Mollison Current Events Project Site

Example:

Read the article, and then discuss the following questions. Feel free to post your answers, and any other feelings about the article, in the discussion section.

1. Does the U.S. Congress want to try to save the Detroit auto companies from bankruptcy, or to transform the auto industry into their vision of what the industry should be? Which, if either, is an appropriate use of government power and taxpayer dollars?
2. According to Senator Schumer, “we already know” what the cars of the future will be. Do we?
3. Why does Toyota continue to make the Prius even though it loses money on each one?
4. Why wouldn’t most Americans want to buy a plug-in vehicle if it cost an extra $8000?
“Many experts say that gas guzzlers will not fade away as long as Congress fails to impose higher taxes on gasoline to steer people toward fuel-efficient cars.”
5. Can people buy small, fuel-efficient cars from U.S. auto makers right now if they choose to?
6. Is it the job of Congress to decide what types of vehicles people drive, or what choices they should be offered?
7. When gas was $4 a gallon, why didn’t politicians announce that this was a good thing, since it caused people to cut back on gas consumption? Would a gas tax be different? Explain.
8. What if politicians’ agenda for the auto industry does not improve their profitability? Should that matter? Why/why not?
(Discussion questions courtesy izzit.org, http://izzit.org/events/ce_article.php?ID=792)