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Thursday, December 20, 2007

Bush: States Rights When They Suit Our Purposes

Another note on the inadequacy of traditional political labels: our conservative Republican President has just signed an energy bill that, among other things, quashes states rights. The EPA announced yesterday that the new energy bill pre-empts the efforts of California and 16 other states to set their own CO2 emission standards for automobiles. Governor Schwarzenegger is torqued; the automakers are smirkingly pleased (you would be too if you didn't have to lobby 50 state legislatures to keep them from making you behave).

Key quote from EPA chief Stephen L. Johnson:

“The Bush administration is moving forward with a clear national solution, not a confusing patchwork of state rules,” he said. “I believe this is a better approach than if individual states were to act alone." [John M. Broder and Felicity Barringer, "E.P.A. Says 17 States Can't Set Emission Rules," New York Times, 2007.12.20]

Right. The GOP loves states rights when it gives ultra-conservative states the chance to play the wedge on issues that make the fundigelical voters happy. But when their corporate buddies stand to benefit, the states rights talk disappears in doublespeak.
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2 comments:

  1. Anonymous12/20/2007 8:43 PM

    Both sides do this, and most people in federal government will be giving the federal government more power. People on the state level will say, "Hey, Washington isn't doing it/we can do it better, so we should decide things." Unless we start talking about crazy politicans like Ron Paul.....Have a mentioned that Bush does weird things too?

    I think politicans will talk about doing things a certain way or following a particular philosophy, but they will do things that get the job done in the end. We as voters try to find the politicans that will do the jobs we want done.

    ReplyDelete
  2. caheidelberger12/21/2007 6:05 AM

    Christine is right -- both sides seek to enhance their power. I just wish more politicians would admit they are pragmatists instead of using wedge issues of false philosophy to get the votes of the inattentive.

    ReplyDelete

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