Trump and Republicans are targeting blue states’ climate policies

The Washington Post ^ | May 22, 2025 | Maxine Joselow

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Thursday’s Senate vote to block California’s ban on sales of gas cars is the latest GOP effort to stop state climate policies.

The Senate voted Thursday to block California from enforcing a rule that would ban sales of new gasoline-powered cars in the state by 2035, a move that could have far-reaching implications for auto sales in a dozen states.

The vote marks Republicans’ latest effort to curtail state-level efforts to tackle climate change, even as President Donald Trump and congressional leaders have empowered states to set their own education policies and abortion laws.

This month, the Justice Department sued New York and Vermont over their “climate Superfund laws,” which seek billions of dollars from oil companies to help cover the costs of coping with climate disasters. Last month, the Justice Department also brought unusual lawsuits against Michigan and Hawaii over their plans to take legal action against fossil fuel firms. And in February, the Transportation Department revoked its approval of New York’s congestion pricing program that charges drivers who enter Lower and Midtown Manhattan during peak hours.

“The Republican Party is not content to strip the federal government of any meaningful authority to deal with climate change, but now, they’re going after the states that are trying to fill some of the gaps,” said Pat Parenteau, an emeritus professor and senior fellow for climate policy at Vermont Law School.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in an email that the GOP “is right to ensure that Americans in both red and blue states are not beholden to state overreach that stifles American energy.”

“The left’s radical climate agenda has gone beyond constitutional and statutory authorities,” she added.

[Williams]

As well they should. Things like bands on fracking and oil drilling are ultimately economical and National Security threats. I don’t think this bill goes that far to protect us but at least they are trying to do away with laws that eliminate gasoline engines.
I only wish the average person understood how dangerous Democrat politicians have become. In many of these states they have outlawed everything from Cars to lawn mowers and leaf blowers.

[albie]

Good! Libs will go nuts but when aren’t they going nuts?!

[DIRTYSECRET]

The right ones are going nuts. Climate? Die on it.

[Ronaldus Magnus III]

Trump and Republicans are targeting blue states’ climate policies

Trump and Republicans are applying common sense and real, authentic science for America's climate policies

There, fixed it.

[cuban leaf]

And that is one of the reasons we voted for him!

All this winning is getting exhausting!

[Gen.Blather]

My low end renters are the salt of the Earth. They can probably tell who the president is, but not the governor. I tried explaining how various local initiatives would increase their rent. The sewer and garbage proposals pro.ise not to increase home owner taxes. That’s because commercial taxes pay for it. They’re living on commercial property. I might as well explain it to my cat.

[Jim Noble]

A State having a “climate policy” is performative, frankly ridiculous, and because it would have no substantive effect (how could it), would undoubtedly be prone to corruption.

[adorno]

The vote marks Republicans’ latest effort to curtail state-level efforts to tackle climate change, even as President Donald Trump and congressional leaders have empowered states to set their own education policies and abortion laws.

Somebody is trying to equate climate-change policy with education policy. The argument does not compute.

The decisions by democrats to stop ICE vehicles from being sold, affects the entire country's commerce/businesses. Education is a matter for local/state control, and what happens locally with education does not affect the whole country.

The federal government is charged with regulation of commerce and not each state or group of states. What one state does to affect any industry, ends up affecting the entire industry nationwide. Mandating only electric cars, affects the sales of the entire automobile industry, not just the cars sold in California or any other individual state.

If shipping were to be an industry which can be regulated by California because of local politics, the whole country would be affected. Same with the auto industry.

[gibsonguy]

“Targeting”

[Vaduz]

California is as useless as a mule with a tail at both ends.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

"Thursday’s Senate vote to block California’s ban on sales of gas cars is the latest GOP effort to stop state climate policies."

NO! The Senate voted to restore sanity and give consumer's FREEDOM of choice. It voted to take the heavy boot of marxism off citizen throats.

Now if only there was a way to stop Newsom from forcing all the refineries out of California.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“I only wish the average person understood how dangerous Democrat politicians have become.”

No kidding. November 2024: Trump 77.3 million votes versus Harris 75.0 million votes.

That’s a squeaker in my book and that was President Trump running against the worst candidate in at least 100 years, maybe in the entire history of the Republic. Those 75.0 million would vote for Mao if they had a chance.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

It all started in 1967 under this disastrous ruling...

California was granted the authority to set its own automotive emission standards in 1967 under the federal Air Quality Act. This allowed California to seek waivers from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement stricter vehicle emission rules than federal standards, due to the state’s severe air pollution issues, particularly in Los Angeles. The provision was later incorporated into the Clean Air Act of 1970, which formalized California’s ability to request waivers for its standards, provided they were at least as protective as federal regulations.

[CIB-173RDABN]

The Constitution commerce clause comes into play here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wickard_v._Filburn

My interpretation of the ruling (from a non-lawyer point of view is the Federal Government can overrule a state law. California’s ban on gas power automobiles can be blocked.

It would be interesting to see how the Court rules on this.

[wetgundog]

Street vendors serving squab on a stick. (Flying Rats on a stick)

[wetgundog]

Oops! wrong post.

[Amendment10]

Thank you for referencing that article E. Pluribus Unum.

"Trump and Republicans are targeting blue states’ [junk science, taxpayer oppressing] climate policies"

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There! Fixed it.