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ARLINGTON, Va. - The head of California's air pollution agency urged federal regulators yesterday to reverse a Bush-era decision that blocks the state from setting its own limits on greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles.

Mary Nichols, chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board, told a packed Environmental Protection Agency hearing just outside Washington that if the state is unable to control the gases blamed for global warming from cars and trucks, its other air pollution problems will get worse.

I really have no problem with this. The auto industry just won't sell their wares in California. It will be a nice quaint little state with horse drawn carriages. The "big three" need to tighten their belts and produce a lesser number of vehicles anyway so that demand catches up with supply before they can get back to a profitable nature. I'd like to see GM, Ford and Chrysler absolutely decimate their work staff so that the UAW is basically a non-entity. Then, the "big three" can start from scratch building a limited number of economical and stylish vehicles in limited quantity.

Eventually, demand will dictate profits and dealers won't be able to keep them on the lot. They can start their "do-over" by concentrating on specific markets (read: not California or any other "progressive nonsense" state that emerses themselves in junk science to feel better)

Were California to fall into the Pacific Ocean someday, I wouldn't lose sleep over it.

I'm guessing not...

BAGHDAD — Here's a bailout idea for the American auto industry: Send all those unwanted SUVs to Iraq.

Just as General Motors is halting production of the Hummer, and other sport-utility vehicles fall out of favor with cost-conscious and eco-friendly Americans, the gas-guzzling behemoths are experiencing a rebirth among young and wealthy Iraqis.

Dandy!...but I don't think the US Automaker's biggest contender in that arena will be happy...or undersold. Competition doesn't come from Japan, Korea, or any other organized car manufacturer. It comes from the "mob." It comes from sophisticated criminal enterprises that steal vehicles from Canada near port cities and ship them overseas to West Africa. Eventually, they end up all over the globe, but one of the major destinations of these jacked vehicles is, indeed, the Middle East.

If you live in Winnipeg and own a Jeep Grand Cherokee, you have a 1 in 8 chance of having it stolen.

Organized crime groups are believed to be more active in thefts there, thanks in part to readily accessible ports. Recovery rates are consequently lower. "Many of the luxury vehicles stolen each year by organized crime groups are destined for export," CISC said in a report. "The vehicles are largely destined for eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East, South America, the Caribbean, Africa and Southeast Asia." In other words, pretty much everywhere.

I'm guessing that Mohammad's Auto Bazaar has better prices.

The Super Bowl Commercial I'd like to see...

(Plain white stage setting)

"Hello…My name is Alan Mulally. I am the Chief Executive Officer of Ford Motor Company. In 1903, Henry Ford incorporated his company and we are still here 106 years later. Perhaps we are a little battered at the present. Just about every major company worldwide is weathering the current economic crisis as best they can. But, we are Ford Tough, and you can count on Ford Motor Company to be here a century down the road.

That…I promise you.

Our competitors are more than willing to accept a government issued “bail out” to cover for their mistakes, and the unpredictability of today’s market. That’s not how Henry Ford would have done business back at the turn of the century. That’s not how we’re going to do business now.

We would prefer to earn your patronage, and allow you the choice of whether you contribute your hard earned money to Ford. Your money is only good to us when we know you get something in return; something you want. That is the philosophy that started this great company all those years ago, and we see no reason to change it now.

Ford Motor Company has chosen to take a pass on this gift from our government; this gift offered without input from any of our customers. Instead, we have chosen to earn your support by concentrating on making vehicles that you desire, can afford, and best fit your needs.

Some of you require rugged pick-ups. We have them. Some of you are more inclined to drive something a bit more stylish. We have those, too. And, as the growing trend continues for more environmentally friendly vehicles, so have our efforts to make these type vehicles available to you. The concept is simple. We will pay more attention to what you want, and do our best to make those choices available to you at an affordable price. Your job is to show us how much you appreciate our efforts.

What we won’t do is take your money and give you nothing for it. We’ll let General Motors and Chrysler do that."

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Related: "Ford Has Its Worst Year Ever but Won’t Ask for Aid"