVs.
Obama had optimistically, and wrongly, predicted there would be 1 million electric vehicles on the road by this year. Out of 1.5 million new vehicles sold last January, CNBC notes that GM sold only 542 of its Chevy Volts, while Nissan sold only 1,070 of its all-electric LEAF.
We've seen this movie before and we know it ends: Obama claims he has a plan that will be better for you and the country while saving you money.
Once the plan's imposed, Obama claims success while average Americans struggle to make ends meet under his new rules that most never wanted - especially in this new era of cheap gas.
Or as the president himself might say: "If you like your car or truck, you can keep it - as long as it meets my expectations rather than yours."
The above piece is featured by the Tribune Content Agency and has appeared in the following publications
MAY 19 — LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL (220,619) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 19— KEENE (NH) SENTINEL (9,653) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 18 — MARYSVILLE (CA) APPEAL-DEMOCRAT (18,306) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 18 — GRAND FORKS (ND) HERALD (24,015) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 18 — KEENE (NH) SENTINEL (9,653) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 18 — EDMOND (OK) SUN (6,322) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — SIOUX FALLS (SD) SUNDAY ARGUS LEADER (56,932) // p-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — THE NEWPORT (RI) SUNDAY NEWS (8,009) // p-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — MODESTO (CA) SUNDAY BEE (65,131) // p-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — MISSOULA (MT) SUNDAY MISSOULIAN (34,546) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — HONOLULU (HAWAII) SUNDAY STAR-ADVERTISER (196,020) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — ARIZONA SUNDAY SUN / FLAGSTAFF (15,000) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — MACON (GA) SUNDAY TELEGRAPH (44,500) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — ROME (GA) SUNDAY NEWS-TRIBUNE (22,119) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — KILLEEN (TX) SUNDAY DAILY HERALD (15,826) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — BRYAN (TX) EAGLE (16,886) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — SKAGITT VALLEY SUNDAY HERALD / MT. VERNON (WA) (17,605) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — SALT LAKE CITY SUNDAY DESERET NEWS (160,617) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — HENDERSONVILLE (NC) SUNDAY TIMES NEWS (20,341) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — SPARTANBURG (SC) SUNDAY JOURNAL-HERALD (51,412) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — LANSING (MI) SUNDAY STATE JOURNAL (52,398) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — WINONA (MN) SUNDAY NEWS (10,222) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — MEDFORD (OR) SUNDAY MAIL TRIBUNE (22,292) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — LAWTON (OK) SUNDAY CONSTITUTION (24,755) // TRIBUNE (22,292) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — REDDING (CA) SUNDAY RECORD SEARCHLIGHT (20,271) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — WILLIMANTIC (CT) SUNDAY CHRONICLE (6,452) // Op-Ed “Iran nuke deal makes no sense with ayatollah threatening US, Israel” by Lawrence J. Haas
MAY 17 — FAIRMONT (WV) SUNDAY TIMES WEST VIRGINIAN (10,690) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 17 — YAKIMA (WA) SUNDAY HERALD REPUBLIC (40,018) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 16 — ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE / LITTLE ROCK (179,134) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rules -- and cars” by Merrill Matthews // http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2015/may/16/unrealistic-rules-and-cars-20150516/?f=opinion
MAy 16 — NORTHWEST ARKANSAS TIMES / FAYETTEVILLE (17,807) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rules -- and cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 15 — SHERMAN (TX) HERALD-DEMOCRAT (20,287) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews // with photo
http://heralddemocrat.com/opinion/national-commentary/con-unrealistic-rule-will-force-us-motorists-cramped-unsafe-and-high
MAY 14 — AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN (125,305) // Op-Ed “Rule will force motorists into unsafe, high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews // http://www.statesman.com/news/news/opinion/matthews-rule-will-force-motorists-into-unsafe-hig/nmGfJ/\
MAY 14 — NEW BEDFORD (MA) STANDARD-TIMES (21,582) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 14 — LAKE WALWORTH (WI) TODAY (40,000) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 14 — WCLO AM/FM / BELOIT-JANESVILLE, WI // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 14 — JANESVILLE (WI) GAZETTE (17,834) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 14 — BLOOMINGTON (IL) PANTAGRAPH (37,434) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 14 — LANCASTER (PA) INTELLIGENCER JOURNAL (78,819) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 14 — CANADA FREE PRESS / TORONTO / CANADA’S MOST VIEWED POLITICAL WEB SITE / 944,000 VIEWERS DAILY // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 14 — BELLINGHAM (WA) HERALD (23,658) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 14 — BRADENTON (FL) HERALD (45,925) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 14 — FRESNO BEE (104,991) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 14 — HILTON HEAD (SC) ISLAND PACKET (19,960) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 14 — BEAUFORT (SC) GAZETTE (9,961) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 14 — CARROLL COUNTY TIMES / WESTMINSTER, MD (24,194) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 14 — HANOVER (PA) EVENING SUN (18,380) // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 14 — ARCAMAX.COM // ARCAMAX PUBLISHING // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 14 — CANADA FREE PRESS / TORONTO / CANADA’S MOST VIEWED POLITICAL WEB SITE / 944,000 VIEWERS DAILY // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews
MAY 14 — TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE.COM // Op-Ed “Unrealistic rule will force US motorists into cramped, unsafe and high-priced cars” by Merrill Matthews