Enemy of the State

From the Seattle P-I:

With the minivan, SUV and muscle-car fads, the U.S. auto profits bloated like Barry Bonds. Building small cars was for foreigners.

Then there's the "Pogo" cartoon line of a generation ago, said of environmental culprits but applicable in identifying fuel wastrels: "We have met the enemy and he is us." Consumers bought tank-like cars. Seattle, boastful about conservation, let St. Louis, Salt Lake City and Sacramento figure out rail.

In the 1970s oil scares, leaders showed intelligence absent today. But much of what President Richard Nixon instituted, including the 55 mph speed limit, was dropped. President Carter's conservation call became a joke.

If serious, Congress could start by looking to the states, local governments and the public for productive discussions. There's a lot happening along bike trails and in businesses, city halls and farmers markets (local foods saves on transportation fuel).

In Washington state, lawmakers enacted modest biofuels legislation that will help farmers, urban drivers and the environment. Consider, too, the potential for House Republican Minority Leader Doug Erickson's idea of using tax credits to help drivers of the oldest, most polluting cars trade up to newer, lower-emission vehicles. Tweaked to encourage fuel economy as well as clean air, as Erickson plans, the bill ought to zoom through the next Legislature.

Erickson said he is hearing more from Republicans nationally about the need for tougher fuel efficiency standards for vehicles. After resisting good sense for so long, Americans have little prospect for quick solutions. Although today's gas price hikes could ease at any time, future price jumps will be worse. National security, the environment and people's finances depend on preparing realistically.