July 4th Float Produces Fresh Fodder
Local Republicans’ July 4th Float Produces Fresh Fodder for Democrats’ John Deere.
In this year’s Annual 4th of July Parade through downtown Scottsville, VA, local Democrats showcased a wagon full of Tom Perriello supporters hitched to the back of a John Deere tractor. Not too far behind were Republicans Congressman Virgil Goode and Delegate Rob Bell ushering in the Local Fluvanna Republican Committee’s float…a hay wagon full of Republican supporters hitched to a Hummer.
In this YouTube video, you’ll see Virgil Goode greeting parade attendees, with my husband in the background driving a Hummer, showcasing Goode and Bell campaign signs, and waving an American flag as I’m handing out invitations to a FREE “Meet the GOP” Barbecue. I’d like to say that we own that vehicle but we don’t, some other Fluvanna County resident does (not Virgil and not the Republican Party). But isn’t it wonderful that in America we are still allowed to purchase vehicles of our own choosing and drive them down the main streets of our communities? If we buy it, and we fuel it, then what’s the problem?
“Nothing like a Hummer for fuel economy…,” one bystander shouted. To that my husband replied, “Drill now!” But of course his response didn’t make it on the clip. I find it amusing that some folks seek to blame consumers for the current fuel prices. Uh, hello! It’s still a free country isn’t it? If we had the opportunity to buy gas that’s made in America, we would. But it seems there are many in Washington who are still playing partisan politics concerning any bills that would allow drilling in our own country despite the fact that over 70% of our population favor it.
See for yourself => HR 6107 American Energy Independence and Price Reduction Act
Even though Virgil Goode had nothing to do with the Hummer’s presence in the parade, I’m glad this clip made it onto the net.
“I believe that reasonable energy costs are crucial to a viable economy. We must be allowed to drill for oil in Alaska and develop sources of energy in this country. We must continue efforts to promote alternatives such as switchgrass, canola, and hybrid poplars.” - Congressman Virgil Goode, 5th District VA [SOURCE]
Posted: July 8th, 2008 under Politics.
Comments: 11
11 Responses to “July 4th Float Produces Fresh Fodder”
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July 8th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Ah yes, nothing so troubling as facts. What is more American than a Hummer pulling patriotic Americans down main street America on a hay wagon? To me, that is a great statement for America on Independence Day. I hear the mention of bio-diesel. Great idea but it is years from implementation. A much more practical solution is to respectfully utilize the vast oil resources laying dormant under our great land. In other words, “Drill Now, Pay Less.”
For the record, the hummer is owned by a small business owner that is quoted as saying, “The Hummer wasn’t brought by Virgil, it was owned by an individual, uneducated owner who (forgive the boasting for the sake of a response) built his business from nothing but hard work and the American Dream, with no help from our government. Its a slam on the American Dream.”
July 8th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
“But isn’t it wonderful that in America we are still allowed to purchase vehicles of our own choosing and drive them down the main streets of our communities? If we buy it, and we fuel it, then what’s the problem?”
Supply and demand.
It’s elementary economics and something I’ve been railing against for years.
Sit at a roadside sometime and count the number of SUVs that go by. Each of those vehicles is getting less than 20 mpg, for the most part. So they need more fuel to travel the same distance I do in my 4-cylinder Hyundai. But because I have to compete with them for the gas (and over 50% of the cars sold in America from the 90’s to 2006 were SUV’s), I have to pay more because they increased demand.
You see what I mean? I try to do the right thing and not waste resources, but I have to pay extra because so many people decided to be selfish. How fair is that?
July 8th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
One more thing…
When you are looking at all the SUVs going by, count the number of people in them. The vast majority of Americans still travel alone.
Back in the 70’s, there was a real effort at car-pooling. It makes as much sense today as it did then - maybe even more.
I’m thinking there are certain things that both Republicans and Democrats can agree upon. I sure wish conservation and taking responsibility for the world we leave our children was one of those things.
July 9th, 2008 at 12:41 am
Hi Mark,
I see your point, and yes owning a luxury vehicle may be considered selfish to some, but how is paying more for gas to fill an SUV’s tank than for your Hyundai’s tank considered selfish? Aren’t you receiving a better benefit at the pump by getting less mpg? It’s more economical for you to own something that gets better gas mileage…that’s more money in your pocket. Couldn’t that be considered a selfish motivation?
My point is that we all make purchases with our self-interest in mind…some focus on vanity or comfort, others on money or time…either way, these are all selfish interests. And what’s wrong with that?
If we really wanted to improve our environment and/or eliminate congestion on the highways and byways, we could either just stay home, revert back to horse & buggies or walk to wherever we need to go. But I don’t see that happening any time soon. However, I’m doing my part in that my husband and I both work from home. We’re a couple of those crazy capitalists living the American Dream of owning our own small business and caring for our families free from government assistance…now if we can just get them out of our pocketbooks, too…
I do agree with you that we need to be more conservation-conscious and take responsibility for the world we live in, but I’m not going to go so far as to restrict individuals as to the type of vehicle they can drive just because it gets more or less gas mileage.
We as a nation need to check out alternative fuels (such as growing algae and/or using vegetable oil) as well as exploring ANWR. It’s outrageous that we are so dependent on foreign oil when we have a plethora of resources in our own backyard. We should drill here, drill now and pay less.
What do you think?
July 9th, 2008 at 1:43 am
“But I don’t see that happening any time soon.”
Last year at this time, gas was less than $3/gallon and we were all complaining about how expensive it was. I first started paying attention to the issue when gas prices exceeded $2/gallon in 2005… my point is that it won’t be long before diminishing resources and increased demand change the world as we know it. The truth is, next year at this time, I expect to see a LOT more people riding mopeds and motorcycles… within 5 years, unless heroic efforts are made to find alternative fuel options, we simply won’t recognize life as we know it
today. 6 billion people on Earth is not as sustainable as we think it is.
It is unfortunate that the candidates do not realize how quickly the world is changing. I’m speaking of both Presidential candidates, and, unfortunately, Virgil Goode. I’m still unsure about Tom Perriello…
Anyway, right now we need visionaries at every level of government. As much of a decent person Virgil Goode may be, he is certainly not a visionary. He’s been in Washington way too long; the video you’re writing about is a clear indication of exactly how out of step Virgil is.
Listen… I don’t blame him. I blame the people that work for him. They’ve gotten lazy. They should know how much people are struggling to make ends meet in this part of the country. If I were running Virgil’s campaign, I would have made it a point to make sure I wasn’t filmed anywhere near the most gas-guzzling vehicle ever mass-produced.
But I digress…
You do make some really good points. We all do act in our own self-interest. I do gain some amount of “feel-goodness” knowing that by driving my economical car (even though I could afford a Hummer if I wanted one), that I’m setting an example for my children and helping to leave them with a cleaner planet.
I guess what I’d say to your argument is that ther is an argument to be made for moral clarity. I think what you’ve argued is that it is all relative… I’m being selfish by pursuing my own values, the Hummer driver is being selfish by pursuing his own happiness… Since we’re all being selfish, nobody really has the right to sit in judgment.
I reject that.
I think it is pretty clear that conservation as a value is morally defensible because it doesn’t benefit me directly - it benefits my children and my neighbor’s children and your children, etc. etc. etc. Furthermore, conservation doesn’t harm anyone - it doesn’t take anything out of anyone’s pockets.
“I want to drive the biggest car on the block simply because I’m successful despite my lack of education and I want to show everyone how great I am despite not going to college…” Well, who does that benefit except the ego of the vehicle owner? And I’ve already shown that it harms a lot of people…
So… I guess I think it is time for all of to realize that the world is getting to be a lot smaller. The sooner we turn away from “Every man for himself” and realize that “We’re all in this together”… the better off we will all be.
Thank for letting me comment on your blog…
July 9th, 2008 at 8:32 am
I appreciate your thoughts (and laying them out in such an intelligent manner).
Just for the record concerning this parade video clip…the decision to ride a hummer through this 4th of July celebration was not a political choice. We were looking for a vehicle to tow a hay wagon and the owner of the Hummer had provided his vehicle in the past, so he was asked if he would like to provide it again this year. It was “cool” several years ago and to some it was pretty neat to see last week.
People can take offense for the chosen form of transportation if they like, but let’s look at the bigger picture here. It was a fourth of July celebration…a time to celebrate our nation’s freedom and to recognize a cross-section of folks in our community. There were war veterans, beauty contestants, young athletes, churches, fire/rescue/police, mud boggers, businessmen, children, farmers, politicians, and all sorts of various organizations represented. It was a parade…not a protest or a march on city hall. People were not necessarily making a political statement…though perhaps some might have been. We weren’t.
Concerning Virgil being out of step with folks in this part of the country, I disagree. Just because he’s been in Washington for a while doesn’t mean it’s time for him to go. He consistently votes on principle despite winds of change, and we need that.
July 9th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Supply and demand. Agreed. If we do not utilize the resources we have at our feet then we will soon be paying twice what we are for gasoline. Rabid environmentalism is a huge factor in oil prices. Global demand for energy has and will continue to drive the ever increasing prices for oil. We could cut gasoline prices in half if only we could have fresh US startup companies flood the market with cheap domestic oil. We must allow domestic drilling. Who do you trust to do a more respectful job of oil drilling, the Americans or the Chinese? Well, the Chinese have come halfway around the world and are drilling oil 50 miles off of the Florida coast. Americans should be 49 miles out sucking the reserves dry to fuel our economy as we transition to alternative fuels.
The premise is plain. Not drilling is costing every American about $2 a gallon, right now. Pay it or drill. Stop whining about it and hold your elected officials feet to the fire. Tell them to open up American oil or lose your job. Virgil Goode certainly supports domestic oil production, you can read all about it on his website. That is certainly IN STEP with this 5th District constituent.
Alternative fuels are viable but implementation must begin now. At any rate, we are a decade from any significant relief from biodiesel. Ethanol is not realistic unless created from cellulose. Oil created from algae is a fantastic solution, but it makes too much sense for anyone to hear about it. It grows by division in salt water ponds in the heat of the unused deserts. It contains 30% oil and makes rapeseed, a supposed leading source of veggie oil, pale by comparison. Algae is a very real solution yet who knows about it?
As an observation, I must say that most people cry for everyone else to sacrifice but do very little on their own. Al Gore, has an electric bill of over $1,000.00 per month in his mansion yet has the audacity to lecture us to reduce our “carbon footprint”. Virgil Goode is seen walking by a Hummer that he had no part of during a celebrating of American Independence and the unsubstantiated spin begins. How about holding the high priest of climate change to even as slight of a degree as the good Congressman? Hypocrisy apparently knows no bounds.
The 4th of July parade was a celebration of America. How do you celebrate your anniversary or birthday? Do you go out to eat a lavish meal and watch a movie in an air conditioned theater? Do you drive a car to do so? Well, I think it is my job, or perhaps even the government’s, to dictate the morality of that circumstance. 5 scooters can operate on the same amount of fuel as your 4 cylinder car. Ten or more people would call that one meal for a mere two people as complete sustenance for one full day. That air conditioned movie theater could shelter hundreds. How entirely selfish you must be to do what you did simply to celebrate a special occasion.
I love America. It was awesome to celebrate her by driving a Hummer in the Scottsville Independence Day parade. It was a blast. The little kids loved the Hummer. I know the man who paid for the gas and he didn’t mind a bit.
Spin it how you must, America is great. Let her Freedom ring long and loud. It was just wonderful to so selfishly act upon my God given and blood bought American liberty and drive a Hummer down Main Street America.
Or maybe we should just cancel next year’s parade. It seems so wasteful of resources. I think the hundreds of vehicle should just stay parked and everyone should just stay home. What is worth celebrating anyway?
July 9th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Our Fluvanna County Republican Fourth of July Parade Float was pulled by a Hummer that was donated by a successful Fluvanna business owner.
Some people criticized the action as putting our candidates “squarely in the elite class who can afford such a luxury…” as “most of our voters aren’t in that elite class.”
The Fluvanna business owner grew up in Fluvanna County and went to the Fluvanna Public School. That is a definite success story that should be used to inspire others. It is a true Horatio Alger story.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horatio_Alger,_Jr.
Seeing the Hummer pull the Fluvanna Republican Parade Float gives me inspiration to be diligent in my business to be able to afford a Hummer myself and not worry what the fuel may cost. I see the American Dream to be anyone can gain wealth who wants to work honestly for it.
To me “Rich Republican” is a selling point for being a Republican. Not that you have to be rich to be a Republican but rather following Republican Principles gives you a chance to gain wealth.
The other side is a negative for me. Being a poor Democrat so you can get all you can from the Government is a further motivation to be a Republican.
Republicans offer opportunity not handouts. The Rich do not look like “elite” to me but more like role models, those who gain their wealth by honest business, that is. As an example, I do not consider those, who are rich because the family fortune came from bootlegging, to be any type of role model.
Next year, I would like to see the Republican Parade Float pulled by a Rolls Royce. I would also prefer that I was the business owner who would donate it then!
July 9th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
I posted this on another blog, in responce to some follish spew.
Thanks!
The Hummer is mine. With no education I worked to create financial independence for my family, the American Dream. And Virgil nor any other politician helped me get it, nor got in my way. And its not “brand spankin new”, but thanks for the compliment on how well we maintain it. And if my wife and kids were hit by your rice burner, they would likely win that fight.
If it was a Chevy Taho, would you say the same things? Of course not. But its on the same chassie and has the same engine.
Now that electric cars are so plentiful, did you run out and buy one? I can also point out vehicles that use more fuel than mine….. I think.
And one more thing. Trash that un American, gas guzzling lawn mower and get one of the old push types, like great granpa used to use.
Ok, one more thing. Are you reading this by candle light?
July 13th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
glad you are back, Carrie
August 1st, 2008 at 4:17 pm
The “Hummer Controversy” has been thrust back in the public eye with Jon Stewart airing the video on national tv this last week.
Virgil walked the whole parade. He did not ride in the Hummer.
This very Hummer was used to pull our Republican Float in a prior year. But that was when gas was much less that 3.00 per galon.
So now with fuel over 4.00, we have an outcry. Is it the vehicle uses more fuel now? No its obviously the price.
But Hummers are not pushing up the price. It is the dependance on foreign oil.
The fault for that is squarely on those who are blocking the drilling for oil in this country.
Virgil has been pushing for drilling for years. We need him to stay in Congress to continue fighting.