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Monday, August 06, 2007

Whose Interests Do You Represent, Rep. Dingell?: Looking for an Answer at Your Town Hall Meetings

It's Time to Encourage Rep. Dingell to more strongly Represent the Interests of Michigan's Citizens, Auto Workers, and the Global Climate--not the narrow Interests of the Auto Executives

This week, on Tuesday and Wednesday in Ann Arbor and Dearborn, MI, Rep. Dingell, who is Chair of the powerful House Energy and Commerce committee, which has key decision-making power on issues related to global warming, is holding two town hall meetings to discuss his position on global warming.

Since Rep. Dingell's great experience and authority as a distinguished long-term member of Congress will be key to this Committee's ability to shape legislation to limit global warming and improve auto CAFE standards over the next year, it is time for all who are concerned about these issues to make sure Rep. Dingell hears your concerns this week in Ann Arbor and Dearborn.

Fostering jobs for Michigan auto workers, and responsible energy policy (including greatly increased fuel economy [CAFE] standards for autos) to reduce global warming are not opposed goals, as Dingell sometimes seems to suggest. In fact, the evidence, as a recent University of Michigan report has argued (see below), is quite the opposite: Michigan auto jobs and responsible action to raise fuel economy (CAFE) standards and address global warming are directly tied together!

To the extent the US auto companies continue to avoid their responsibility to produce much more fuel efficient cars, the US auto industry will continue to lose market share to those auto companies who have already recognized the writing on the wall: The most successful auto companies of the future will be the greenest and most fuel efficient auto companies. Actually, Last week's reports about the continuing fall in US auto market share in relation to Toyota and Honda (who just happen to be producing the most fuel efficient cars) only further underline this writing on the wall:

The most successful auto companies of the present will be the greenest and most fuel efficient auto companies!

If Rep. Dingell does not want to continue to support the US auto industry's addiction to fuel guzzling, greenhouse gas producing autos, which are causing Michigan to hemorrhage jobs, it's time for him to change his direction, and state his support for greatly increased CAFE standards for the US auto industry.

And if Rep. Dingell will not listen to the demands of his constituents on THIS MAJOR ISSUE, perhaps it is time for the voters of SE Michigan who voted him into office to begin thinking about recalling him and putting someone who will act more responsibly in his place.

The voters of Michigan should expect and demand that the Representative they have put into place in the US House of Representatives
will truly and responsibly represent their interests NOW, when crucial decisions that will affect the environment for many years to come are being made.

Rep. Dingell, will you represent the interests of the people of Michigan in a sustainable climate and sustainable auto jobs, or will you declare your allegiance to a narrow group of oil and auto industry lobbyists and execs who have proven by their unwise decisions over the last decade that the only interests they have in mind are increasing the flow of money into their own fat pockets, while auto workers and Michigan's citizens continue to be asked to make ever greater sacrifices out of their own pockets?!


Who do you represent, Rep. Dingell? The fat-cat auto executives and lobbyists, or the citizens of Michigan and the auto workers who are suffering from the shortsighted policies and decisions of the auto execs?! We know and honor your past accomplishments in legislation for the sake of the environment and Michigan's auto workers, but we hope you will not rest on the laurels of your past accomplishments, and will continue to fight strongly for the jobs of Michigan's auto workers and the environment in which we, our children, and our grandchildren will have to live.

It's time to make your allegiance clear. We look forward to seeing where your allegiance lies as you address the concerns of your constituents at this week's town hall meetings.

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