California sues carmakers over global warming
"Reuters is reporting that the state of California is suing automakers over global warming. California is claiming that automakers have 'harmed the resources, infrastructure and environmental health,' of the state. The targeted automakers are Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp., Toyota Motor Corp., Chrysler Motors Corp., Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co."
Wow… I have a number of thoughts on this issue…
1. The state of California has always had the ability to make their own emissions regulations. Hence the special California versions of vehicles. So should they sue themselves?
2. The government represents the people. The people make a free market choice of automobile they wish to buy. Manufacturers build the specific types of automobiles the consumers buy. How is it that the people can buy cars then sue (via their government) the automakers for the choices they made? Will they argue that the soul-less evil corporations are forcing them to buy cars that impact the environment more negatively? Thus transferring the blame from something they cannot get their minds around (when there is competition, supply and demand will dictate what products will be available) The masses have voted the automotive selection with their wallets and now they have buyer's remorse. But in America there is always someone else who is responsible (someone who of course is not you) and those bastards must pay for what they have done. I think people find it easier to decide that the "evil corporations are to blame" rather than to deal with the nature of man, market, and society.
3. The main premise of this suit is based on a hypothesis. C02 emissions are current science's best guess as to why the earth is warming. Science has not been able to isolate and test the earth's atmosphere to prove causality. Of course that didn't stop the sharks from killing Dow Chemical over silicone breast implants (which could have easily been disproven if actual science had been applied and used by the court system instead of emotion and leveraged ignorance).
But the crowds need a witch to burn… Anyone know where I can find a duck and a scale? ;-)
September 21st, 2006
I think the auto makers have a pretty good defense. The CAFE standards are set by the EPA and who ever else makes them. It would seem that if they make cars that meet the federally mandated standards then it is defacto not a nuisance. That said however, there is a case where a community has gotten a coal energy plant shut down even though it supposedly was given a pass to produce x amount of emissions.Also as stated there is still debate as to the cause of global warming. I am still waiting for someone to explain to me why there is global warming also occuring on Mars and why what ever that reason is, is not the same cause on earth.