This Is How Trump’s Refusal To Keep Up With The Rest Of The World Hurts U.S. Companies…

President scolds car makers for not embracing his plan to let them build gas guzzlers again, when the truth is they can’t afford to take that risk…

So maybe it is, but it shouldn’t really be a surprise when a growing number of automakers are trying to cut their own emissions deals, but with the State of California, not with Trump. Unless you’re surprised that California has special waivers that allow it to impose different tailpipe standards than the federal government. Many other states pretty much automatically follow California’s lead. Trump, naturally, wants to put an end to these waivers, which trace back to the late 1960s, and then California Governor Ronald Reagan.

It’s actually kind of amazing how many common-sense environmental measures trace back to Republicans: for instance the establishment of the E.P.A, and the Endangered Species Act were both shepherded by President Nixon. So promoting cars that don’t pollute less and aren’t more fuel efficient, isn’t necessarily one of those actions that any…