I'm not using a pun about reverse or Obama shifting gears

Obama is wasting no time making good on his campaign promises. The New York Times reports in a pun-laden article that Monday morning, President Obama will direct the EPA to reconsider the Bush administration's obstruction of fourteen states that want to improve auto emissions standards.

When the EPA denied the request to implement the Pavely emissions standards many experts thought it was a political delaying tactic by the Bush administration in defiance of agency scientists. Obama's action puts cleaner cars back in the fast lane. I'm sorry, I couldn't help throwing in just one pun.



The Illinois Clean Car Act, which I wrote about last year, would make Illinois the first Midwestern state to enact the higher standards. The General Assembly didn't vote on the bill in the last session, but it will be introduced again this year. Environmental and other public-interest groups created the Illinois Climate Action Network to push for climate change legislation and the Clean Car Act will be a top priority.

Typically, auto-industry lobbyists politically blackmail legislators with the threat of lost jobs if they improve fuel efficiency and emissions standards. But, it's obvious why the economic downturn is hurting GM and American car companies more than Toyota, which is selling smaller, more fuel efficient cars.

If American car companies want a multi-billion dollar bailout from taxpayers then they shouldn't be allowed to keep repeating the same mistakes. Now is the time for change.