Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
GM DESERVES BANKRUPTCY, CONTEND RADICAL ENVIRONMENTALISTS
"The ELF should have put General Motors out of business years ago with well-placed incendiary devices in Detroit."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2008
GENERAL MOTORS DESERVES BANKRUPTCY FOR POLLUTING THE PLANET,
CONTEND RADICAL ENVIRONMENTALISTS
Detroit, MI— Along with environmentalists across the country, the North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office (NAELFPO) is denouncing the government’s consideration of a bailout package for the failing U.S. automaker, General Motors.
"General Motors deserves bankruptcy. Fully aware of America’s dependence on foreign oil and the horrific environmental impact of the Hummer — an 8,500-pound monstrosity that yields an average of 10-mpg — GM continued producing gas-guzzling, polluting vehicles while foreign automakers were developing smaller, lighter, more fuel-efficient and environmentally-friendly cars,” states Jason Crawford, one of four new press officers for the NAELFPO, “GM failed to look to the future and, for that, they deserve to fare no better than the many species they’ve helped push to the brink of extinction.”
This summer, when U.S. gas prices hit an all-time high, GM announced its Hummer division was up for sale in an effort to sell off $4 billion worth of its assets to avoid bankruptcy. Ironically, while GM was spending $1 billion to build up the Hummer franchise, Toyota was spending $1 billion to develop a high-mileage, less-polluting hybrid. “Perhaps if GM hadn’t killed their electric car in the late 1990s to bring the Hummer into the commercial marketplace,” added Crawford, “they wouldn’t presently be asking the tax-payers for a welfare check.”
“Unfortunately, future generations who will suffer the consequences of air pollution, resource scarcity, and global warming won’t have the luxury of a government rescue,” continued Crawford. “Tomorrow we’re going to be paying the price — both ecologically and financially — for GM’s faulty business model. Instead of targeting Hummer and SUV dealerships over the last few years, the ELF should have put General Motors out of business years ago with well-placed incendiary devices in Detroit.”
The Earth Liberation Front, or ELF, is an international, underground movement consisting of
autonomous groups of people who engage in direct actions to protect the planet. Formed in 1992
in Brighton, England as an offshoot of the Earth First! movement, the ELF has been active in
the United States since 1996.
Notorious ELF actions have included the $24 million arson attack at Colorado's Vail Ski Resort in 1998 and a $1 million fire set at a West Covina, CA dealership that damaged over 40 Hummers and SUVs in August 2003. In the last ten years, the ELF has caused over $150 million in damages to environmentally destructive corporations without causing a single injury. Since 2001 the ELF has been considered the top domestic terror threat by the F.B.I.
First established in 2000 as the public face of the Earth Liberation Front direct action movement,
the NAELFPO returned on October 31, 2008 opening its doors to four new regional offices and
press officers in the United States: Lisa Nesbitt (Northeastern Bureau); Tomas Peterson
(Northwestern Bureau); Kristina Sanchez (Southwestern Bureau); and Jason Crawford (Midwest
Bureau).
NAELFPO can be found on the web at: http://www.elfpressoffice.org
Contact:
North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office (NAELFPO)
Tel: (202) 521-1482
Email: info [at] elfpressoffice.org
-30-
November 17, 2008
GENERAL MOTORS DESERVES BANKRUPTCY FOR POLLUTING THE PLANET,
CONTEND RADICAL ENVIRONMENTALISTS
Detroit, MI— Along with environmentalists across the country, the North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office (NAELFPO) is denouncing the government’s consideration of a bailout package for the failing U.S. automaker, General Motors.
"General Motors deserves bankruptcy. Fully aware of America’s dependence on foreign oil and the horrific environmental impact of the Hummer — an 8,500-pound monstrosity that yields an average of 10-mpg — GM continued producing gas-guzzling, polluting vehicles while foreign automakers were developing smaller, lighter, more fuel-efficient and environmentally-friendly cars,” states Jason Crawford, one of four new press officers for the NAELFPO, “GM failed to look to the future and, for that, they deserve to fare no better than the many species they’ve helped push to the brink of extinction.”
This summer, when U.S. gas prices hit an all-time high, GM announced its Hummer division was up for sale in an effort to sell off $4 billion worth of its assets to avoid bankruptcy. Ironically, while GM was spending $1 billion to build up the Hummer franchise, Toyota was spending $1 billion to develop a high-mileage, less-polluting hybrid. “Perhaps if GM hadn’t killed their electric car in the late 1990s to bring the Hummer into the commercial marketplace,” added Crawford, “they wouldn’t presently be asking the tax-payers for a welfare check.”
“Unfortunately, future generations who will suffer the consequences of air pollution, resource scarcity, and global warming won’t have the luxury of a government rescue,” continued Crawford. “Tomorrow we’re going to be paying the price — both ecologically and financially — for GM’s faulty business model. Instead of targeting Hummer and SUV dealerships over the last few years, the ELF should have put General Motors out of business years ago with well-placed incendiary devices in Detroit.”
The Earth Liberation Front, or ELF, is an international, underground movement consisting of
autonomous groups of people who engage in direct actions to protect the planet. Formed in 1992
in Brighton, England as an offshoot of the Earth First! movement, the ELF has been active in
the United States since 1996.
Notorious ELF actions have included the $24 million arson attack at Colorado's Vail Ski Resort in 1998 and a $1 million fire set at a West Covina, CA dealership that damaged over 40 Hummers and SUVs in August 2003. In the last ten years, the ELF has caused over $150 million in damages to environmentally destructive corporations without causing a single injury. Since 2001 the ELF has been considered the top domestic terror threat by the F.B.I.
First established in 2000 as the public face of the Earth Liberation Front direct action movement,
the NAELFPO returned on October 31, 2008 opening its doors to four new regional offices and
press officers in the United States: Lisa Nesbitt (Northeastern Bureau); Tomas Peterson
(Northwestern Bureau); Kristina Sanchez (Southwestern Bureau); and Jason Crawford (Midwest
Bureau).
NAELFPO can be found on the web at: http://www.elfpressoffice.org
Contact:
North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office (NAELFPO)
Tel: (202) 521-1482
Email: info [at] elfpressoffice.org
-30-
For more information:
http://www.elfpressoffice.org
Add Your Comments
Comments
(Hide Comments)
elf press office wrote;
"General Motors deserves bankruptcy. Fully aware of America’s dependence on foreign oil and the horrific environmental impact of the Hummer — an 8,500-pound monstrosity that yields an average of 10-mpg — GM continued producing gas-guzzling, polluting vehicles while foreign automakers were developing smaller, lighter, more fuel-efficient and environmentally-friendly cars,” states Jason Crawford, one of four new press officers for the NAELFPO, “GM failed to look to the future and, for that, they deserve to fare no better than the many species they’ve helped push to the brink of extinction.”
Hear, hear! It's about time we got some needed and deserved honesty about why GM, Ford and Chrysler are all crying to Congress for their bailout billions!!
Maybe getting on the hybrid bandwagon like Toyota did years ago instead of using their resources for mounting legal challenges in court against CA's clean air requirements would have averted this bankruptcy and lay-off of more U.S. auto workers??
Now the CEOS of said corporations have the nerve to fly to D.C. on their corporate jets asking for a taxpayer bailout??
The only bailing out will be of buckets of blood from under the proverbial chopping block as the heads of these corporate CEOs can roll into the gutter alongside their SUVs and Hummers..
The free market as defined by capitalism should reward thoughtful planning (fuel efficient hybrids) with steady profits and punish foolishness and wastefullness (gas guzzling SUVs, HUMVEES, etc...) with bankruptcy..
We don't see homeless people or minimum wage workers lining up in front of Congress for bailouts (though they would ask for much less and be more deserving of money for food and shelter than wastefull CEOS!!), and even if they did, they would be denied this request. So likewise a loud shouted "NO!" in answer to the GM, Ford and Chrysler CEOS request for taxpayer bailouts. What is good for the goose is good for the gander!!
Here's the background on GM's failed attempts at fighting CA's clean air standards;
GM sues over electric car rule
BY MATT NAUMAN
mnauman [at] sjmercury.com
Santa Jose Mercury News
February 24th 2001
General Motors went to California court Friday to stop the state's Air Resources Board from implementing a law that would require automakers to start selling electric cars to reduce smog.
Last month, the air board scaled back the 10-year-old mandate, the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) regulation, to require car makers to produce between 4,450 and 15,450 electric cars starting in 2003. Those numbers would grow in 2007, 2012 and 2020, but they still represent much lower levels initially than the original law required.
Although it was a reduction from what was previously mandated, the air-board decision came as a surprise since the board's own staff had recommended an even greater scaling back of regulations, citing technological limitations.
GM maintains that the air board violated the state's Air Quality Act by not ``prudently and reasonably'' considering the mandate's economic impact, its environmental impact and the previous consumer experiences with electric cars, said Dennis Minano, GM's vice president of environment and energy. GM maintains that the mandate would have a ``negligible'' effect on cleaning California's air and that its cost would be many times higher than any other program ordered by the board.
GM had requested an administrative hearing on the matter, but it was denied Thursday by Mike Kenny, the board's executive officer, Minano said.
Facing a 30-day statute of limitations after the board's Jan. 25 decision, the air resource board's denial of GM's petition for a hearing ``left us no other venue to resolve our concerns,'' Minano said.
"They had a plan all along to sue us," said Jerry Martin, a board spokesman.
In a written statement, board Chairman Alan Lloyd said he was ``very disappointed that GM has chosen to put its future in the hands of its attorneys rather than in the hands of their outstanding engineers.''
Environmental groups weren't surprised by GM's legal action.
"It's one more unfortunate incident of auto companies kicking, screaming and dragging their feet rather than complying with the ZEV program," said Sandra Spelliscy a lawyer with the Planning and Conservation League, a statewide environmental group that lobbies policy-makers in Sacramento.
"Auto companies, and GM in particular, have been trying to kill this program for a long time," she said. "This is a last-ditch effort, and I don't think it will be successful."
"
article cont's @;
http://www.electrifyingtimes.com/GMSUES.html
"General Motors deserves bankruptcy. Fully aware of America’s dependence on foreign oil and the horrific environmental impact of the Hummer — an 8,500-pound monstrosity that yields an average of 10-mpg — GM continued producing gas-guzzling, polluting vehicles while foreign automakers were developing smaller, lighter, more fuel-efficient and environmentally-friendly cars,” states Jason Crawford, one of four new press officers for the NAELFPO, “GM failed to look to the future and, for that, they deserve to fare no better than the many species they’ve helped push to the brink of extinction.”
Hear, hear! It's about time we got some needed and deserved honesty about why GM, Ford and Chrysler are all crying to Congress for their bailout billions!!
Maybe getting on the hybrid bandwagon like Toyota did years ago instead of using their resources for mounting legal challenges in court against CA's clean air requirements would have averted this bankruptcy and lay-off of more U.S. auto workers??
Now the CEOS of said corporations have the nerve to fly to D.C. on their corporate jets asking for a taxpayer bailout??
The only bailing out will be of buckets of blood from under the proverbial chopping block as the heads of these corporate CEOs can roll into the gutter alongside their SUVs and Hummers..
The free market as defined by capitalism should reward thoughtful planning (fuel efficient hybrids) with steady profits and punish foolishness and wastefullness (gas guzzling SUVs, HUMVEES, etc...) with bankruptcy..
We don't see homeless people or minimum wage workers lining up in front of Congress for bailouts (though they would ask for much less and be more deserving of money for food and shelter than wastefull CEOS!!), and even if they did, they would be denied this request. So likewise a loud shouted "NO!" in answer to the GM, Ford and Chrysler CEOS request for taxpayer bailouts. What is good for the goose is good for the gander!!
Here's the background on GM's failed attempts at fighting CA's clean air standards;
GM sues over electric car rule
BY MATT NAUMAN
mnauman [at] sjmercury.com
Santa Jose Mercury News
February 24th 2001
General Motors went to California court Friday to stop the state's Air Resources Board from implementing a law that would require automakers to start selling electric cars to reduce smog.
Last month, the air board scaled back the 10-year-old mandate, the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) regulation, to require car makers to produce between 4,450 and 15,450 electric cars starting in 2003. Those numbers would grow in 2007, 2012 and 2020, but they still represent much lower levels initially than the original law required.
Although it was a reduction from what was previously mandated, the air-board decision came as a surprise since the board's own staff had recommended an even greater scaling back of regulations, citing technological limitations.
GM maintains that the air board violated the state's Air Quality Act by not ``prudently and reasonably'' considering the mandate's economic impact, its environmental impact and the previous consumer experiences with electric cars, said Dennis Minano, GM's vice president of environment and energy. GM maintains that the mandate would have a ``negligible'' effect on cleaning California's air and that its cost would be many times higher than any other program ordered by the board.
GM had requested an administrative hearing on the matter, but it was denied Thursday by Mike Kenny, the board's executive officer, Minano said.
Facing a 30-day statute of limitations after the board's Jan. 25 decision, the air resource board's denial of GM's petition for a hearing ``left us no other venue to resolve our concerns,'' Minano said.
"They had a plan all along to sue us," said Jerry Martin, a board spokesman.
In a written statement, board Chairman Alan Lloyd said he was ``very disappointed that GM has chosen to put its future in the hands of its attorneys rather than in the hands of their outstanding engineers.''
Environmental groups weren't surprised by GM's legal action.
"It's one more unfortunate incident of auto companies kicking, screaming and dragging their feet rather than complying with the ZEV program," said Sandra Spelliscy a lawyer with the Planning and Conservation League, a statewide environmental group that lobbies policy-makers in Sacramento.
"Auto companies, and GM in particular, have been trying to kill this program for a long time," she said. "This is a last-ditch effort, and I don't think it will be successful."
"
article cont's @;
http://www.electrifyingtimes.com/GMSUES.html
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$230.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network