CA Gov. Schwarzenegger Makes Nice With Automakers
Just the other day my girl asked me if I remembered Los Angeles in the '70s and '80s. Specifically, smog. I know: some people reading this will start hollering at their monitors, "LA's still smoggy!" Yes, it is– but then The Golden State's notoriously useless politicians– who are all too happy to let Angelenos waste over 3 billion hours a year parked at the 101/405 interchange while they ban taco trucks— mandated the world's toughest auto emissions standards. And they work. Pittsburgh now boasts America's filthiest air. Anyhow, The Motor Authority reports that our shorter-than-he-looks Governor Schwarzenegger will be meeting with muckity mucks from The Big 2.8 and Toyota to explain how CA's CO2 standards will save their bacon by forcing them to build higher mileage cars. A position not only supported by all three presidential candidates, but one that makes sense in a state where gas costs $4.00 a gallon. But don't worry, nothing will actually happen that effects anyone in any real way. That [non-PR battle] will happen if, as and when a court strikes down CA's fed-trumping CO2 regs.
Cleanup driver for Team Black Metal V8olvo.
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Contrary to popular opinion, not everyone (not by a long shot) in California is wealthy. Raising gas taxes and / or raising gas prices will be an inconvenience for some, but there's an awful lot of folks who will have to make some hard choices when figuring the monthly budget. The politicians know this, and they also know that the hardest hit by increased gas prices are a big part of their constituency. Any politician that suggests that raising the gas tax would be a good idea will find himself unelectable. It's that bad... Those that suggest that buying a more fuel efficient vehicle would be the solution - perhaps you'd like to loan these people the money that they'd need to exercise that option. Hand to mouth means no extra for down payments - much less a cash purchase.
Being from the midwest, and spending a week in January driving in L.A., San Francisco and in-between, I can say that Californian's drive much faster, and much further, than anyplace else I have driven. Even with more expensive vehicles, and more expensive gasoline, the freeways are gridlock. Hey, they still elect the same kind of clowns out there, so they get what they deserve.
I believe Pittsburgh (PA, as opposed to Pittsburg, CA) has a "soot problem". And having to ride a motorcycle behind one of the worst offenders, the cute yellow School Bus, full of smiling faces and spewing acrid black smoke in my face, is a pleasure indeed. As far as I can tell, there are no real emission standards for these buses, and the Pennsylvania hills guarantee plenty of pedal-to-the-metal runs. I've often mused that the recent addition of strobe lights to the tops of the yellow beasts was so they could be seen through the black cloud that they leave behind them.
CA must really something special to put up with all the social and economic challenges and still want to live there. Never wanted to give that a shot and as time goes by I have even less motivation to visit. VBG!