Cheney Repeatedly Met With Auto Execs Before White House Killed California’s Emissions Law
Cheney Repeatedly Met With Auto Execs Before White House Killed California’s Emissions Law
Before EPA administrator Stephen L. Johnson “answered the pleas of industry executives” by announcing his “decision to deny California the right to regulate greenhouse gases from vehicles,” auto executives directly appealed to Vice President Cheney. EPA staffers told the LA Times that Johnson “made his decision” only after Cheney met with the executives.
On multiple occasions in October and November, Cheney and White House staff members met with industry executives, including the CEOs of Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler. At the meetings, the executives objected to California’s proposed fuel economy standards:
In meetings in October with Mr. Cheney and sessions with White House staff members, auto executives made clear that they were concerned not just about the fuel economy measures in the bill but also about the California proposal for stricter emissions standards.
Johnson explained his decision to thwart California by saying that the new energy bill, which the auto industry supported and President Bush signed into law on Wednesday, “made the proposed California standards unnecessary.” One EPA staffer says Johnson’s decision was part of Cheney’s deal with the industry execs brokered at the meetings:
“Clearly the White House said, ‘We’re going to get EPA out of the way and get California out of the way. If you give us this energy bill, then we’re done, the deal is done,’” said one staffer.
Since taking office, Cheney has taken “a decisive role to undercut long-standing environmental regulations for the benefit of business” while undermining any real action to combat climate change. For example, he stacked the Committee on Environmental Quality with industry heavyweights, killing Bush’s 2000 campaign promise to place caps on carbon emissions. In 2001, his infamous energy task force also ordered the EPA to “reconsider” a rule requiring stricter pollution controls on power and oil refinery plants.
More recently, since February, Cheney has also quietly maneuvered to exert increased control over environmental policy by federal agencies — particularly the regulations on greenhouse gas emissions.
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68 Responses to “Cheney Repeatedly Met With Auto Execs Before White House Killed California’s Emissions Law”
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The Big Three automakers deserve to have their lunch eaten by the Japanese, Germans, and Koreans. They just won’t adapt to the changing times and are rightfully losing money hand over fist. Getting Cheney to stop environmental regulations does nothing to stop the marketplace which is passing you by.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:17 am#1 ~ truth. There is never a moment to rest.
That’s what bugs the crap out of me when economists blabber on about “growth.” The greatest historical source of growth is innovation. You must evolve to survive.
…which brings me to my second pet peeve… right-wing bible-thumping money-grubbers who don’t believe in evolution but worship the almighty dollar… you do realize that IBM isn’t a typewriter company anymore, right?
Winners evolve, losers dissolve.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:21 amSo much for small government and States’ rights!
Could Dickless look any more ridiculous in his cowboy costume?
December 21st, 2007 at 11:23 amDon’t these idiots realise that we all breath the same air?
Or knowing Cheney, he sucks the air out of baby quail right before he shoots his friends in the face!
Sarc. off
December 21st, 2007 at 11:23 amWhat I don’t understand about this is that people are flocking to hybrids. There are waiting lists for just about every hybrid car made. People are becoming conscious of their gasoline use from an environmental and from an economic viewpoint. So who is winning here? It’s not the US auto industry that is addicted to oil. It is the foreign auto industry. If they were smart, the US auto industry would embrace cafe standards and do something to provide cars that get better gas mileage. If they don’t, they are going to be left standing in the dust while the foreign auto companies continue to tromp all over them.
What is it that they don’t get. Peak oil has come and gone. We are now on the downside. Gasoline is now over $3.00 a gallon and unlikely to go down and more likely to continue to go up. And yet the US auto industry wants to be able to continue to produce gas guzzlers thinking that somehow they will survive with that mentality.
The American auto industry deserves what they get. I am a “buy American kind of person”. I do it whenever I can. But I will NOT buy a gas guzzling American automobile when the American auto industry refuses to see the handwriting on the wall.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:24 amanyone ready to impeach this criminal yet?
December 21st, 2007 at 11:24 amnice hat. comes with an optional purple ostrich plume that dick wears occasionally when he’s feeling “funky”. can we see a picture of that?
December 21st, 2007 at 11:25 am“you do realize that IBM isn’t a typewriter company anymore, right?
Winners evolve, losers dissolve.”
Comment by Bush is a four letter word — December 21, 2007 @ 11:21 am
True but he Cheney still types on one!
December 21st, 2007 at 11:25 amWhen will you liberals learn American businuess is more important than clean air
water
food
toys
anything ?
America is all about making money
the “green police” need to pipe down….
******** by the way , this is SARCASM ,,, incase you want to flame me…
i hear this kind of nonsense everyday from teh stupid … the right wing has them believing every concern about health and the environment is a ploy to pump up al gore and make bush look bad
December 21st, 2007 at 11:26 amOh please. We all know the only reason why the federal government is all hysterical over California’s tougher emissions regulations is because of Big Business Auto.
Republicans always say they stand for less central government and more autonomy for the states. They also say they stand for free markets. I guess this is UNLESS major big business campaign contributors might be inconvenienced.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:26 amAll hat, nothing else.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:27 amSo where are the trolls on this one? I’m waiting for them to explain to us how the automakers need to be protected from big, bad California.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:31 amI don’t think Dick Cheney HAD to meet with anyone to know what he was supposed to do FOR the auto industry. The meeting was to tell the auto industry what they were supposed to do FOR Dick Cheney.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:33 amThe ironic stupidity of bad-heart Cheney arguing in favor of more air pollution is just too rich to ignore
Apparently, Cheney thinks he doesn’t breathe the same air as all of us non-warmonger chickenhawks
December 21st, 2007 at 11:38 amA friend of mine recently went down to the San Diego area and was aghast at the lack of water management. I thought California was one the front (in the US) of the conserving resources business but now I think it’s just smoke and mirrors. As an example, they have no incentive for home or business owners to use low flow toilets. He had been to quite a few public places and not one had low flow toilets or urinals. I had understood that fresh water in southern California was becoming a valued commodity. Guess they aren’t too worried about it?
December 21st, 2007 at 11:39 amDick, you are a (ocksu(ker!
Drop dead, Dick!
The world will be a better place when you’re cold and limp.
btw, Happy Holidays, you Dick!
December 21st, 2007 at 11:40 amWho looks more ridiculous in a cowboy hat, Cheney or Bush?
December 21st, 2007 at 11:40 amThe hat makes you look real tought Dick!! I would actually think you’re a bad-ass if you wouldn’t have turned tail and ran during the Vietam war. Loose the hat you prick we ain’t buying it!!!
December 21st, 2007 at 11:41 amIMPEACH THESE CRIMINALS!!!!
lets see all those documents in the “secret” energy meetings DICK had.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:41 amWho looks more ridiculous in a cowboy hat, Cheney or Bush?
Comment by lefty — December 21, 2007 @ 11:40 am
December 21st, 2007 at 11:42 am——————————
Bush, but only because of his phoney f’ing southern accent which accompanies is phoney f’ing cowboy costumes.
Then stick it to our oh so powerful automakers!
December 21st, 2007 at 11:42 amGoing “Green” means something completely different to the righties!
It’s why we are no longer at the top.Trying to kill tech development can’t hold.It’s like the baseball purists who seems to think that the jocks must eat & drink 1965 type foods in 2007.Look at the average protein shake that was not on the market in 1954-88.Likewise virtually everyday a new development comes forth any Govt or people trying to decry it do so at it’s own peril.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:48 amSo where are the trolls on this one? I’m waiting for them to explain to us how the automakers need to be protected from big, bad California.
Comment by missmolly — December 21, 2007 @ 11:31 am
As the resident moderate conservative and ambiguous troll, I say the decision by the Admin to block California’s move is bad policy and bad politics.
I pray the next Prez is someone not at all linked to oil in any way shape or form. Not sure what my chances there are. I keep waiting for us to declare a Manhatten Project for energy. Higher CAFE standards just make sense, and kudos to the Dems energy bill for a overdue if somewhat timid step on the issue. But all the innovative ideas regarding electric cars and solar power to generate electricity - so obviously a win-win for the country, but it won’t happen without inspired and relentless leadership.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:49 amby the time he walked away from the podium, the beautiful lake behind him turned to salt pan and the alpine forest to scrub. in his wake, a brown toxic fog.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:49 amAss Hat
December 21st, 2007 at 11:50 amSo I guess that the SCOTUS’ ruling in April of this year that the EPA does have authority to regulate geanhouse gasses (Massachusetts etal vs. EPA) was just a bunch of hot-air (snark intended). After first arguing in the case that they do not have the authority under the Clean Air Act, the SCOTUS (sans Roberts, Alito, Scalia & Thomas natch) deemed that they do indeed have a responsiblility to regulate emissions. I guess that dick Cheney and his corporate fatcats have more pull than the SCOTUS but we allready knew that. Why would Deadeye Dick allow legal proceedings to get in the way when there’s money to be made. Just another in a long chain of “fu(k you America”s from our compassionately conservative non-Administrative Branch criminal. Nice hat by the way, dick!
December 21st, 2007 at 11:53 amWhy is he wearing Yosemite Sam’s 100 gallon hat?
December 21st, 2007 at 11:54 amWhat is really funny about this is that GM had a head start on electric cars. Then they forced California to drop the requirement that all car companies doing business in California sell a certain amount of electric cars. They got rid of all of those cars then Toyota came out with hybrids which are selling faster than they can produce them. Now Toyota is going to put out a plug-in hybrid that gets over 200 mpg for the first 100 miles you drive it every day. These will be the cars that sell in the near future and GM already had a head start in producing them but scratched the whole development program. Now they are way behind in a market that is quickly moving toward more efficient cleaner cars.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:54 am#17 LividLib:
He’s allready cold and limp but I’m right there with you on the “dead” part
December 21st, 2007 at 11:55 amI am in touch with Tesla, and will be getting an electric sedan in their first production run. Go Green!
December 21st, 2007 at 11:55 ambut it won’t happen without inspired and relentless leadership.
Comment by Keltoi — December 21, 2007 @ 11:49 am
Bravo, Keltoi, well spoken.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:57 amDid he meet the auto execs. in the men’s room stall? What’s Dick get out of this? If you want to sign the Wexler petition it’s past 123,000.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:57 amhttp://wexlerwantshearings.com/
the most absurd explanation given by the EPA to deny us (California) a waiver of EPA rules was that we didn’t have a compelling enough case to raise fuel standards.
california doesn’t have a compelling enough case?!
with bush/cheney, and their friends, there is nothing too absurd, ridiculous or pathetic.
December 21st, 2007 at 12:03 pm“Cheney Repeatedly Met With Auto Execs Before White House Killed California’s Emissions Law”
Daddy Warbucks Dick would sell his own family for a buck. Dick could give a rat’s ass about the EPA. Dick hearts Dick. Up all night watching the Dubai market channel on cable and wheeling and dealing in business deals during his daytime job. The tingling in his loins is all for the $.
December 21st, 2007 at 12:04 pmbut it’s okay because cheney saw his dad march with auto execs in the ’60s and ’70s.
December 21st, 2007 at 12:06 pmbut it’s okay because cheney saw his dad march with auto execs in the ’60s and ’70s.
Comment by cha cha cha — December 21, 2007 @ 12:06 pm
Heh. Pretty good.
December 21st, 2007 at 12:08 pmanti-Republicans is what they is-
December 21st, 2007 at 12:14 pmBig Auto Execs have a right to bribe, I mean meet with this administration. After all, they are republicans, who ship jobs overseas, I mean, innovate their companies too. The word of the day at the meeting was “Shipping” jobs overseas, I mean global trade. With leaders like them, why change? If they could serve a third term, we’d have a dicatorship, no jobs, no health care, a poisoned planet, a democracy, no freedom, and two of the best leaders to ever come down the pike. Hail to Dubya, the Great! May he reign forever as our glorious leader!
December 21st, 2007 at 12:14 pmthe most absurd explanation given by the EPA to deny us (California) a waiver of EPA rules was that we didn’t have a compelling enough case to raise fuel standards.
california doesn’t have a compelling enough case?!
with bush/cheney, and their friends, there is nothing too absurd, ridiculous or pathetic.
Comment by darladoon — December 21, 2007 @ 12:03 pm
—————
Well, not to give the trolls much needed food on this, but it is entirely within the rights of the Federal Government to prevent legislation that would hinder or restrict inter-state trade…
Although I have no earthly idea how the EPA is allowed to tell a state that they can’t toughen federal legislation…
December 21st, 2007 at 12:19 pmThe dark lord versus the governator. This is going to be good.
December 21st, 2007 at 12:21 pmThis kind of thing makes me hope that Karma exists.
December 21st, 2007 at 12:22 pmMeanwhile they’re killing the planet out of greed :(
Actually Dicky is enabling the US automakers to fall even further behind. Temporary road blocks won’t stop progress, and won’t abate the dust.
December 21st, 2007 at 12:29 pmPutin may become Gazprom chairman
Gazprom is the world’s largest gas producer and supplier of a quarter of Europe’s gas.
http://news.yahoo.com/ s/ nm/ 20071221/ ts_nm/ putin_gazprom_dc
This could give Dick Cheney ( and Big USA Oil ) another heart attack !
December 21st, 2007 at 12:29 pm#1 Blue Stater, you are absolutely right and they even know it. Looks like the next sales bonus is far more important than the longterm profit of the company.
Car makers are fully aware of the reason for their problems!
December 21st, 2007 at 12:29 pmAnd the real “ForTruth” has no space in the middle. Like the impersonator we have bee seeing.
December 21st, 2007 at 12:29 pmHere are the top ten recipients from Oil and Gas courtesy of Opensecrets.com. I am happy to note that McCain the only Repub I could vote FOR (as opposed to against Hillary) is halfway down the list and Obama is #10.
Obama-Richardson…what an awesome ticket that would make.
1
Giuliani, Rudolph W (R)
Pres
$545,058
2
Romney, Mitt (R)
Pres
$309,933
3
Cornyn, John (R-TX)
Senate
$244,280
4
Clinton, Hillary (D)
Pres
$220,550
5
McCain, John (R)
Pres
$189,935
6
Domenici, Pete V (R-NM)
Senate
$129,450
7
Richardson, Bill (D)
Pres
$126,600
8
Inhofe, James M (R-OK)
Senate
$118,000
9
Thompson, Fred (R)
Pres
$114,950
10
December 21st, 2007 at 12:31 pmObama, Barack (D)
Pres
$106,112
Dick Cheney is toxic to the future of this planet and this country.
JOIN WEXLER’S IMPEACHMENT PETITION TODAY!
http://www.wexlerwantshearings.com
December 21st, 2007 at 12:31 pmIt’s time for americans to boycott Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler. Buy foreign instead. These guys are not stewards of this planet and not working in the best interest of the people.
December 21st, 2007 at 12:33 pmI am in touch with Tesla, and will be getting an electric sedan in their first production run. Go Green!
Comment by RUCerious — December 21, 2007 @ 11:55 am
You must be doing pretty well for yourself, RUC! I looked at those, but $5000 just to get on the waiting list is a pretty penny. I am jealous, those things look bad ass!
December 21st, 2007 at 12:33 pmSince american car manufacturers are aware of the problems and, instead, lobby the criminal in the white house to accomplish their dirty deeds, no american needs their vehicles at this point. Boycott today.
December 21st, 2007 at 12:34 pmThe dark lord versus the governator. This is going to be good.
Comment by hellinabucket — December 21, 2007 @ 12:21 pm
It would be good but, alas, who will write it?
December 21st, 2007 at 12:38 pmOh oh, it is Cheney vs. Arnold! Who will win?
December 21st, 2007 at 12:38 pmComment by ry81 — December 21, 2007 @ 11:54 am
Good point. Though I would chracterize it as either sad or maddening before funny. If any of you haven’t seen the documentary “Who Killed the Electric Car?” go rent it. Very interesting (or maddening).
December 21st, 2007 at 12:47 pmI used to own a ‘85 Honda Civic CRX that got over 50mpg. No hybrid, nothing of the sort. Since then auto mfrs have increased the weight, added a ton of bells/whistles and bulked up the engines so now these #’s aren’t possible even with a hybrid. It’s sad to think that not only have they not advanced in over 20 years, they’ve gone backwards.
December 21st, 2007 at 1:09 pmI could have sworn the diesel Volkswagon Rabbit in the 70’s was getting close to 50 mpg.
December 21st, 2007 at 1:30 pm#6 Bilbo and #23 DutchHenry - like y’all I’m aghast that with $3 gasoline (and looking at Europe with over double that), the “big” automakers can’t seem to get the idea of using any sort of effort to change the system.
The only thing I can figure out is that they are so certain that their friends (or bought-out servants) will protect them no matter what.
Yet, when the sale of american-made autos drops, I have no problem predicting that they will be crying torrents of tears over the unfairness of it all.
December 21st, 2007 at 2:49 pmObama-Richardson…what an awesome ticket that would make.
Comment by Keltoi — December 21, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
I agree — even if they DID get some money from the oil crowd (though not anywhere near the amount Rudy got).
Of the top ten, seven are presidential candidates. I guess the oil guys are hedging their bets quite a bit by spreading their money around — fairly common with large contributors.
I also noticed that Edwards and Huckabee didn’t make the list…
December 21st, 2007 at 2:57 pmTesting
December 21st, 2007 at 2:57 pmF–k. These. Organized. Criminals.
Get your degenerate control OUT OF CALIFORNIA!!!
Get your degenerate control OUT OF CALIFORNIA!!!
Get your degenerate control OUT OF CALIFORNIA!!!
EPA invades our state’s rights!!!
Get your anti-science crony fallacious EPA out of our local state politics!!!!!!!! You big federal power-freaks!!!
EPA under Bush / Cheney is a farse!!! It’s the Enviroment Raping Orgy of Industry Profiteers Agency under Bush!!! Fox in the Henhouse!!!
Justice Department under Bush / Cheney is *farse*!!! Department of Puppet Attorney’s for the Admnistration under Bush!!!
Consumer protection under Bush / Cheney is a *farse*!!! Department of In Bed with the Industry Toy Makers look the other way to Lead Paint in Childrens Toys Department!!!
Clean Skies Act a *farse*!!! …
Clean Water Act a *farse*!!! …
Healthy Forests Act a *farse*!!! …
CIA under Bush / Cheney a *farse*!!! …
Voter Protection Department under Bush a *farse*!!! …
Workers Protection Agency under Bush a *farse*(coal-miners RIP)!!! …
State’s Rights under Bush / Cheney a *farse*!!! …
Etc. Etc. Etc….ad infinitum.
December 21st, 2007 at 2:58 pmMoney > Life.
December 21st, 2007 at 3:01 pmWhy does our vice president hate Americans?
December 21st, 2007 at 3:22 pmWhy does our vice president hate Americans?
Comment by Lynn Lightfoot — December 21, 2007 @ 3:22 pm
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He hates everyone.
December 21st, 2007 at 4:11 pmAs a car fan, I’ll say this- if GM kills the new Camaro because of emissions laws, I. Will. Be. Pissed. As much as I understand how global warming is a problem, I’d rather die than be forced to drive a Prius. Sorry.
December 21st, 2007 at 4:33 pmToo bad for Detroit’s auto makers particularly GM. The Japanese and South Koreans are making cars with better fuel mileage and less emissions and Americans are buying these cars. Toyota, Honda and Subaru are providing jobs for Americans by building these cars here. As a matter of fact, Toyota is the leading car manufacturer which pushed GM out of the way. Too bad and too sad for the Camaro dreamer @66. You’re just like boy Bush… it’s all about you. If you had any true sense of self worth, you wouldn’t need to car to determine the size of your johnson.
December 21st, 2007 at 4:41 pmIs he wearing Imus’s dumb hat?
December 21st, 2007 at 5:29 pmIs that Dick Cheney or J.R. Ewing?
Come to think of it, is there a difference?!
December 21st, 2007 at 6:57 pmI’d rather die than be forced to drive a Prius. Sorry.
Comment by ferrarimanf355 — December 21, 2007 @ 4:33 pm
Ok then. If everyone feels like you, you may get your wish.
December 21st, 2007 at 9:23 pm#67, #70-
I grew up idolizing fast cars. I don’t want that taken away from me and be forced to drive boring cars the rest of my life. And besides, if enviromentalists are preaching “reduce, reuse, recycle”, then isn’t restoring an old muscle car a perfect example of that?
December 24th, 2007 at 1:17 pm