A 40 % reduction in auto emissions good - offshore drilling bad

From today's NYTimes:Obama Oil Drilling Plan Draws Critics

By JOHN M. BRODER

WASHINGTON -President Obama's proposal to open vast expanses of American coastlines to oil and natural gas drilling drew criticism from both sides in the drilling debate.

The plan, which Mr. Obama said would balance the need to produce more domestic energy while protecting natural resources, would allow drilling along the Atlantic coastline, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the north coast of Alaska. It would end a longstanding moratorium on exploration from the northern tip of Delaware to the central coast of Florida, covering 167 million acres of ocean.

"Drilling our coasts will doing nothing to lower gas prices or create energy independence," Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, said in a statement. It will only jeopardize beaches, marine life, and coastal tourist economies, all so the oil industry can make a short-term profit."

On the other hand, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell called Mr. Obama's proposal "a step in the right direction, but a small one that leaves enormous amounts of American energy off limits."

I won't try to defend Obama's action in agreeing to more offshore drilling, it can't be defended even by the fact of a comatose electorate,  but I offer up the initiative of forcing auto manufacturers to bring greater efficiency, greater mileage to the internal combustion engine. This way, the latest Obama thread starts out, at least, with the good alongside the bad... although I'm sure it's destined to go elsewhere, directly.  :)

But if you check out the Times illustrattions, you'll see the U.S. is only beginning to catch up to Canada's offshore drilling on the eastern seaboard. Don't want to appear a sanctimonious Canuck here.