Monday, June 13, 2011
Interesting subtext in this Nissan Leaf commercial
For me this just about sums up the difference between the Republican party and the Democratic party.
The GOP is all about hanging onto the past, regardless of how poisonous and primitive it might, for fear of what the future might signify to them and their beliefs.
While the Democrats, or progressives if you prefer, plunge headlong into the future, joyously anticipating the potential wonders that await them around every corner.
Yes I realize that is terribly simplistic, but it does have a certain poetic reality to it , don't you think?
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What creates the electricity that electric cars run on?
ReplyDeleteThere is a joke going around:
ReplyDeletePolitics is like driving: D to go forward, R to go backward.
@Anonymous 12:58
ReplyDeleteCoal, nuclear and oil, but green power is growing. Wind, Solar, hydro. We must have clean fuel.
Just because electricity right now is not green does not mean we can't avoid burning more gas and adding to global warming. At least get more options of travel on the road that don't double down on the environmental destruction.
I think the sentiment is ultimately true, but the motivation for the right wing fear isn't so much of the future itself as "change", but rather specifically as not knowing for certain how to *profit* off the future.
ReplyDeleteWhich again shows how self destructive they are because right now would be a really good time to invest in future technologies while it's still possible to profit off the current approaches which will eventually have to be replaced/advanced whether anyone likes it or not.
Waiting until the oil is gone and the world economy is collapsing doesn't seem like a very good strategy to me.
That's why I don't understand the mindless determination of denouncing climate change. Who cares if it's "true" or not? Why not just pretend it is as an excuse to pioneer and OWN those new technologies and control them for the rest of the world? THAT'S how to restore our position as a world leader and boost our economy!!
Maybe *I* need to be president.
it is not simplistic.
ReplyDeleteit is.
precisely like that.
it is as tho they reject their own brains.
that large organ inside the skull around the head.
...you know, that god gave them.
Yes, the Regressives are storming full speed into the past, encouraged by the corporatists who have put their money into old technology.
ReplyDeleteUntil we collectively have the courage to look forward and fund new technologies, we are bringing on an ecological "Armageddon" of unknown proportions.
Interesting comparison Gryphen,, but I wouldn't say it's completely accurate.
ReplyDeleteI was a mechanic for a while in my varied career, and from my perspective the Leaf is a great idea.
It's expensive at $33,000, less the tax break, which makes it about $26,000.
Most people will need to have an electrician install the 240volt charging station at their home, which could add $500-$1500 depending on their existing panel and setup.
While $27,000 isn't a lot for some, it's about $10,000 more than a decently equipped Civic or Corolla.
A 2nd issue is that the home mechanic has almost nothing on the car that she or he can do themselves, and even regular mechanics can't work on it without the specialized diagnostics and training.
Only the dealer is going to be able to work on the car, adding to the overall cost once it's out of warranty.
Your description is way too optimistic. I'd say that office holders, Democrats and Republicans, are working for interests of the old established order because that's where they get their campaign funds from. If you want to stay in office you will work for those who paid your way, those with the deepest pockets, which invariably includes the oil companies. This is more true than ever since the Citizens United ruling.
ReplyDeletePretty slick commercial, and I see your point and agree. I understand there is no direct comparison, as you admit, but similarities in belief structures are hard to deny.
ReplyDeleteTo sell all that oil, after they "Drilled baby Drilled" if they thought it would help to have gas powered computers and dentist drills, you don't think those yahoos wouldn't push for that?
I have no doubt they would. My personal way of comparing the two ideologies is to have people look up in Roget's Thesaurus the synonyms for Liberal and Conservative, and ask them which would they rather be.
I'm about to install solar panels on my roof, at almost no cost, from an outfit that leases them back to you (the cost is way less than my electrical bills, and they make a profit too). Then I'm getting a Pruis Plug-In, so I will not be spending almost $300/mo at the pump anymore.
ReplyDeleteSo multiply that by some reasonable number, and think how much the oil companies stand to lose. A big change is coming. They don't like it.
But if Repubs can get their puppets elected in (with the help of Supreme Court ruling that any amount can be spent in elections secretly), that transition can be slowed (to the detriment of measures to mitigate global warming) or even stopped.
Hey folks, put your dollar votes on solar/electric/green: sure, there will be other better approaches in the future; going solar now will encourage those other green options to evolve.
Or, you can stick with oil, along with those who don't care if wars continue, income gets concentrated at the top at the expense of all social services, and global warming is ignored. So long as the fat cats get theirs!
And Sarah Palin helps them by keeping out attn off these important topics and sucking the air out of the MSM with her daily dramas.
To Gryphen and Everyday Freethought: you both conveyed the essence very well.
ReplyDeleteAMEN Anon 1:03
ReplyDeleteAnd it's a great commercial.
Yes. Conservatives long for and cling to the thought of a past that never truly was, in favor any possible future.
ReplyDeleteGreed vs common sense
ReplyDelete@12:58
Well one way is to plug it into an electrical outlet. But as you roll down the road, the turning wheels are creating energy that can be stored. In the Prius, every time you hit the brakes, energy is stored. Therefore, city driving is the best for Prius drivers. Oh yeah, all that info and I'm a woman. Ha!!
You're pretty much spot on Gryphen.
ReplyDeleteThe dictionary definitions of liberal and conservative fit on multiple levels as well.
Inclusive v.exclusive. Pro v. retro. Generous v.stingy. Open minded v. closed minded. Accepting v. rejecting. Giving v. taking. Keeping v.sharing.
Just run down the Webster' list and they all pretty much work.
Anon 12:58
ReplyDeleteWhere I live, electricity is created by water and gravity, thank you very much!
Ah, Anonymous at 12:58 PM, you have asked the right question. Right now, our electricity is largely--about 70 %--coal-generated. Every time you boot up your computer, thank a coal miner.
ReplyDeleteNuclear generated electricity is not an option. Wind and solar aren't quite at the level needed.
Maybe, instead of focusing on one human/one car, we might be thinking about good public transportation: inter-urban trains, high speed trains, metro systems, etc., etc., etc., that could reasonably transport thousands at the same time, electrically. Like in the old days. Anyone remember trollies?
Whoa, nice ad! The other one I loved was the polar bear in the city awhile back. It's good that some of these ads reflect people with intelligence.
ReplyDeleteI like the nissan ads a lot, they offer yet another option for people to choose from, and that's a good thing. We need to build infrastructure to support green technology.
ReplyDeleteThis technology is in it's infancy, we need to push for more funding and research, which costs money, and one party doesn't realize that we need to spend money to make money and create jobs. We need to break the oil and coal lobby, and we need to fund the EPA.
Sometime i cant see your distinction. To me Democrats are Republicans and Republicans are nucking fut's. Progressives are aware.Progressives spend the time to learn what is going on and not follow some cheap banner.
ReplyDeleteI find this commercial funny. How could people live their lives with everything gas-powered? It could be miserable. As for the difference between Republicans and Democrats, I believe that neither would do good for this country. Hanging onto the past is as ineffective as plunging headlong into the future without preparation. There should be balance.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with the ad is that the electricity comes from diesel, coals, natural gas, or a nuke.
ReplyDeleteYes there is some wind power generation and some solar cell generation but what energy was used to drill, for mine for, dredge for the raw materials that make up the turbines, and solar cells?
Right on Gryphen. I agree 100%. There are people who want to live in the past and hang onto the old ways because they are scared to death of change. It takes people of vision to move civilization forward.
ReplyDeleteOhiovoter