Department of Transportation Tried Blocking California's GHG Cap Legislation
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 07. 5.07
If you thought the Bush administration was just going to let California move ahead with its pioneering greenhouse gas emissions capping legislation without a word or sign of obstruction, you had another thing coming. Newly released documents have revealed that the U.S. Department of Transportation was actively trying to squash the state's proposed cap by lobbying key congressmen to vote against it.
The documents, consisting of over 70 pages of e-mails and memos, showed agency officials working in concert with the Auto Alliance - a trade group representing the interests of several big auto firms - to aggressively target legislators Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Texas, Missouri, Delaware and Tennessee most likely to oppose the cap. "Just hit the members/senators with the really big facilities. No need to call those with small distribution centers or anything," Simon Gros, deputy chief of staff to Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, told his staff in a June 7 e-mail.
The documents came to light after Henry Waxman (D-Los Angeles), the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chairman, requested them upon suspecting foul play on the part of the DOT. "This initial set of documents reveals that the Bush administration was working hand in glove with the auto industry against state efforts to fight global warming," said Waxman on Monday.
Several other prominent California lawmakers, including Sen. Barbara Boxer and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, have weighed in on the issue, expressing anger and disbelief over the administration's political meddling. D.J. Gribbin, DOT's General Counsel, defended the agency's actions by claiming they didn't violate anti-lobbying restrictions: "DOT's interest in informing the public and their elected representatives about this important issue is consistent with its longstanding and well-known support of a single, national regulatory scheme for motor vehicle fuel economy."
Speaker Nunez best summed up the federal agency's actions with a few pithy words: "Dirty tricks." We couldn't agree more.
Via ::Red Orbit News: Smog Fighters Furious at Bush Administration (news website)
See also: ::Economic Impact Of California Climate Plan In Line With Stern Report, ::California To Pass Emissions Caps: A "Bottom-Up Approach to Global Warming", ::A Bush Administration Policy Adjustment
California is huge by itself, far bigger and more powerful than most nations in the world. New York as well. Also other envronmentally responsible states, like Massachusetts, Washington, etc.
It's kind of quaint that an administration that governed by the slimmest of electoral margins, (derived from the smallest and least economically significant states), thinks the tail can actually wag the dog. The Bush administration was an accident of history, and when it's gone in Jan 2009, we can finally get down to WORK!
There are several issues that this brings to mind.
1) Exactly WHY is the Bush administration STILL in administration? Is there not enough evidence of tampering, misleading, and misrepresentation to have the whole crew thrown into Leavenworth for the rest of their lives? I'm sure we need not MANUFACTURE evidence...
2) Given that the Federal government needs to deal with Federal issues - this interference with STATE practice speaks continuous volumes of the weak and inefficient practices of our state representatives. If we cannot trust any of our leadership to go beyond raising a flag - or worse, just calling it "Dirty Tricks" - WTF are they there for?
If these opinions are to have metal - they need to be followed with Action! Thank you Mr. Waxman for continuing your charge - I know there are others among you - however they have NOT YET STOOD UP! As a voter - of presidential age - with NO Pedigree - I'm thinking that I may well want to run for president if for no other reason than to move the conversation BACK to the serious issue of our FEDERAL interference and mismanagement. We've had too many years of continual bickering - and hand waving without ACTION.
That our "leadership" is surrounded by nefarious characters does not comfort me. That our leadership does not self correct this SERIOUS issue with the full power of the law - causes me angst.
That we continue to have issues such as this brought before us without serious repercussions toward those who are the cause in the first place... makes me very very angry.
Is it so true that in order for the state to survive, the state must die? I want our leaders to step away from big business - let the chaff fall away - and let our citizens rise once more to demand the kind of representational government that lives were lost for.
Damn.
Yet another embarrassing footnote in Americas history. Only a year and some change left with this crazy people. Maybe logic and rational thinking will guide the votes in the next election...but it probably won't.
When will enough be enough of election-fraud George's meddling where he does not belong? How much longer will it take for this impostor to be ousted from power?
Privatize Bush Co...NOW!!!