"I think the SUV-Terrorist connection is as valid as the supposed drugs-terrorist connection."

Point is, neither of them are valid comparisons. They are both misleading, and that misleading will lead people directly to the wrong conclusions.

Of course there is no justification for the size of SUVs, vans, and mini-vans, based upon the ways they are typically used, ie as commuter and round town to the grocery store vehicles with one or two passengers. The advertising departments of the car makers have made sure the reason why people really want to own them is related to proving their status within the status quo.

However, there are some large families that make excellent use of the space, besides Mexicans (ahem). Also, many schools, nonprofits, nursing homes, etc use them for transporting multiple passengers. For this purpose, they have no equal--you really can't fit that many adult passengers in the small, more energy efficient vehicles. Another important use for those who drive the larger vehicles IS comfort for those with disabilities and/or who are large sized. Tell a man who is six foot 5, and 200+ pounds to commute an hour or two a day in a VW Golf, and I think you are taking your life into your own hands. Ditto for someone with a disability or chronic pain syndrome from a bad back, legs, whatever.

This idiotic commercial is just taking the cheap shots (I've seen it), which makes the environmental movement look as bad on the environment as Bush looks on civil rights and foreign policy. Charles Rangel, the African American Congressional Rep pushing for reinstatement to the draft, who put in a clause saying women should be drafted (of course they should in terms of equity, but then women should also get paid equitably vis a vis men for performing the same class of job, but they don't), and that everyone should be required to do a mandatory 2 years of public service, well. He is starting to look worse--even more draconian! than Republicans, all to serve his personal, narrow self-interest among his black constituency.

And Democrats wonder why they can't get elected, take back control of the government from the Republicans, and wonder why people are fleeing the party in droves to other parties who seem less...imbecilic. There we go. Not just stupid, not just idiotic. Imbecilic.