January 10, 2007, California Uber Alles
We'll let the Dead Kennedy tune referred to in the post heading be our segue to Kennedy in-law and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's announcement that California will, on its own, reduce greenhouse gases emitted from vehicles in the state, by law. While the United States as a whole, the world's largest economy and by far largest emitter of greenhouse gases leading to catastrophic climate change (the three c's, or some variation, will have to become the term of art, as "global warming" has an unfortunate positive connotation that does not befit drought, ecosystem collapse, devastating summer heat, crop failure, increased hurricane and other extreme weather event, and the eventual and certain collapse of civilization) dithers not merely on ratifying Kyoto but on taking any positive (or even non-destructive) action at all... it seems that the world's eighth largest economy, the State of California, is going to take positive action on its own.
Arnold, of course, helped reelect the President with a rousing convention speech and other efforts in 2004 (and he is, of course, a Republican). As such, he will probably spend eternity in hell has much to make amends for... but this initiative, coupled with also taking on universal health care in his state, once and for all, may well go a long way toward making those amends.
The Governator, even after his latest physical mishap, is still kicking ass and taking names, by singlehandedly adopting the agenda that should be the centerpiece of Democratic governance. Let's just say that Democrats are somewhat fortunate that he is Constitutionally (big c) ineligible to run for President in 2008.