Joel Gordes, whom I know of through NESEA, says that if taxpayers are going to give $34 billion to bail out the Big 3 US automakers, one of the conditions should be that they must stop pursuing their selfish lawsuits against state regulations on greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles.

Thirteen states, led by California and including most of the Northeast, have acted to regulate these emissions because the federal government abdicated its responsibility in this area.

Though we can fairly expect federal inaction to end in the Obama era, it still makes no sense that taxpayers should, in effect, subsidize lawsuits against taxpayer interests.

Gordes urges taxpayers to contact their representatives to include this requirement in the bailout package. It is due for action this week. I've contacted mine.