The Bush administration has denied approval for California’s plans to establish stricter vehicle emissions standards [ark | more2\ark2 | search ] than federal law to fight climate change. Apparently President Bush and oil oligarchy pals are not satifisfied with scuttling international cooperative measures, and doing next to nothing federally, now they are stopping states from leading on the greatest crisis ever. The announcement was made just after modest, far-off increases in automobile efficiency were signed into law [ark] — national automobile fuel economy standards [search] are to be raised by 40 percent to 35 miles a gallon in 2020.

Thus the U.S. is to take 13 years to do what other nations and its own states are trying to do now. It is worse to stop others from acting than to do next to nothing yourself. It is difficult to capture in words the stupidity of this President, and as climate and ecosystems fail and the time of great suffering sets in, he and automobile and oil companies will be reviled. At least Bush, Cheney and Condi will be warm where they are going to spend all eternity.