Tuesday, August 09, 2011

What the Truck?

Release:
WASHINGTON- Today, President Obama announced new fuel efficiency standards for trucks. The president admits that these new rules were created in conjunction with the State of California and environmental groups. With partners that have proven their ability to efficiently destroy jobs and provide additional regulatory burdens to small businesses, it should come as no surprise that the new rules are expected to cost consumers an extra $1,050 for work trucks and $6,220 for supercab tractors.

In response to the new rules, Thomas Pyle, president of the Institute for Energy Research, issued the following statement:

“As with the recently announced fuel economy standards for passenger vehicles, these new rules will benefit a small group at the expense of American consumers. Far from protecting the American public, President Obama is using the power of the federal government to protect large corporations from competition and to suppress entrepreneurs and small businesses.

“President Obama’s announcement today of new regulations on commercial trucks is the type of crony capitalism has been the standard for President Obama since day one. By increasing the regulatory barriers to enter the trucking market, the rules will insulate and protect large companies that can afford the regulatory costs, leaving the rest of us behind.

“White House officials even admit that their new rules will raise the price of a big rig by over $6,000. It is astonishing that while Americans continue to struggle to pay their bills, President Obama is implementing regulations that he knows will raise prices.

“Businesses across the country have been buried under an avalanche of new regulations since President Obama took office in 2009. Their response has been to reduce their workforce, move jobs overseas, or to close their doors completely. This is hardly a recipe for economic recovery.”