Obama (trying to replicate FDR in) attacking economy

Of course, you have the "at-best-treading-water" aspects of the bailout.

Now, you have Obama imposing costly regulations on consumers and a weakened domestic auto industry-- during a recession (about which he professes tremendous concern)-- for probably quixotic attempts to stop global warming and modest improvements in reducing "energy dependence"...

From the AP (hat tip: C-J):

President Barack Obama opened an ambitious, double-barreled assault on global warming and U.S. energy woes Monday, moving quickly toward rules requiring cleaner-running cars that guzzle less gas — a must, he said, for "our security, our economy and our planet."

...he ordered new federal rules directing automakers to start making more fuel-efficient cars as required by law.

The auto industry responded warily. Reducing planet-warming emissions is a great idea, carmakers and dealers said, but they expressed deep concern about costly regulations and conflicting state and federal rules at a time when people already are not buying cars. U.S. auto sales plunged 18 percent in 2008.

And industry analysts said the changes could cost consumers thousands of dollars — for smaller, "greener" cars....

The new president also said his administration would issue new fuel-efficiency requirements to cover 2011 model year vehicles.

Obama acknowledged the worries of automakers but said urgent action was needed nonetheless. He said, "Our goal is not to further burden an already struggling industry. It is to help America's automakers prepare for the future."

Nice goal. But what will the effect be?

Obama also meant to set a tone with his promises: Science will trump ideology and special interests, attention will stay high even when gas prices fall.

"Science will trump ideology"? More on that soon-- with a flurry of posts on global warming, etc.