How do you get a Republican to buy a hybrid?
by Sebastian Blanco on May 7th 2009 at 7:06PM 
The new Honda Insight is supposed to be the "hybrid for everyone," but does that include Republicans? A new Wall Street Journal article runs down the well-known tale of how, mostly, the people who drive hybrids are on the left side of American politics (remember this?). From there, Democratic political consultant Mark Penn asks his big question: "Where Are the Republican Hybrid Buyers?" From the article:
But if we really want to expand the number of [hybrid] buyers, we should develop new arguments that appeal to the Republicans who have been holding back. To look at it another way, every hybrid car reduces not just greenhouse gases but reduces our dependence on foreign oil -- especially the new plug-in hybrids under development. And that means that buying a hybrid is not just good for the environment, but good for our energy independence and national security.It's not like there's no precedent for this line of thought. Former CIA head James Woolsey, a neoconservative Democrat and an adviser to John McCain in the last presidential electrion, has long touted the national security value of fuel efficient vehicles. But, the standard rightwing line on green issues isn't very helpful - a newly released Repubilcan memo describing their talking points on climate change wants to reframe the debate into one over a "national energy tax," for example. What do you think, is Penn on to something here?
Gallery: 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid
[Source: WSJ]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Max 7:20PM (5/07/2009)
A Republican mind does not understand logic. If Bill O'Reilly says it, it must be right, right?
They whine about National Security, but spit on the fact oil goes to the Middle East.
They whine about the huge trade deficit, but spit on the fact that $700bn annually goes abroad for oil.
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ziv 10:30AM (10/14/2009)
If you want to get Republicans to buy a hybrid, make it logical. People are excited by the Prius, and by bringing their own shopping bags to their grocery store, and that means just about nothing in the real world. Prius buyers buy them because they love the idea, but the car is marginal. It saves most drivers a few dollars a month. And they get to drive a car that makes a VW Vanagon look like a performance champion. OK, I am exaggerating the Prius power problem, but not by that much.
Sell cars like the Volt, that allow someone to actually make the energy to power their car. No Saudi oil, just wind generated electricity that gets me to work and back. I want to be energy independent, but I don't think the Prius or the Insight will get me there.
Phil 4:12PM (5/08/2009)
Let me put it to you in simple economic terms: Even when gas was $4 a gallon, the cost of ownership over the lifespan of a vehicle that one must pay just to "look" like they care about the environment, was WAY HIGHER than that of a non-hybrid vehicle.
Since I care about the environment, but don't need to feel good about making a bad purchase because it draws attention to myself, hybrids are not a smart choice today.
Steve 8:28AM (5/08/2009)
@ Max – let's get real, bud.
The whole reason for sending that amount of money over to the Mid East is because we're a slave to it. It was Dem' and Repub' lawmakers alike over the past century that felt it necessary to do business over there, and now we're seeing the consequences of unstable governments running things in a region that the U.S. (as well as most other countries) completely depend on.
I'd say logic plays a huge part in NOT pulling the plug on Mid East oil until we can actually coerce our lawmakers HERE (that's you, Democrats) to allow us to produce more of our own energy– even if that means petroleum off our own shores and the HUGE projected supply they predict we have in Alaska if we can do it safely. This is the whole Drill-Baby-Drill argument, fair and square. Could you imagine what would happen if President Obama immediately severed the cord to Mid East energy? -- especially before we're able to satisfy our consumption requirements from our own country? I'd say it's a little unfair to immediately pull out your Al Franken handbook for Republican Put-Downs and write us off as ignorant of logical thinking – this is an important issue and a BIG problem to consider and analyze. Slow process, my friend.
@ Ziv -- the solution can't stop just at hybrids.
If you give people more choices (hybrids, biofuel, fuel-sipping petroleum, solar power, EV, ethanol, diesel, or a combination of all these.), our options will be blown WIDE open for the way we gradually attain this ever-coveted energy independence that we seek as a nation.
Especially as a conservative (or according to Max, a subscriber of philosophy bread and born in the KKK and backwoods-inbreds from West Virginia), I find it appealing to lay down the groundwork to allow us to start CONSERVING our energy, but it disgusts me when Honda and Toyota (especially Toyota) market their earth-friendly vehicles as trend-setters for saving our planet. In the end, you're STILL using petroleum to power these cars, so why not divide the pie even MORE by offering (who would have thought) Diesel Hybrids, electromagnetic propulsion systems, pre-positioned catalytic ionizing fuel systems . . . we have so many options, and these car manufacturers are exploiting only ONE option while pulling at our tree-hugging heartstrings.
However, the first step to all of this making a difference for both LiberalSocialists and NeoCons is MAKING ABSOLUTELY SURE that we can produce our current energy standards on our own, and the only thing between our country and that goal are the laws set in place by our own lawmakers.
MikeW 10:40AM (5/08/2009)
If we didn't send money to opec countries in the middle-east, who would purchase our debt?
Oh wait, they did stop purchasing, and the criminal government is now monetizing. Oh crap.
Bill O'Reilly is no republican. opec doesn't call the shots, look to IMF, world banc, BIS
Snowdog 5:44PM (5/08/2009)
@Sean.
Why does a $50000 GM 2mode Truck hybrid make sense while a $20000 Insight not?
Ernie 7:52PM (5/11/2009)
@Steve:
Hehe. I bet you think that America could ever come close to producing enough domestic oil to fulfill its needs, which are gargantuan.
America's peak oil production happened in about 1975. It's now 10% of what it was then. Even if it *could* go back to that peak, it would still only be able to supply about 25% of what it consumes. And although offshore oil reserves are "huge", they're still an order of magnitude short of demand.
Lucas 6:17PM (5/26/2009)
America has its hands tied because of Green policies restricting practically all drilling. No drilling in Alaska, can't drill offshore when China drills 70 miles away from California, can't take oil shale, can't use Canada's tar sands. Where the hell else are we going to get our oil. The Greens have blocked us from using our own oil, don't blame Rep or Dem.
LeCagot 7:25PM (5/07/2009)
Republicans? Less than a quarter of Americans identify themselves as Republicans today. And the number shrinks each month. The defection rate is staggering, from Specter to Joe the Plumber, Americans are running away from the GOP. At one time there was an intellectual basis for the party. You could respect them, even if you didn't agree. Today they are a regional party of Southern racists completely out of touch with mainstream America. You might as well ask what car "Flat Earthers" or Wigans would buy. Who cares?
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Yikes 8:32AM (5/08/2009)
Why are democrats the most vicious name calling holier than thou people in America?
PeterG 9:58AM (5/08/2009)
@Yikes.
Have you seen the leading Republican Cheerleaders? Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck, Coulter. O'Rielly....
Kumar 10:07AM (5/08/2009)
So you're making a sweeping statement of your opinion of ALL Democrats based on the ramblings of a random poster that didn't even identify their own party...brilliant.
Sean 12:41PM (5/08/2009)
I am a Republican, from SOUTHERN California. My family is bi-racial. I have always driven small displacement fuel efficient vehicles. I've never owned anything other than a 4 cylinder. So much for your stereotypes.
I do not think that Hybrids ala Toyota and Honda are the answer. With the exception of the dual mode hybrid on larger GM vehicles, I do not like the idea of redundant powertrains. In the interim, I am more inclined to go with an approach like the Volt. I like the Honda Clarity, but fuel cells are still a not there yet. Plug -in electrics are the way to go, but when will the battery technology catch up?
Until then, I'll just keep diving my 1.6 liter.
Allen 8:06PM (5/10/2009)
Just like a Democrat. If someone doesn't agree with your Socialist religion they must be a racist, or worse yet a Southerner. And everyone from Keith Olberman to that psycho Garaffalo just gets the biggest kick out of using the term "teabagger" to smear those conservative "community organizers." How you people look in the mirror each day is beyond me.
Anyway, the thing I would worry about if I were you is not the shrinking number of people that call themselves Republicans, since the number of people calling themselves Democrats is shrinking as well. I would be worried that when asked if they considered themselves liberal or conservative, far more people identified with the conservative label. And for the first time in over thirty years, more people favor a generic GOP ballot in the upcoming Congressional elections. Keep in mind that even when the GOP swept in '94, they didn't poll this well on the generic ballot question. So, do all the damage to the country you can in the next two years, it might be the last chance you have to push the radical Socialist agenda.
As far as the issue that we should be discussing. Most Democrats don't by hybrids either, because most Democrats, unlike Democrat politicans, actually have to live within their means, and paying a large price premium that you may never recover simply doesn't appeal to most people of either party.
When the first EV or serial hybrid that is actually price competitive hits the market, I think you will be surprised how many Conservatives are lined up to buy one. Even those evil conservatives who, like a constantly increasing number of scientists, belive the AGW movement is based on a mix of left wing politics and junk science will be eager to buy a can that prevents American money from lining Saudi pockets and that actually saves money in the process.
Boyprodigy1 7:11PM (5/15/2009)
@ Allen
Can't wait to see you in an aptera 2e!
vfx 7:32PM (5/07/2009)
Many Republicans are conservatives. Funny how conservatives aren't interested in conserving.
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Tohe 5:35AM (5/08/2009)
Conservatism is a flawed philosophy when everything around you in changing. Being a conservative is like driving against oncoming traffic and hoping not to be hit.
To sell a Prius to a social conservative, re-brand it the "Jesus car".
PeterG 9:57AM (5/08/2009)
Jesus Car? What do Republicans have to do with Jesus? I thought the religion of the Republicans was some mix of Oil/Gun/Corporate greed worship tinged with a bit of fear of sex/gay people.
Tohe 10:53AM (5/08/2009)
In deed PeterG, all of what you said in Jesus name Amen!
Matt 9:16PM (5/08/2009)
it's funny, you wouldn't think this would get a lot of comments... guess it's a touchy subject :=/