Friday, April 22, 2005

Fuel-ibuster

A handful of blue states from the last electoral map may lack the clout to change America all by themselves -- except in the world of economics.

According to the New York Times' Danny Hakim, "Washington and Oregon plan to become the ninth and 10th states to adopt California's tough car emissions rules, forming an increasingly potent market for more fuel-efficient vehicles on the West Coast and in the Northeast."

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont also have signed on to the tough tai;pipe standards.

Detroit now has a problem. The buying clout of those states puts considerable pressure on automakers to develop more fuel-efficient vehicles. "Together, the 10 coastal states account for 29 percent of the nation's auto market, according to R.L. Polk, which tracks car registration data."

As an old-school states' rights fan (more as an emotional attachment than an actual policy guide), I'm pleased. As one who has been waiting since I was a teen-ager for America to launch a nationalistic crusade to cut gas consumption, curb pollution, and pioneer new technologies, I'm delighted.