So let's see...

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That's pretty funny for a guy who makes his living servicing a product that was invented, and to this day is refined, in the area you'd like to send into the Pacific.

California is the single largest consumer market in the US, and the largest state for automobile sales. If you think auto manufacturers are going to shrug off CA, you're on crack. The void would be filled very quickly by a company producing an environmentally friendly product (take a look at Honda sales in the state).

The simple fact is that Lockyer feels he can do this because he has teh support of the populace that lives here. Politicians may seem whacky some times, but they ALWAYS do things that their internal polling and focus groups tells them will get them votes.

Yeah, I know, but it's actually a nice thought. You'd have to get everyone on the bandwagon tho - not just the six at issue.

Politicians (pretty much anyone in any elected position of government) are all whores, once you think about it. They're not doing what's right - they're just "playing the game" so they can get re-elected. I am minded of a quote by Harry S. Truman who, when asked why he went into politics, said "It was either that, or play piano in a whorehouse. I didn't see much of a difference between the two." Makes me want to buy pianos for Washington and Sacramento, and chain all the "elected pipples" to them...

The other problem with politicians (and the one that gets us all in trouble...) is that they seem to always think water will run uphill and never run out, and that one egg can always be counted as two. Thus - idiotic ideas like this. The automakers aren't going to end up paying for all of this - we are. What the Hell is he thinking? Might as well just pass another tax - at least the money won't be going through a middleman...

Now, if he were to bring a personal suit against the execs, we're a little less likely to end up paying for it in increased prices, but I think that would get passed along as well (being a pessimist is more rewarding than being an optimist - a pessimist is correct rather more often.)

No, this is just another political idea to make mileage in the next election. Doesn't mean anything, won't do anything, won't change anything. Somehow, the words "Negative Utopia" spring to mind...

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