McCain Might Actually Be More Out of Touch Than Bush: "Let Every State Set Their Own Fuel Efficiency Standards"

McCain prepared to grapple with the problems of the 20th Century

I was enthusiastic about California leaving Bush and the bought and paid for Oil Industry shills in politics who follow him to stew in their own putrid juices while it moved on to 21st Century fuel efficiency standards that would help reduce the dangers of greenhouse gases. But when the Bush Regime killed the whole idea I understood exactly why they did. California is a big enough state-- a big enough auto market, more to the point-- so that an action like that, particularly if a few other states signed on, a certainty, it would de facto set the standards for the whole country. Detroit can't manufacture cars with different fuel efficiency for 50 different states, or even 10 different states.

But that's exactly what that confused old man the Republicans are running against Obama proposed today. "It's hard for me to tell states that they can't impose whatever standards they decide to impose," McCain said. "I want to see Rick (Wagoner, GM’s CEO) sit down with the governors and ask them what they need."

Because he's an untrustworthy flip flopper, McCain hasn't been a favorite of the auto manufactures who consider him an undependable and unscrupulous hack. The Auto Industry traditionally donates more to Republicans than to Democrats but 7 years of the Bush Economic Miracle has turned them around considerably. In the 1998 cycle 70% of their donations went to Republicans. By 2006 it had fallen to 65% for Republicans and so far this year it's almost a dead tie-- 51% for Republicans and 49% for Democrats (mostly locals plus Blue Dogs). But among presidential candidates McCain has been far from their first choice:

Hillary Clinton- $44,717
Mitt Romney- $38,700
Barack Obama- $29,950
McCain- $27,770
Ron Paul- $27,210

After meeting with McCain, Wagoner diplomatically said GM "would prefer a national standard rather than state-by-state standards."

Detroit automakers and their foreign rivals have united in opposition to efforts by California and 16 other states to set greenhouse gas controls on cars and trucks that would effectively set fuel economy limits tougher than federal standards. The proposal would force the industry to hit roughly 35 miles per gallon by 2016 and more than 40 m.p.g. by 2020.

California and other states say their program is no different from previous laws that controlled smog and other pollutants from vehicles, which automakers also initially opposed. They also say automakers have the technology to meet their standards, a view that two courts have upheld so far.

But automakers and dealers say state officials overestimate their technology, underestimate the costs and ignore the possible chaos from limiting vehicle sales on a state-by-state basis. GM has previously said the rules could force it to spend $25 billion and still not guarantee it would hit the targets in all states.

The Bush administration last year denied California's request to put its rules into place. A bill to overturn the decision in the U.S. Senate was backed by both McCain and Obama, who has consistently supported California's efforts.

Perhaps real leadership-- forward-looking leadership that isn't determined by Big Oil "donations"-- will at least moot the problem of which direction the country is moving in. If Obama is elected president, America will be back on track to move forward, instead of groping blindly for a mythical past that can never be recaptured and never existed in its idealized form to begin with.

Earlier this week Rasmussen reported results of its most recent presidential polling in Michigan, a state McCain's brain trust has identified as crucial if he's going to win the White House. It looks like most Michigan voters see through the thin tissue of lies that has been streaming out of the Double Talk Express, although McCain expects to make up lost ground by naming one time local boy Mitt Romney as his running mate.

Barack Obama has more than doubled his lead over John McCain to eight percentage points in the economic battleground state of Michigan, with much of his new support coming from voters who have moved away from the Republican hopeful.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds 47% of Michigan voters favoring Obama while 39% back McCain. A month ago Obama had 45% support and McCain tallied 42%. When leaners are factored in, Obama leads by the same margin of eight points, 50% to 42%.

In May McCain had a statistically insignificant one-point lead, but Obama has been gaining ground since Hillary Clinton dropped out of the Democratic presidential race.

McCain enjoys only a 46% to 41% lead over Obama among male voters now, down from a 19-percentage point lead in May. The Democrat shows a slight uptick among women voters who have consistently supported him over McCain. Now women favor Obama 51% to 35%.

While party regulars overwhelmingly support their respective candidates, Obama has turned it around with unaffiliated voters. Last month McCain had a five-point lead, down from 13 points a month earlier. Now Obama leads among unaffiliated voters 42% to 35%.