Monday, January 26, 2009

Dem ol’ externality blues

From the NYT:

Automakers said Monday that they were working toward President Obama's goal of reducing fuel consumption, but rapid imposition of stricter emissions standards could force them to drastically cut production of larger, more profitable vehicles, adding to their financial duress.

Never mind that the public seems to have decided that current gasoline prices are merely a trough between waves – and they’re probably right. Land yachts are profitable, so by golly, that’s what we’ll build!

This is the kind of thinking that made this country great.

The auto execs are suggesting, just like Big Stone II’s owners, that the public bear a greater percentage of the burden of their operations by breathing dirtier air. It’s really that simple. They want to keep that ol’ externality right where it is.

This is not the kind of thinking that Spot and others hoped would come out of the recent automobile epiphany. What we need is a little more beating cars into windmills.

Gosh, Spot, that would make a great post title!

Yes it would, now that you mention it, grasshopper.

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