government:

Energy Bill may not be done deal

Though the Democrats in Congress have wrapped up their haggling over a new energy bill that would set 35 mph fuel economy standards by 2020, the deal may still be undone by the threat of a presidential veto. Yesterday, the chief economic adviser to the administration, Al Hubbard, issued a statement indicating that the compromise measure agreed upon in negotiations in the House did not meet the criteria articulated by the administration, and could be subject to veto if the bill is not (...)
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Pelosi v. Dingel v. You

According to the Detroit Free Press, a deal is near on fuel economy standards, one that ostensibly will satisfy both House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Michigan Democrat John Dingell, the chair of the House Energy Committee. For the most part, it appears that Dingell wins: the deal will have different standards for cars and trucks, will give automakers credits for alternative fuel vehicles. Both were part of the proposals originally submitted to the House, but were not (...)
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Ralph Nader and the tire company sue NHTSA

Your life could depend on it. But justice cannot be hurried, at least not in the District of Columbia Circuit of the Federal Appellate courts. You see, they don’t drive very fast in D.C. The “beltway” is pretty much a parking lot most of the time. Why it’s filled with so many BMW’s is another question, since there ain’t no “ultimate driving” available anywhere in the area. But, we digress: Did you know that Ralph Nader’s Public Citizen interest (...)
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Clinton wants 55 mpg

It is not clear whether Mrs. William Clinton, a Democratic presidential candidate and Senator who otherwise goes by the name “Hillary” has driven any car lately. Her husband once owned a Mustang and an El Camino, but that seems to be the extent of the Clinton family involvement with the automobile. Nontheless, the candidate is calling for a new corporate average fuel economy standard of 55 mpg by 2030. This standard would be much higher than the highest standard currently under (...)
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Democrats rebel against reid over CAFE standars

Only two days after the White House said that the President would veto the Senate version of an energy bill that substantially raises the federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards and sets the same standard for trucks as for cars, one of the most prominent liberal Democrats has openly rebelled against the measure and its prime mover, Senate Majority Leader Reid of Nevada. Carl Levin, a Senator from Michigan and normally an ally of Reid, has been rounding up Democratic (...)
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White House sides with Detroit agains democrats

It’s all about federal Fuel Economy Standards. The Senate and House have both passed an energy bill. But the Senate version includes an enormous and costly increase in the required Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard. The House version includes no increase, though the initial version of the House bill had included a softer increase than adopted in the Senate. One of the most criticized elements of the Senate bill is that it imposes the same economy standard on trucks as for (...)
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Democrat leaders pull stunt to raise cafe standard

House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority leader Harry Reid have pulled a parliamentary stunt to cram through Congress the large increase in federal fuel economy standards which was passed in the Senate energy bill, but was rejected in the House. The standard is opposed by all automakers except Nissan, including GM, Ford, and Toyota. Compliance with the mandates is predicted by the automakers to raise the cost of a car by $5000 per car. The Senate version of the bill is backed largely by Democrats, who control both the Senate and the House. It has been vigorously supported by both Pelosi and Reid, both Democrat
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Automakers appeal pollution ruling

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers – an auto industry group which includes General Motors, Ford, and Toyota – has appealed a ruling handed down last month by a Vermont federal district court that allowed states to set their own emissions standards, independently of the federal government. The attempt by several states, including Vermont, Massachusetts and California, to assert the authority to mandate emissions and fuel economy standards different than those set by the federal (...
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Judge tosses California global warming suit against carmakers

A grandstand play by the Attorney General of California against Toyota, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Chrysler, and Nissan was thrown out of court on Monday. Jerry Brown, a Democrat who once served as Governor of California and gained the nickname “Governor Moonbeam,” had sued the carmakers, claiming that they had damaged California by building cars that contributed to global warming. The court ruled that any regulation of automakers was for a legislative determination, not one of the (
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Federal Court rules against automakers on mileage

In a decision certain to be appealed, a federal district court (the lowest level) yesterday ruled that states could impose carbon dioxide emissions standards on automakers that differ from and are more strict than standards imposed by the federal government. The decision was issued by Judge William Sessions sitting in the district of Vermont. Sessions was appointed by President Clinton and has a reputation of being an extremely liberal activist judge. Vermont is one of the most (...)
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