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September 20, 2006
California to Shake Down Auto Industry in Name of Global Warming
Remember when greedy lawyers managed to sue Dow Corning out of existence, throwing who knows how many people out of work, on the basis of completely unsubstantiated allegations that their breast implants were harmful to women's health? A similar scheme has been initiated in California, motivated by not only greed, but moonbattery. The target: the auto industry.
California is suing six major automakers for causing global warming. This may not pass the laugh test, but that doesn't mean it won't fly in the land of fruits and nuts. The state is demanding "tens or hundreds of millions of dollars," a cost that would be passed along to consumers by those car manufacturers that aren't driven out of business.
The auto industry regards this as a "nuisance" suit, but it should be remembered that the lawsuits brought against tobacco companies were considered nuisance suits too, until pathologically greedy lawyers saw that they could loot these companies for billions by jury shopping.
According to the suit, car manufacturers have caused grievous injuries, costing untold fortunes
including millions of dollars of funds expended to determine the extent, location and nature of future harm and to prepare for and mitigate those harms, and billions of dollars of current harm to the value of flood control infrastructure and natural resources.
In other words, millions of dollars to pay moonbats to dream up imaginary damages are to be paid by car makers, with the cost passed along to us. How my Mazda caused harm to "the value of flood control infrastructure" might be a good subject for Al Gore's next feature.
This frightening suit is being pushed by Attorney General Bill Lockyer, who is running for state treasurer as a Democrat. It could certainly fill the state's coffers for him — provided it doesn't snowball into something that causes economic collapse. David Cole of the Center for Automotive Research doesn't need a crystal ball to predict that other states will hungrily pile on if California gets anywhere with the suit.
Lockyer bellows that car manufacturers are a public nuisance for having produced "millions of vehicles that collectively emit massive quantities of carbon dioxide." He doesn't bother to explain how we're supposed to get to work without them. Too bad we can't sue avaricious bureaucrats for collectively emitting massive quantities of politically correct moonbattery that stand to cripple our economy.
On a tip from Metalgarth.
Posted by Van Helsing at September 20, 2006 9:03 PM
Comments
So does this mean that if California is successful in its suit, it will return all of the gasoline taxes it pocketed over the same period?
I didn't think so. A "heads I win, tails you lose" proposition.
Posted by: Occam's Beard at September 20, 2006 10:05 PM
Modern taxation and lawsuits remind me of an old Monty Python routine where they show a guy standing in the middle of the street who says, "I think there should be a tax (or lawsuit against) on all people standing in the middle of the street."
He pauses, looks arounds, realizes he is standing in the middle of a street gives a disappointed look and says.... "oooooh".
Unfortunately today's Moonbat (or liberal politician) is not half as perceptive as the guy in the Monty Python sketch.
At this rate, the U.S. is either going to a) Tax itself out of existance or b) Sue itself out of existance.
Get your canned goods and shotguns while you still can.
Posted by: Anonymous at September 21, 2006 8:58 AM
You know what the automakers shoud do?
Pull out of California.
Close all dealerships. Ban holders of CA drivers licences from buying cars. Refuse to send replacement parts to CA auto repair shops. Wash their hands of the whole situation. Then we'll see how many lawsuits are filed.
Posted by: Number 2 at September 21, 2006 11:15 AM
"The only things left after WWIII will be roaches and lawyers."
-Ask Anybody
Posted by: White Cane at September 21, 2006 12:45 PM
Just for the sake of clarity, the "anonymous" comments above are mine.
Posted by: Metalgarth at September 21, 2006 2:06 PM
Title II of the Clean Air Act, as amended 1990, titled "Mobile Sources," arguably prevents any such lawsuit, since the air emission standards were set for continued use of the automobile thereunder. Can you say "federal preemption"? Sure you can.
monsoon
Posted by: monsoon at September 21, 2006 5:10 PM
Monsson,
Your post is interesting but I'm gonna have to go with Number 2's idea. A big "Hey Cali, F you"! No cars for you! Suck on it and walk to the beach you plastic libtards!
Posted by: Ken at September 22, 2006 8:33 PM
