EPA To Prohibit the Conversion of Street Cars into Race Cars

[Dwight Southerland]

Originally Posted by FireSale

This debate reminds me of the assault weapons ban of a few years ago, That had everyone screaming the Government was going to confiscate their guns. They are still yelling about it and it hasn't happened. Just got a flier from Cabelas stuffed with semi automatic rifles and 30 round magazines.

If they really want to protect clean air, ban road travel to church and sporting events.
Dale

The point is that how can this be a society based on the sovereignty of its citizens when its government is in control of what you can and cannot do? Do not believe that these regulations are the result of a representative decision; they are the acts of a select group who want to impose values and world view on everyone else for the purpose of control by punitive action. Our government's role as stated by the constitution is to protect our liberties, not ban things from our lives.

[FireSale]

Originally Posted by Dwight Southerland

The point is that how can this be a society based on the sovereignty of its citizens when its government is in control of what you can and cannot do? Do not believe that these regulations are the result of a representative decision; they are the acts of a select group who want to impose values and world view on everyone else for the purpose of control by punitive action. Our government's role as stated by the constitution is to protect our liberties, not ban things from our lives.

This is all true. The gist of my point is that rules have no teeth without enforcement. This is why gun control has and will continue to fail. They can ban the manufacture of high capacity magazines but they can't stop the flow of the existing ones around the country without a massive expense in enforcement. Politicians are great at talk but not good at digging up the money to fund what they propose.

The Federal Government has, in the past, banned liquor, so people made their own. The Government lacked the resources to enforce the law and this will happen on the emissions thing, too.

I live in Washington State where the State legislature, by a vote of the people, legalized the sale, taxation and recreational use of marijuana. This is still a Federal crime and the FBI and DEA don't need a nod from the Obama Administration to start busting the dozens of State licensed drug dealers because it's already on the books. Since the State taxes the sale of pot and puts the money in the General Fund, I guess the feds could arrest all of the Legislators as drug dealers in an ongoing criminal enterprise. It would be a dirty, expensive, politically (on the grass roots level) unpopular endeavor.

This EPA thing has already been passed by the House and Senate, so we need to find out how our Representatives voted on it and send them home the next chance we get.

Clean air and water are good things. Stopping the conversion of heavy trucks to non emissions engines is a good idea.

Stopping the sale of aftermarket parts not emissions certified won't happen because it would have too much of an economic impact. Jegs, Summit, Holley and the long list that sticker the sides of our cars would be out of business.

Getting non certified limited use classics off the road would kill the auction business. What's Barrett-Jackson worth?

This has passed and will probably be signed by the President but won't be enforced on a level that affects drag racing.

Excuse me for not hitting the panic button.

Dale

[Bruce Noland]

Originally Posted by FireSale

This is all true. The gist of my point is that rules have no teeth without enforcement. This is why gun control has and will continue to fail. They can ban the manufacture of high capacity magazines but they can't stop the flow of the existing ones around the country without a massive expense in enforcement. Politicians are great at talk but not good at digging up the money to fund what they propose.

The Federal Government has, in the past, banned liquor, so people made their own. The Government lacked the resources to enforce the law and this will happen on the emissions thing, too.

I live in Washington State where the State legislature, by a vote of the people, legalized the sale, taxation and recreational use of marijuana. This is still a Federal crime and the FBI and DEA don't need a nod from the Obama Administration to start busting the dozens of State licensed drug dealers because it's already on the books. Since the State taxes the sale of pot and puts the money in the General Fund, I guess the feds could arrest all of the Legislators as drug dealers in an ongoing criminal enterprise. It would be a dirty, expensive, politically (on the grass roots level) unpopular endeavor.

This EPA thing has already been passed by the House and Senate, so we need to find out how our Representatives voted on it and send them home the next chance we get.

Clean air and water are good things. Stopping the conversion of heavy trucks to non emissions engines is a good idea.

Stopping the sale of aftermarket parts not emissions certified won't happen because it would have too much of an economic impact. Jegs, Summit, Holley and the long list that sticker the sides of our cars would be out of business.

Getting non certified limited use classics off the road would kill the auction business. What's Barrett-Jackson worth?

This has passed and will probably be signed by the President but won't be enforced on a level that affects drag racing.

Excuse me for not hitting the panic button.

Dale

Good posts Dale. The conspiracy theory wing nuts are easily chaffed but not to worry, they usually fall silent when the sky doesn't fall on their heads.

[mopar68]

Originally Posted by Bruce Noland

The conspiracy theory wing nuts are easily chaffed but not to worry, they usually fall silent when the sky doesn't fall on their heads.

No cause for alarm folks, lest you be labeled a "conspiracy theory wing nut." No need to worry, Bruce has dissected and examined the issue and has decreed all is hunky-dory. You can relax and go back to watching TV or whatever pastime gratifies you.

Pass me a beer, Bruce...

Pete

[Bruce Noland]

Originally Posted by mopar68

No cause for alarm folks, lest you be labeled a "conspiracy theory wing nut." No need to worry, Bruce has dissected and examined the issue and has decreed all is hunky-dory. You can relax and go back to watching TV or whatever pastime gratifies you.

Pass me a beer, Bruce...

Pete

So did the sky fall on your head? Get your own beer Skippy - I don't drink.

[CMcAllister]

Update on the subject at hand.

http://theshopmag.com/features/sema-...cing-mod-rules

Call and/or email your congressional representatives. SEMA is taking this seriously, everyone with any involvement in the sport, hobby, industry, etc., should as well.


EPA Administrator McCarty appeared before a congressional committee last week. In the middle of the 3 hour session, this 2 1/2 minute exchange took place between she and Rep. Austin Scott of Georgia.



Some people in Congress are paying attention to this. They need to know that we are also.

[Chris1529]

Great to see Congress is talking about it. They need to understand though that this references street vehicles being modified and converted to competition.

Congress needs to know there is a big difference between that and cars like late models, dragsters, sprint cars, Nascar, etc. that weren't built with street use in mind. I wrote all of our Senators and Congressmen as well as a few committee chairs.

[FireSale]

Originally Posted by CMcAllister

Update on the subject at hand.

http://theshopmag.com/features/sema-...cing-mod-rules

Call and/or email your congressional representatives. SEMA is taking this seriously, everyone with any involvement in the sport, hobby, industry, etc., should as well.


EPA Administrator McCarty appeared before a congressional committee last week. In the middle of the 3 hour session, this 2 1/2 minute exchange took place between she and Rep. Austin Scott of Georgia.



Some people in Congress are paying attention to this. They need to know that we are also.

I watched the video and that gal has to go. She didn't seem to know the language discussed was even in the rules written by her department. This from a Democrat who thinks the EPA is, in general, a good thing.

Scott's closing statement is what has struck me most about this whole thing. Wording relating to race cars buried in legislation dedicated to heavy trucks.

Go to YouTube and enter "EPA and race cars" in the search field if you have time to kill.

Dale

[Dave Noll]

Originally Posted by FireSale

This has passed and will probably be signed by the President but won't be enforced on a level that affects drag racing.
Dale

My understanding of this is that the EPA is trying to enforce part of the Clean Air Act passed, by Congress & Potus a while ago. Congress said more than once, NO not race cars. So EPA is re-writing to INclude rececars. I didnt study law or politics but somebody @ HotRod had a lawyer look @ this & he said, be afraid. Any newer info out there ? But I hear ya Dale, about congress funding things.

[Dwight Southerland]

Unfortunately, the EPA does have the authority to enforce these regulations. In some cases, they also have the agency to carry out the enforcement. I would much rather stay on the side that says that this is an area that we do not want them to have easy legal access to. All that has to happen is that enough movement with enough people in critical positions and they can use any enforcement agency to restrict your rights. Ask the coal industry. Get enough sentiment behind a movement to shut it down and it is happening. It may be years into the future before anything might happen that would affect drag racing, but why give them a red carpet to do what they want without any recourse or representation. If you believe that issues like this are benign because the United States is a "free" country and the government is simply looking out for its citizens, then you need to study history a lot. People in charge are always no smarter, no more ethical and no more altruistic in their decisions and actions than any of us when there is no oversight or accountability. Warren Buffet once said that the ideal company to invest in would be one that was so structured that even if a fool were put in charge that it would still be successful. Giving government agencies carte blanche to confiscate property, fine or imprison citizenry or worse is not a good idea.