President Donald Trump
A lot of people here in Michigan think it's great that came to Ypsilanti to announce plans to re-examine federal requirements governing the fuel efficiency of cars and trucks.
.But not everyone is blindly applauding.
John Gallagher of the Free Press writes:
Don't do it, Donald.
President Trump came to metro Detroit Wednesday to begin the process of rolling back tough fuel economy standards set to kick in in the years up to 2025. Rolling back those demanding standards marks a big policy mistake on the president's part, however much it may please Detroit's automotive executives who have been pleading for relief from the higher miles-per-gallon requirements.
It's a mistake on two fronts. First, those tougher fuel economy standards would reduce the looming threat of global warming by reducing the volume of heat-trapping gases emitted from tailpipes. Trump's goal of relaxing the requirements means more carbon in the atmosphere, hastening the day of rising temperatures and other worrisome impacts.
And, second, those tough fuel economy standards stand as a marker of the sort of innovation we need to see more of in the Michigan economy. If Ford, General Motors and Chrysler can meet the higher requirements, it would signify that Michigan stands second to none int its ability and commitment to technological excellence. Rolling back the standards signals that profits today are more important than progress tomorrow.
