I think it's supposed to be a hybrid, though even hybrid SUVs don't generally have great fuel efficiency. I also think it's kind of strange to suggest that ending tax breaks to oil companies will decrease gas prices. In the short term, at least, I don't think that would be the effect (though long-term investment in green tech might).

I will quote from Victoria Dillon, Communications Director for Myers 2008 in a press release we just sent out a little while ago about this ad:

The ad features 2 hybrid vehicles, a 2008 GMC Yukon Hybrid which has the world’s first two-mode hybrid propulsion system in an SUV increasing city fuel economy by 50%, and a 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid, the most fuel-efficient SUV in the world.

Sounds like pretty great fuel efficiency to me, granted I am not an automotive engineer. And the point of the ad is that we have to start investing in green technologies like hybrid vehicles. Dr. Myers' reversal of the tax breaks to oil companies will fund that investment if you pay attention to the commercial. That in turn will decrease demand for gasoline because we use much less of it, thereby decreasing gas prices long term.

A week ago, a relative of Woody's was campaigning at my house (what a waste of his time!) and he was boasting about how Woody had used his "pull" at Corporate Ford to send down that Ford SUV for the campaign since Woody couldn't find one locally for the TV cameras.

Perhaps Joh could be so industrious to disclose what kind of vehicles Woody and his wife usually drive when not buying a seat in Congress? How many vehicles does Woody personally own?

Well, that much ballyhooed fuel efficiency is actually only 20mpg highway and city. An improvement over most SUVs, but about 10mpg less than what my '94 taurus gets on the highway. I know Dr. Myers worked for Ford and all, but promoting Ford Yukons as a green alternative is just nonsense.

I understand that ending the tax breaks will fund the investment in green tech. I have no problem investing in green tech. But as a practical matter, in the short term, ending oil company tax breaks will not decrease fuel costs. Green tech has the potential to decrease fuel costs, but only in the long term. In the short term this would increase fuel costs. That's pretty simple economics.