[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Rosemary Shahan,
President
Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety

What do you look for in a car? Safety? Fuel economy? Comfort? Affordability? How about whether you are inadvertently making a campaign contribution to the Republican Party?

Nationally, auto dealers are among the most aggressive contributors to the Republican Party and Republican candidates. Compared to other industries, they are among the most lopsided in their giving. During the 2000 election cycle, 96% of the auto industry's soft money went to the GOP.

In addition, some of the largest auto dealers are among the Bush Pioneers, who raised many millions for Bush's election and re-election campaigns. According to Automotive News, auto dealers played an active role in funneling a whopping $150 million to the Bush-Cheney campaign. Dealers also crowed about the pivotal role they played in the battleground state of Ohio.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

• SB 498 would have banned sales of rotting flood cars from other states totaled after hurricanes

• Be on the alert and report abuses

By Rosemary Shahan,
President
Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety

As if life in California weren't exciting enough, we are getting dumped on by unscrupulous insurers and auto dealers who profit from the illicit trafficking in total loss vehicles, including hurricane flood cars. Yup, that cute red number your teenager finds so alluring may be a killer car that swam with the fishes.

Remember the 500,000 flood cars that we all saw on TV, submerged up to their rooftops in the wake of hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma? Experts warned everyone to look out for them, since they are basically rotting from the inside out, and are totally unreliable.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Key Bills and Issues we’ve been following that made the grade or bit the dust this Week in Sacramento

By Hannah Beth Jackson

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION: GLOBAL WARMING AND ITS PROGENY

Two bills of note here, although there are several working through the process to refine and implement the landmark Global Warming measure of 2006, AB32.

Accelerating availability of low-emissions vehicles: AB 493

This measure by Assemblymember Ira Ruskin, was beaten back by a massive effort of the Auto Dealers and Manufacturers---among the major obstacles in the effort to clean up the planet and protect against global warming, smog and air pollution in general. This bill would add a surcharge to the worst gas-guzzlers sold and use those funds to provide rebates for gas-sippers. A great idea, but too much money and pressure for the Reps (as always) and sadly, too much for enough of the Dems to come on board.

Creating a blueprint for sustainable and responsible future growth: SB 375