Barack Obama dismissed Rick Wagoner, and he is reportedly planning to dismiss a majority of GM’s Board of Directors. He also says he wants bold reform, so that General Motors offers the sort of cutting-edge products that the car buyers of today and tomorrow want. He also doesn’t like the Chevy Volt.

So what does Barack Obama expect us to drive? Today’s news gives us reason to worry. Maybe Obama doesn’t want Americans to own cars at all; maybe he expects us to buy this… thing:

You can read GM’s press release on this here. It’s a cute little toy actually, and I’m sure it’ll be very popular in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and other warm(ish) cities where liberals cluster. This might make a very nice second or third vehicle in such locales, to be used for little jaunts around the city.

There are a few problems with the PUMA though. First off, to the extent that it is successful, it’s likely to draw a lot of riders away from mass transit. After all, if you can buy a two-seater for one-third to one-quarter the price of a car, get around town conveniently and be seen as a savior of the environment, why would you stay in a bus or train? If the PUMA can be bought for a few thousand dollars – and it’s probably a safe bet that Obama will give taxpayer subsidies to ensure that – it’s likely to replace mass transit for thousands of regular riders.

Beyond that, this vehicle can’t be successful in most American cities today. Who will want to drive in this car next to regular passenger vehicles, trucks, SUVs, and even 18-wheelers? To allow the PUMA to thrive, most of the cars you currently see on the road will probably have to be sidelined. Presumably this will be only in major cities – at least initially. Liberals in Washington and in the major cities can accomplish this in several ways: by barring them entirely, limiting the hours in which they can operate, or by making legislative changes that make those vehicles unpopular – such as increasing gas prices.

It seems to me that that last response has to be the most likely. Obama and the liberals can’t abide the internal combustion engine and the freedom it brought. As long as there are cars and SUVs available, people will pollute the air, have plenty of kids, and live in conservative exurbs far from city centers. Liberals don’t like any of these things. If they can get gasoline prices high enough, they’ll accelerate the ongoing trend toward urbanization. The PUMA is just one tool to make all this easier.

And if you’re wondering about the title, it’s a reference to this brilliant piece by Iowahawk:

With a claimed top speed of 35 mph and a range of up to 35 miles, the PUMA is just what Congress and Obama ordered.