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Sunday, February 1, 2009
Weekly Assignment #2
Since President Obama was inaugurated, there has been a buzz in the media that “change is coming.” This theme seems to be prevalent as President Obama is making headway on environmental policy. During his campaign, President Obama promised that he would push for clean air standards and it appears that he is upholding this pledge. President Obama signed orders that would boost fuel economy and cut car exhaust. In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was ordered to review the Bush Administration’s decision on California’s car emission standards. Last spring California attempted to pass car emission standards that would be more stringent than the current federal laws. The Bush Administration halted California from proceeding on implementing stricter standards. Furthermore, President Obama hinted that there would be federal assistance to carmakers to build cleaner cars. Being in office for a few weeks, it would appear that environmental policy is a top agenda item for the Obama Administration.
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It could be argued that this no environmental framework has been changed and the fuel efficiency requirements are purely economic in design by virtue of the fact that more fuel efficient vehicles will save fleets and consumers at the pump.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that one of the coments attached to your article questioned the Gore approach to climate change and the carbon footprint.
Maybe this all could be part of Obama's redistrbution of wealth idea.
I'm not validating any of this only opening up thought to process...
That said your assessment was good
I would argue that the environmental policy- making framework has indeed been affected, in that Obama is allowing a greater role on the state level. To tie this into the reading from Chapter 2, it is clear that (at least some) states are much more innovative and have higher standards than the federal government when it comes to environmental protection. This move indicates that Obama recognizes that, and also respects the unique regional environmental issues that each state faces.
ReplyDeleteYou could be correct that this is more about economics than environmental protection, but frankly I don't think it matters. If allowing California to set its own (higher) standards for fuel efficiency also helps to save consumers at the pump, all the better!!!
That's a common response the "win win". The larger implication is that to truly achieve a sustainable ecological balance people, most specfically amercians, may have to except less growth, and government's attempt to fund the economic/environmental war on both fronts could be problematic. All of these steps Obama is taking are noble, but at some point the govt has to stop telling industry you will do this at a cost of that, which we'll pay "on credit" so you don't have to lay off anybody to offset the cost.
ReplyDeleteI do support allowing states to exceed federal guidelines on target levels, but why not target emissions levels in a more universal manor such as all 50 states agreeing on a single MPG target or tailpipe emission levels. Cars cannot be made specific to states or you would have a civic with NY, PA, CA, RI, OR efficiency standards, all of which are different. That could destroy the auto industry, which may not be a bad thing, but provide an alternative. Also MPG is not always directly related to air quality (if you want clarifcation on that ask).
Eventualy somebody has to pay for all this. I support a lot of Obama's idea's, but how much trust can you put into the administrations finanical planning when the treasury secretary is an admittedly dodged taxes because "they were to complicated to file", now he runs the IRS and heads oversight on all these bailout and stimulus packages.
Remember a lot of Obamas policies are on borrowed money.
For any proposed change to really be effective several things may be needed:
ReplyDelete1. Issue is to be part of the state and federal policy agenda (which now is, in part for the media, and Obama letting the States be the leads).
2. Appointing the right people in key cabinet or department positions. Obama's transition team is still new, and many expectations are set for them; however it would be interesting haw the link economic growth with environmental health and sustainability (something that Reagan and Bush did not).
3. Funding the needed programs, and creating supporting processes for their development/improvement/evaluation. I have not had a chance to study in detail the stimulus package Congress and Senate are currently proposing. Because of my job I need to know what constraints (environmental is one of these constraints) are in transportation and solar renewable source investment.
4. Setting and leading the nation's and international public understanding in the development of the environment as a priority. Obama has hinted in supporting and expanding research and study of these in schools, universities and industry.
This and other articles ONLY define the initial needed step Obama's presidency NEEDS to take........