Are most Volt owners Democrats

[Dyohn]

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a "left leaning liberal," except in the minds of those who have been indoctrinated by right wing propaganda.

[Kup]

I bought to get off oil. I was there for the 70's gas rationing and since then the price of gas is on a continuing upward trend. I did not want to be a hostage to oil.

People want the government to "do something" about our over reliance on oil imports and the cost of fueling a car. Well, "The Government" in the form of GW Bush and a Republican Congress finally did do something: they passed the alternative fuel vehicle tax credit, the start of what is now the $7500 tax credit. THAT was a brilliant laudable action.

Now I have done my part: I bought a Volt. Result: I have dropped my oil consumption by 70-80%. That this very desirable outcome has been turned into an Obama-socialist-dictator thing in an effort to kill the Volt just speaks to how screwed up the current GOP is. Like others, I did not leave the GOP, they left me.

Seeing the distortions and outright lies that representatives of the GOP have flung at something so relatively insignificant as the Volt (after all, it's just a car) simply made clear to me that I could no longer believe much of anything they said on more important topics.

So I guess you'd say I'm a fallen-away Republican forced by the GOP hijackers to vote for Obama.

Well said. This and other comments on this thread give voice to my frustration with the current GOP. I had always split my vote between Republicans and, occassionally Libertarians, but now I have little choice but to support the Dems until the GOP grows up and is more reality based. Science is a good thing. Empiricism is a good thing. Democracy (ok, republican government) is a good thing and it requires compromise. Most of the people I know that still support the GOP are good, hard-working people but the leadership seems to be corrupt, reactionary, and de-void of truly conservative ideas. Not to mention they too often put party ahead of country.

But that's just MHO.

[dukecola]

What's he supposed to say? It's his job to make Exxon as profitable as possible.

Personally, I bought my Volt for 3 reasons: a) pragmatic reason: it would save me ~300/month in gasoline costs; b) political reason: I'm a conservative, and I absolutely hated giving my money to people who are trying to annihilate us; c) geek reason: it's a technological marvel, and since I work in a technical environment I got a lot to talk about with colleagues, etc.

a) was the principal reason. The only kind of green that motivates me is the kind with pictures of dead presidents.

Ron, you describe me to the T. I'm not Green, unless you consider saving $$$$ as being green. I like technology, hate OPEC. The Volt is NOT Obama's car.

[pluto]

I don't get a say as a Canadian, but I'm curious whether those who say they bought a Volt because they hate OPEC, don't believe in global warming etc. would have reconsidered their decision if the US was producing more oil than Saudi Arabia as some predictions say will be the case by 2025?

[Steverino]

I don't get a say as a Canadian, but I'm curious whether those who say they bought a Volt because they hate OPEC, don't believe in global warming etc. would have reconsidered their decision if the US was producing more oil than Saudi Arabia as some predictions say will be the case by 2025?

I don't believe in global warming, don't need to. It's real. I think the denial phase is just about over. We are already seeing the extreme weather patterns predicted by climate change models. We are probably moving into anger and bargaining phases now. Who's to blame? What can be done? How will it be paid for?

OPEC and big oil are not much different for me. Either way, with a car slaved to gasoline I am held hostage to world oil demand (prices) regardless of what hole it's pumped from or where it's located.

So no, I would not change my decision.

[iratevolt]

Hello,

This thread asks a question that I was curious about as well. I am a conservative, not a republican. I bought a volt because I like to save money, I like to drive on us-made energy, and I like to buy domestic automobiles. I think it is clear now that climate change is more from solar patterns than from our gas output. I site the climate-gate emails and this:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...s-warming.html

But climate change aside, I was very disappointed at how fox news and others vilified this car. Notice now how the establishment right is silent about the volt as awards stack up and sales numbers rise.

I bought the volt used so I received no tax incentive, nor would I have wanted one.

One thing I have noticed about all the posters on this forum is that everyone is very intelligent, at least they sound that way in type. Perhaps that's what this car is in the end, not a car for rich or green people, or democrats or republicans, but a car for smart people.

i

[Jamaicaman]

One thing I have noticed about all the posters on this forum is that everyone is very intelligent, at least they sound that way in type. Perhaps that's what this car is in the end, not a car for rich or green people, or democrats or republicans, but a car for smart people.

i

OH MY GOSH! I got you snowed! I was just lucky to be included in this crowd! "Smart" not so much... Lucky "YES"

I love this car!

[iratevolt]

I love this car!

Amen to that

i

[Steverino]

One thing I have noticed about all the posters on this forum is that everyone is very intelligent, at least they sound that way in type. Perhaps that's what this car is in the end, not a car for rich or green people, or democrats or republicans, but a car for smart people.

i

Perhaps smart, or perhaps analytical, or perhaps willing to try new things. Maybe all three.

I think the Volt is hard for many to understand (making it easy to mischaracterize by bashers). The range extender is both the core of this car's brilliant engineering, as well as the thing that confuses people. Is it an electric car, a hybrid, something else? So confusing for many people who barely understand what a hybrid is, much less an EV with a range extender!

You as a buyer must understand how the battery and ICE work together to realize what the car can do (and how awesome it is doing it). That takes some reading and analysis. Something often in short supply. As a result, we see claims that the car "breaks down" after the battery is depleted, that the car can only travel 38 miles before you are stranded, etc.

My brother recently bought a new car for his wife. Perfect time to buy a Volt. He's a smart guy, but the Volt is new, and new can be scary. His wife "had to" have an SUV though she drives alone and never hauls anything but a purse. They paid as much as a Volt (after tax credit or used). My brother now spends time looking for the lowest gas prices to save money! Iee-yi-yi!

[pluto]

I bought the volt used so I received no tax incentive, nor would I have wanted one.

Perhaps you didn't receive it but wouldn't you agree that you did benefit from the tax incentive, in that the original purchaser likely accepted a lower price when they sold / traded in the car than they would have if they had not received one?