President Obama’s vision of new strict fuel efficiency and emissions standards isn’t going to take place without a cost to the American drivers. The detriment to a vehicle’s costs thanks to the new standards is greater than the president and his advocates would like for Americans to believe.

The new requirement seems innocuous, calling for all vehicles to average 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016. And to the administration’s credit, the increased fuel mileage would indeed aid those who struggle to keep fuel in their gas tank.

However, in order for the standards to work, the car manufacturers are going to have to dramatically downsize their fleets and convert larger vehicles into sleeker ones, resulting in less safer vehicles on the road with older and much larger, heavier vehicles.

The inevitable accidents, which will occur on the roads and highways, will come at a greater cost than the benefit of saving people money (in the long run) and making American cars more eco-friendly, which has become the staple for the administration’s argument. Another argument from the president is that meeting these new standards will decrease America’s dependence on foreign oil. All the while, a plentiful amount of oil rests peacefully on American soil, but untouched thanks to the vociferous environmental groups.

Perhaps most unsettling about the announcement is the new-found consent the automakers displayed after years of fighting such standards. It’s apparent that the millions of dollars injected into the industry by the Obama regime resulted in government dictating the business model of the future.

Now, drivers and automakers alike will no longer have a choice in what types of vehicles they can buy and make. It’s simply un-American.

Losing the option of what type of vehicle to buy may seem inconsequential, but spoon-feeding drivers the government-stamped cars is wrong. It is an alarming scenario when government begins making choices for Americans, and one that voters should take serious note of.