Obama Signs Auto Makers’ Death Warrant

From the Gaia acolytes at Reuters:

President Barack Obama signs executive orders on combating climate change during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, January 26, 2009. Watching on is Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood (C) and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson.

Obama begins reversing Bush climate policies

Mon Jan 26, 2009

By Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama began reversing the climate policies of the Bush administration on Monday, clearing the way for new rules to force auto makers to produce more fuel-efficient and less polluting cars.

The president told the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider immediately a request by California to impose its own strict limits on vehicle carbon dioxide emissions, blamed for contributing to global warming.

The Democratic Obama took over last Tuesday from former President George W. Bush, whose Republican administration had denied the request, prompting California and other states to sue.

"The federal government must work with, not against, states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," Obama said at the White House, taking a stab at his predecessor’s policies.

"California has shown bold and bipartisan leadership through its effort to 21st century standards. And over a dozen states have followed its lead."

Obama’s directive, which is likely to result in a formal change in coming months, could prompt as many as 18 states to follow California’s lead by putting into effect tailpipe emissions standards that are tougher than federal requirements..

The president directed the Department of Transportation to move forward with setting vehicle fuel efficiency standards for model year 2011 by March, giving automakers an 18-month period to prepare.

The rules piled pressure on an ailing car industry struggling to survive in a deepening recession with the help of federal bailouts…

Obama said the policy shift would help carmakers in the long run.

"Our goal is not to further burden an already struggling industry, it is to help America’s automakers prepare for the future," he said…

So why did we spend billions bailing out the automakers, if Mr. Obama is just going to turn around and kill them with stricter emission requirements?

Oh, that’s right, the TARP bailout was not for the auto industry. It was for the auto workers union, who helped to get Mr. Obama into power.

These are completely separate things.