Doing the Waive

All four Republican prez candidates express support for California's EPA waiver

Posted at 5:16 AM on 31 Jan 2008

Last night's Republican debate spawned at least one memorable surprise: all four GOP candidates appeared to express support for California in its battle with the U.S. EPA to get a waiver it needs to implement its greenhouse-gas emissions standards for vehicles. The Bush administration denied the waiver in December, arguing that recent changes to federal fuel-efficiency standards in the energy bill eclipsed the need for California's tougher rules. But at the debate, John McCain, Mitt Romney, and Mike Huckabee all said they supported California based on the conservative ideal of states' rights trumping federal concerns. Romney also used the opportunity to take more subtle digs at McCain's climate bill and slipped in an apparent disclaimer about his own support for California's waiver, saying, "I side with states being able to make their own decisions, even if I don't always agree with the decisions they make." Ron Paul also voiced support for California, though on characteristically libertarian grounds, making sure to toss in an appeal to strengthen property rights.

source: CNN.com
see also, in Gristmill: All four Republican candidates support California's right to a waiver from the Bush EPA

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Comments: (3 comments)

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Last Night's Debate...

Last night, Ron Paul had a chance to carry the state of California. When asked the question about CA's right to set emission standards, the answer should have been:

Absolutely! When Pres. Bush and the EPA forced the CA Air Resources Board to remove the no emission car requirement, Pres. Bush stole the right of the California people to choice their own destiny. By doing that, the "Big 3" stopped all electric car development, leaving only Honda and Toyota to fill the need. If Bush and the EPA would have stayed out of their business, the people of CA would have cleaner air to breath, electric cars to drive, lower gas prices because of lower demand, and those unemployed auto workers in Michigan, that Senator McCain told their jobs were gone and they would have to be retrained, would not be attending McDonald's University learning how to flip burgers, they would be making electric cars.

by JoeFromPA at 6:48 AM on 31 Jan 2008

CA, Cars, Money

Yes, it's continually amazing to me how short-sighted the American car companies are. I guess quarterly profits reports trumps all intelligent long-term thinking. Just another example of how the current financial paradigm for publicly traded companies is encouraging a pathalogical exclusion of long-term interests in any strategic planning.

by PDXOutdoors at 8:40 AM on 31 Jan 2008

Well that should settle it...

...whoever is next as prez should be able to overturn it (or rather, assign someone to the EPA who will).

Sad that given that fact, the Bushies will continue to spend money and resources to fight it until they leave office.

by Tasermons Partner at 12:42 PM on 31 Jan 2008

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