'Porter's nudge greenward'

Eager to come up with something that would allow him to use the word "green" in a context other than the $216,000 he has scarfed up from the oil and gas industry over the years, Rep. Jon Porter has proposed a tax break for rental car companies that buy hybrid cars (Sun).

Ever since narrowly winning reelection in 2006, Porter has been scrambling to find ways to present himself as something other than what he is, i.e., a career politician and an obedient little War Party wingnut who shuts up and does whatever he's told by  by his corporate financiers, White House messengers and his Republican congressional masters.

Porter's support for the greening of rental car fleets may be the most drastic departure yet from his customarily unforgiving right-wing ideology — not because it demonstrates some dramatically newfound  concern for the environment (rest assured, that's a hoax), but because it reflects a stark abandonment of faith in market forces: Thanks to the oppressive price of gas, made possible in no small part because of Porter's continued dedication to the putting the interests of oil companies ahead of those of his constituents, hybrid sales are skyrocketing and rental car companies are already transforming their fleets.

That's not to say that the tax break Porter proposes is wholly redundant or a bad thing. Long-term energy sanity will require thousands of initiatives to promote conservation, and a rental company tax break is one of them.

But that tax break or even support for a couple dozen similarly relatively smallish ideas don't offset Porter's vote for the Cheney energy bill that gave oil & gas and nuke corporations $8 billion in tax breaks, or his vote against tax credits to promote renewable sources, electric cars and energy efficient homes.

No matter how glowingly written (or how nauseating it's accompanying photograph), the occasional mainstream news story about the hack/dork/cad getting behind non-controversial micro-policies is not going to convince voters that he's had an epiphany on the environment and that now he's, you know, "for" it.

Comments

[Rich Stafetas]

I was happy to see this post. Above the election, which is getting tiresome, the economy, or moron president and governor, the most crucial thing facing us today is global warming. Remember, planet Earth is the only one we know of that sustains human life. Instead of Barack's preacher Global Warming should be the head line every day. I've always wondered what it'd take to wake Americans up...obviously global warming didn't do the job. Humans are herd animals, if a few opf the alpha's wake up maybe the herd will follow. As for Porter, let him bathe in that filthy money, his days are numbered.

[Not Bob]

This is nonsense. Porter voted against higher CAFE (fuel-efficiency) standards which would have done much more more to improve feul efficiency and cut down on carbon emissions, but that would have gone against the auto manufacturers.

Porter simply has never, cannot and will not take a stand against corporate power. A vote for Porter is a vote to preserve corporate power. Pure and simple.

[texexnv@gmail.com]

Well done, Gleanerwan.

Actually there was (past tense) a great tax credit program for all American taxpayers buying hybrids which Pooter et. al let expire Oct. 1, '07. Now, those tax credits are no longer available on "foreign" makers Toyota and Lexus but somewhat on Detroit clunkers nobody wants to own.

So: 1) Why just target rental cars for tax credits instead of all taxpayers; 2) why not just renew those IRS regs which just expired; and 3) What kind of car does Pooter drive now?

[KidFromVegas]

Johnny can run to the middle... but he's dragging all the Bush baggage with him... so it will be an encumbered journey.

[dave404]

I assume Cerberus capital Management along with their principals and their families (like Stephen Feinberg, Former Treasury secretary John W. Snow and Former vice president Dan Quayle is on the board),
will be donating in greater quantity to support and encourage Porter's taxgive to rental car companies than they did to Gibbons congressional coffers ($40K while he was runnning for governor. Maybe Gibbons voted to give one of their subsidiaries a contract to run the now exposed Walter Reed Medical Fiasco?)

Cerberus owns Alamo, National car rental and Tower Automotive (via Vanguard Car Rental), and Dollar and Thrifty car rental companies may join Vanguard. So follow the money. Oh, Cerberus owns Chrysler, too.

HEY!, last August the Congress passed the Energy bill which, among other things, included requiring members of the House of Representatives that lease cars via their office to use only fuel efficient vehicles (as designated by EPA)....Porter drives a big brand new white Chevy Tahoe....so, when did he get it? (does that answer your question, texexnv?)

[dave404]

KfV;

Perhaps you meant it will be an "incumbent" journey? Or maybe "encumbered" journey? (Owned by one entity but subject to another's valid claim)

[texexnv@gmail.com]

Thanks, Dave. But that Tahoe is (probably) paid for by gouging at the taxpayer's hog trough. Shocked? Shocked?

According to this, U.S. Hose Reps (not a typo) can lease any car with no limitations and also get unlimited gas. Nice deal, huh?

Btw, oil tops $120 today so the Gleanerwan's subject is timely.

Btw2, just try to go rent a hybrid somewhere. Anywhere....

[KidFromVegas]

Nice money trail Dave404, and I was going for the most common...en·cum·ber (n-kmbr) 1. To put a heavy load on; burden

Texex, just like you taught me to link, here's my lesson for you....

"According to this, U.S. Hose Reps [sic]"

Sic is a Latin word meaning "thus", "so", "as such", or "just as that". In writing, it is placed within square brackets and usually italicized—[sic]—to indicate that an incorrect or unusual spelling, phrase, punctuation, and/or other preceding quoted material has been reproduced verbatim from the quoted original and is not a transcription error.

[dave404]

tex...my misread, you CORRECT, it is low emission not low mileage....now, is a Tahoe a low emission?

[texexnv@gmail.com]

Yes, Kid. I've only used it here about a jillion times.

It also means to "set upon; pursue and attack". But I'm going to give you a free pass because you are so [sic]k.

[KidFromVegas]

Too bad it wasn't a jillion and one...

[gushing]

McCain joins Porter in calling for more wars to drive gasoline to $9 per gallon (as forecast by oil market manipulator T.Boone Pickens). War Party leader finally validates Jon Porter. He's got to feel good about that. Look forward to the ads!

[wonk]

Porter the carpetbagger is coming to Nevada from his Washington D.C. to run for public office. How nice. Carpetbagger.

[texexnv@gmail.com]

OK, Kid [sic], happy now?

[KidFromVegas]

Now Tex, I was only trying to help advance your writing skills; returning the favor as you taught me how to link.

[texexnv@gmail.com]

Now...,Kid [sic],... when I need your help I'll stick two pennies in your ear and get your two cents worth. Until then, let's try to play nice, huh?

[KidFromVegas]

I was only trying to help, don't get so defensive.

[texexnv@gmail.com]

Kaaachingggg; kaaachingggg; whrrrrrrrrr; mmmmmm;_______________.

There's the two cents; now you can take off the Boy Girl Scout uniform; you good deed is duly noted.

[KidFromVegas]

Now Tex... you always do this, when you are wrong, you make personal attacks, sorry to say, YOU WERE WRONG and you just can't accept it. Hahahahahahaha