You VILL Do Vhut I Say ... Und Not Vhat I Do

by pessimist

Someone should explain to Governor Schwarzenegger that he is developing a credibility problem - not a good thing for the chief executive of one of the world's largest economies to have to deal with, especially with so many problems facing our state that requires his attention (more about that in another post).

On the one hand, he's coming out with lefty pronouncements in favor of environmentally-friendly activities:

Schwarzenegger on Global Warming, Immigration and Pumping Up the Polls
By ED O'KEEFE, April 23, 2006

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, R-Calif., celebrated Earth Day by issuing a global warming warning, extolling the virtues of fuel-efficient vehicles and blasting 'outrageous' oil prices at the pumps in an exclusive interview on This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Schwarzenegger said, "I am all for profit. I love when businesses are booming. But there is a certain point when you have a product that everyone needs and that everyone is relying on because of the situation that you have created. ... We've got to protect the people."

Schwarzenegger encouraged buying fuel-efficient vehicles and pointed to California's policies as an example for the nation, saying, "We want to inspire people that desire cars that are fuel efficient and also drive less, do more carpooling and so on. Because remember, the oil price is all based on supply and demand."

Now - if only he would follow his own advice, for on the other hand:

Arnold Owns Five Gas-Guzzling Humvees
Posted by Judd April 23, 2006

Arnold owns five gas powered Humvees and is still driving them.

Here’s a picture of him cruising in a Humvee last year:

He doesn't grasp that his ownership of so many Hummers makes him out to be a hypocrite, such as when he was interviewed by George Stephanopoulos the other day:

STEPHANOPOULOS: And I was struck by [an article in] the San Francisco Chronicle that said, Get used to $3 a gallon a gas, say the experts. Is that your message, too, that people just have to get used to this?

SCHWARZENEGGER: Well, not really. I think that we have to fight that, and I have encouraged people here in this state [to] fight back… .... [W]e have to buy vehicles that are fuel-efficient ... and also , do more carpooling ...

"Yadda yadda yourself, Arnold!" says author Judd:

It was a curious argument from the man who literally brought the Humvee,
the most fuel inefficient civilian vehicle on earth, to the roadways.

The partnership of Schwarzenegger with the Hummer brand is like no other celebrity/manufacturer relationship. The muscle man is a legitimate player in a game that paid off with the actualization of the Hummer product line. While filming Kindergarten Cop about a decade ago, Schwarzenegger saw a fleet of military HMMWV/Humvee vehicles rolling down the street. He had to have one. Since the Humvee was a military-only vehicle, Schwarzenegger initiated talks with the manufacturer, AM General Corp., and the U.S. Army. Those discussions resulted in the civilian Hummer.

Adding precious gasoline to his political suttee, Arnold bravely strides where no mere mortal would dare to tread:

GM has loaned Arnold a sixth Humvee that runs on hydrogen,
but he is "still ushered around in a state fleet of armor-plated, gas-burning Chevy Suburbans."

I guess environmental conservation is only for the little people who aren't Topper$ - or Terminators.

Keep this in mind when you go to fill up next time... and for us Californians, in the fall - when we again vote for governor.


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