what would you drive if the taxpayers paid the bill?

I would ride everywhere on the backs of naked WWE female wrestler hotties....

what would you drive if the taxpayers paid the bill?

A Ford Ranger, manual transmission, and it would have to be black....that's what I've always driven, and probably always will.....they have a decent fuel rating.

The reps should be held to a standard...something basic, with decent mileage.

2PacksAday wrote:

A Ford Ranger, manual transmission, and it would have to be black....that's what I've always driven, and probably always will.....they have a decent fuel rating.

The reps should be held to a standard...something basic, with decent mileage.

Believe it or no, the better most modern automatics can sometimes provide equal or better gas mileage with less maintenance costs, over the typical life of the vehicle, as compared to the manual drive train!

A little-noticed amendment to last year's energy bill requires House members who lease vehicles to select those that emit low levels of greenhouse gases.

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Elton Gallegly of Simi Valley likes his taxpayer-funded Ford Expedition. He isn't worried that it's not the most fuel-efficient car. It's reliable, suits his mountainous district and is cheaper to lease than many other vehicles.

"It's not a Cadillac. It's not a Lincoln. It's a Ford," the Republican congressman said with exasperation.

Congress has been bearing down to do more about global warming. But a little-noticed amendment to last year's energy bill has hit especially close to home. It requires House members who lease vehicles through their office budgets to drive cars that emit low levels of greenhouse gases.

Among the victims: Texas Republican Joe L. Barton, who will probably have to give up his Chevy Tahoe, despite his protests that it is made in his district. "I guarantee you my district is not upset that I'm driving a Chevy Tahoe," he said.

The effort to steer lawmakers into vehicles that get better mileage comes as Congress has mandated more fuel-efficient vehicles for the public and pump prices have surged.

Rep. John D. Dingell (D-Mich.), the longest-serving House member, drives a Ford Escape Hybrid leased by his campaign but voted against the requirement because "historically, members have been held accountable by their constituents for these types of actions," said his spokeswoman

Patrick Creighton, a spokesman for Rep. John E. Peterson (R-Pa.), who leases a flex-fuel Chevy Tahoe, said that the congressman's district is large, with mountainous terrain covered with snow part of the year -- "not the type of terrain a Mini Cooper was built to cover."

A number of lawmakers scoffed at the requirement, saying that forcing them into less-polluting vehicles would do almost nothing to affect climate change, and suggested that Congress could take more significant action to reduce oil imports.

Still other lawmakers objected to being told what to drive.

Rep. John T. Doolittle of Roseville, a conservative Republican, leases a Toyota Highlander Hybrid but believes lawmakers should be allowed to choose their own vehicles.

"I'm very excited about the hybrid technology," said Doolittle, whose family car also is a hybrid. "It would be great if every car were a hybrid. People might think, if they don't have one, well, those are the funny-looking, weak little cars. But a hybrid can give a tremendous power boost to a car."

Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (D-Fla.), who said he chose an Infiniti M45 because it is suited for the high speeds on Interstate 95, which runs through his district, said that safety is his top concern. "If you don't have some giddyup, you're in a lot of trouble," he said.

"I really would prefer to be driving a tank."