New fuel economy standards

This morning, the Obama administration (specifically the EPA and DoT) signed into effect new fuel efficiency standards for the American auto fleet. Grist provides a helpful fact sheet. As the article points out, this action will do more to reduce national GHG emissions than anything else the administration has done thusfar. Bravo.

Two things. One, I find it fascinating that the administration chose to juxtapose yesterday's politically gargantuan announcement about offshore drilling with today's much more hippie-friendly fuel regulations. It's like they're trying to make environmentalists dizzy. Either that or, more seriously, it's like they're approaching the greatest policy challenge of the century from a holistic and comprehensive perspective. Whether or not one agrees with the move to increase offshore drilling (and there are plenty of reasons not to), there is something to admire in President Obama's non-ideological approach. Critics on the left may complain about wasting time on bipartisanship, while congressional Republicans may continue with their blatant and repugnant obstructionism, but maybe after some more beating and bruising, the President will revive a once-vibrant political system where two parties can build new ideas for a new century.

Two, this is an important benchmark for the administration's approach to technology policy. As the President said in his announcement this morning:

"...at a time of historic crisis in our auto industry, this rule provides the clear certainty that will allow these companies to plan for a future in which they are building the cars of the 21st century."

Within this seemingly innocuous and obligatory rhetoric is an extremely encouraging indication of the President's view of regulation. It underscores a core progressive belief that government can guide ambitious and effective technological development in the private sector. This attitude will be essential in solving our climate-energy crisis, which at its base is a technological problem. Some may disagree, castigating our climate crisis as a result of wasteful American behavior being exported to other countries. I am not indifferent to their complaints, but I would challenge them to form a successful government strategy of finger-waving and admonishment when the alternative is a government that appeals to our better angels, that uses the merits of democracy and progressive governance to guide us to a society and an economy built on environmentally and socially conscious technology.