Dems win Congress; how soon until there is a fuel-economy bill on the president's desk?

[Kolesar]

I have been listening to our candidates this year. Most of those earnest Democrats say they want to do something about global warming. The action required to address global warming is to reduce consumption of fossil fuels. There is no reason not to start immediately.

Presume that we would write a bill with a phase-in to standards of ~40 mpg over the years, trucks would be required to have much higher standards also. What is it going to take to get that bill through Congress?

[MADem]

1. Probably pretty fuckin' quick, 'cuz Bandar will turn OFF the spigot

after Nov 7.

Seriously, peeps. FILL THOSE TANKS on your way home from the polls!

[bowens43]

2. Awhile.

We need to begin by undoing the damage of the last 12 years of Republican congressional rule.

[One_Life_To_Give]

3. Need 2/3rds Majority of Both chambers

Otherwise wont happen before Jan 20 2009.

[NNadir]

6. Both the President and Vice President are serious international criminals.

All we need to blow the whole game wide open is to end the one party state. It's almost impossible to believe but this one party state ruled by Repukes is already more decrepit than the one party state Gorbachev inherited, but in fact it is. At least the Soviet state and Soviet Party was able to produce a Gorbachev. Who among the Repukes is a competent technocrat? Gorbachev opened the door a crack, and the entire house tumbled. It can happen here.

The criminality of the executive branch of the United States which includes torture, aggressive warfare - the crime for which Tojo was arrested - embezzlement of government funds (d'affair d'Halliburton) and many other impeachable crimes cannot avoid notice if government power is divided. These guys have been working with a net inasmuch as they had a rubber stamp congress and there is no evidence that they are sure footed enough to work without one.

I actually believe that the entire planet is waking up to the necessity for removing these guys. It simply cannot go on forever. I am sure the Democrats will not come to power decided on impeachment, but impeachment may be forced upon them by events external to our sensibilities. The serial incompetence of these people is becoming internationally known on a scale that cannot be concealed any longer and may not be possible to tolerate much longer. One feels that even the US military is struggling with its government. I believe the whole game is crumbling.

This is going to sound extreme, but I have seen many things in my country in the last few years that I never believed I would see - including a public debate over whether we should torture human beings - but it may happen that we see President Pelosi as the first woman to sit in the White House. She may be our Corazon Aquino, who also displaced a corrupt semi-dictatorial family in a previously democratic state. (Ms. Pelosi is probably better prepared for such a role than Ms. Aquino was.) One hopes that the situation plays out as peacefully as the end of the Marcos dictatorship, and I could be wrong, but I don't think Bush is going to finish his term in office. I can certainly see circumstances under which the Democrats are required to impeach Bush to put a legal stamp on a fait accompli.

Of course, should this happen - and it's certainly not all that impossible - we may yet save our country and our planet, but this will necessarily involve things far more important than CAFE standards. Like all people who thought themselves immune, the Repukes have over played their hands.

[4dsc]

4. If it takes years forget it!!

Waiting years to achieve a goal of 40mpg's is a waste of time.. the world's oil reserves are going to start to head south soon and this won't even matter..

IMHO, we should force the auto industry into adapting much higher CAFE standards within a year!! We as citizens must take the action..

[RestoreGore]

5. In this country- a miracle n/t

[Kolesar]

7. kick

[jpak]

8. Two words

John Dingell

It ain't gonna happen.

The only way we'll see any new CAFE standards is if Detroit rolls over and plays dead.

Then Dingell will let what the industry wants get out of committee...

The alternative is to extend tax credits for autos with average gas mileages 35 mpg and up - $1500 for 35-40 mpg, $2000 40-45 mpg and $3000 45+ mpg.

Dingell can't block that...

[Strelnikov_]

9. Yep, Dingell Says 'No' From What I Remember n/t