Just When I Thought We Had Something To Cheer About...

I was very happy to hear President Bush signed the 2007 Energy Bill in to law.

Congress OKs energy bill

Fuel economy rules for vehicles raised for first time in 32 years

By Richard Simon

December 19, 2007

WASHINGTON - Soon, you won't find those old-fashioned 100-watt incandescent light bulbs in stores. You will be able to buy more energy-efficient appliances. And you will see labels on TVs and computers that tell you how much energy they consume.

You will see stickers on new cars that specify not only how many miles they get per gallon but how many greenhouse gases they emit. And when you pull up to the pump, you will fill your car with a mixture of gasoline and made-in-the-USA biofuel...

..."In this bill, we ban by 2012 the famously inefficient 100-watt incandescent bulb," said Rep. Jane Harman, a California Democrat who co-sponsored that provision.

I was a little disappointed by how long it would take to have an impact - 2012 is a long way off. But then Wal-Mart has been pushing the newer more efficient bulbs for over a year. So I figure consumer demand might kick in before long anyway.

I was also a little disappointed by the push for bio-fuels, which do nothing to reduce emissions, little (if anything) to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and from what I've read, it takes nearly as much oil in the form of fertilizers and the energy consumption of farm equipment as we get from the corn used to make the bio fuel. And then there's Monsanto and their Terminator Seeds, and pesticides, and Round Up Ready corn and such. All bad. But I was still happy with it - it seemed like a net win.

Well, today the other shoe dropped. And it must have been on its way down before the ink was dry. Bush signed the bill yesterday. And today...

E.P.A. Says 17 States Can’t Set Emission Rules

By JOHN M. BRODER and FELICITY BARRINGER

Published: December 20, 2007

WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday denied California and 16 other states the right to set their own standards for carbon dioxide emissions from automobiles.

The E.P.A. administrator, Stephen L. Johnson, said the proposed California rules were pre-empted by federal authority and made moot by the energy bill signed into law by President Bush on Wednesday. Mr. Johnson said California had failed to make a compelling case that it needed authority to write its own standards for greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks to help curb global warming...

...The 17 states — including New York, New Jersey and Connecticut — had waited two years for the Bush administration to issue a ruling on an application to set stricter air quality standards than those adopted by the federal government. The decision, technically known as a Clean Air Act waiver, was the first time California was refused permission to impose its own pollution rules; the federal government had previously granted the state more than 50 waivers...

The emissions standards California proposed in 2004 — but never approved by the federal government — would have forced automakers to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent in new cars and light trucks by 2016, with the cutbacks to begin in 2009 models...

...The new federal law will require automakers to meet a 35-mile-per-gallon fleetwide standard for cars and trucks sold in the United States by 2020. It does not address carbon dioxide emissions, but such emissions would be reduced as cars were forced to become more fuel efficient.

I am at a loss here. Blind-sided! Delay, then deny. They've pushed 2009 cutbacks out to 2020. And fleetwide means, I think, that Ford, for example, can sell a monster truck that gets 8 mpg and their little mini hybrid escape that gets 60 mpg for an average of 34, and then throw in a 38 mpg car to meet the standard.

I don't think this new law can roll back any of the emissions standards that we already have, but until we get representation that serves the people instead of corporations, we can only expect more of the same. I wish we could force Stephen L. Johnson to make all of his press appearances outdoors in Los Angeles on a shallow breathing day.

I think we will win our lawsuit, but it will take years to play out. It feels like the M-O-N-E-Y people (to quote my 8th grade Geography teacher) know the party's gonna be over soon and they are crowding everyone else out and drinking up every last drop at the bar before last call.

We don't need a Democrat - we need someone who will tilt the balance of power back to the people. So we need the right Democrat. Make that the right Democrats. The ones we elected aren't doing much for me.

The lesser of two evils is still evil, just not as competent.