1. The dept. of transportation has set fuel efficiency limits for SUVs and light trucks! This isn't exactly unexpected - with gas prices high and expected to stay high, it was inevitable that this loophole would be closed. Still, it's surprising to see the anti-environmentalist, pathologically stubborn Bush administration be the one to do it.
The new rules require that SUVs increase their mileage by an average of 11 percent over the next five years - not enough, of course, but probably the most that could be done without hurting the flailing American auto industry. The disgustingly huge inefficient Hummer H2, for example, will have to boost its mileage from 13.8 to 22 mpg. That may not be enough to satisfy environmental groups (nor me), but it's an important first step.
Looks like Americans won't have the God-given right to drive big aggressive gas-guzzling cars til judgement day after all...ain't that a shame.
2. This Washington Post column describes how the Democrats are dealing with Republican weakness. The midterm elections approaching, and Republicans are reeling from their blunders in Iraq, infighting over the Dubai ports deal, massive wasteful spending, and rampant corruption. Some have suggested that the Democrats roll out a specific platform, a la the Republicans' 1994 "Contract With America." But so far the Dems have been content to let the GOP self-destruct for a while, and I think that's a smart plan for two reasons. First, rolling out a Democratic platform would take attention away from Republican failures - why take the spotlight off the GOP when they're on a (downward) roll? Second, a Democratic platform would give the Republicans time to come up with counter-strategies and negative attacks. Dems should play it cool for now, I say, and get their platform ready.
Note: this does not contradict my position that the Democrats need a long-term strategy - i.e., to define what they do and don't stand for in the public consciousness. That strategy is still the most important thing for the Democrats' long-term future. The suggestion that they play it cool for the next one or two months is a matter of short-term tactics.
3. Palestinians are both afraid and enraged over the victory of the unilateralist Kadima party in Israeli elections. Why the fear? According to the article,
[Kadima's] leader, Ehud Olmert, wants to abandon Jewish settlements in the centre of the occupied West Bank. But Israel would consolidate its hold on the main settlement blocs. It would also hold on to occupied East Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley. Palestinians would be confined to areas in the middle of the territory. They say they would be stripped of some of their best land and water resources. They would not have the capital they want, and they would have no control over their borders and their routes to the outside world. They argue that they would never be able to create a viable state out of the land that Mr. Olmert would leave them.
But Palestinians have never been content to simply display their plight to the international community; any admission of fear must be accompanied by a display of chest-thumping rage.
[T]he Hamas militant group, which has just taken control of the Palestinian government, has absolutely no plans to engage with Mr Olmert. It considers not only the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza as occupied Palestinian territory - but the whole of Israel too...Hamas' overall leader, Khaled Meshaal, condemned what he says is the Israeli consensus against withdrawing from the West Bank and East Jerusalem and recognising the right of Palestinians to return to their homes in what is now Israel. "The Zionist position," he said, "be it that of Kadima or others, is one that buries the peace process, negates its existence and does not give it a chance. "That position is a declaration of war against the Palestinian people," Mr Meshaal said.
The Palestinians, be they Fatah or Hamas, have basically the same problem as the Bush administration - they need help from the international community, but they are pathologically averse to showing any weakness at all. It's always "Look at their human rights abuses, look how we're suffering and desperate," immediately followed by "We'll unleash a wave of fire and drive the Zionists howling into the sea."
Sigh. You'd think a people in the Palestinians' position would have no trouble winning the hearts of the world. If only they knew how to curb their tempers.
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