Democrats suing car companies for global warming.

Stylerod · 09-20-2006, 03:15 PM

Amazing.... I guess suing farmers because their cattle fart will be next. The cost of doing business in CA just keeps getting higher.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California filed a global warming lawsuit on Wednesday against Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp., Toyota Motor Corp. and three other automakers, charging that greenhouse gases from their vehicles have cost the state millions of dollars.

State Attorney General Bill Lockyer said the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Northern California was the first of its kind to seek to hold manufacturers liable for the damages caused by their vehicles' emissions.

The lawsuit also names Chrysler Motors Corp., the U.S. arm of Germany's DaimlerChrysler, and the North American units of Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd..

It also charges that vehicle emissions have contributed significantly to global warming and harmed the resources, infrastructure and environmental health of the most populous state in the United States.

Lockyer, a Democrat, said the complaint states that under federal and state common law the automakers have created a public nuisance by producing "millions of vehicles that collectively emit massive quantities of carbon dioxide."
Carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases have been linked to global warming.

The lawsuit comes after California passed legislation supported by Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that requires the state to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by 25 percent by 2020. California was the first state to mandate reduction of greenhouse gases.

California has also issued rules to force automakers to cut tailpipe emissions from cars and trucks. Enforcement of those rules is being delayed by litigation from automakers.

Phantom · 09-20-2006, 03:21 PM

It would be funny if they all decided to abruptly stop selling cars in cali

beez · 09-20-2006, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by Phantom

It would be funny if they all decided to abruptly stop selling cars in cali

I don't think they'll make up the difference that they'll need to pay off the settlement/judgement by selling elsewhere.

6SpeedTA95 · 09-20-2006, 03:25 PM

California wonders why employers are fleeing their state in droves.

Ardentfrost · 09-20-2006, 03:27 PM

Oh wow... I wonder if Honda and Nissan will pull plants from CA in response (if the lawsuits go through). That would crack me up because it would just fuck CA even more.

WickedLou9 · 09-20-2006, 08:06 PM

That is the stupidest lawsuit I have ever heard. They should penalize california with a frivolus lawsuit fine.

6SpeedTA95 · 09-20-2006, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by Ardentfrost

Oh wow... I wonder if Honda and Nissan will pull plants from CA in response (if the lawsuits go through). That would crack me up because it would just fuck CA even more.

They need to.

WickedLou9 · 09-20-2006, 09:41 PM

Does Honda have any plants in CA? I thought they were in Ohio and Kentucky or something

Ardentfrost · 09-20-2006, 10:12 PM

I know that all American car companies have plants in each of the 50 states so that if anything happens, people from every state complain.

I assumed foreign car companies would do the same thing, but I'm not sure.

6SpeedTA95 · 09-20-2006, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by Ardentfrost

I know that all American car companies have plants in each of the 50 states so that if anything happens, people from every state complain.

I assumed foreign car companies would do the same thing, but I'm not sure.

Umm no they dont...and the foreign companies definately dont. They may have offices, but an office is not a plant.

Ardentfrost · 09-20-2006, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

Umm no they dont...and the foreign companies definately dont. They may have offices, but an office is not a plant.

Hmm.. I read that somewhere. I'll have to go look it up again

Ardentfrost · 09-20-2006, 10:21 PM

Oops, that was Boeing in order to maintain their defense contracts (if they get cancelled, people in every state loses jobs)

6SpeedTA95 · 09-20-2006, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by Ardentfrost

Oops, that was Boeing in order to maintain their defense contracts (if they get cancelled, people in every state loses jobs)

Does boeing have plants in the Dakotas?

Thorgrim · 09-20-2006, 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

California wonders why employers are fleeing their state in droves.

5th largest economy in the world doesn't seem to be collapsing economically...

Ardentfrost · 09-20-2006, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

Does boeing have plants in the Dakotas?

See, I wondered Hawii and Alaska first... and you wonder about Dakotas?

I can only tell you what I read. I'll try to find a good article... looking for the automobile proof, I ran across it mentioned, but I'll see what I can find.

6SpeedTA95 · 09-20-2006, 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

5th largest economy in the world doesn't seem to be collapsing economically...

I didn't say it was collapsing, is said employers were leaving the state like crazy. thats changed some since gray dufas was voted out, but its still pretty bad.

Ardentfrost · 09-20-2006, 10:29 PM

Here you go 6speed, straight from boeing's site...

Each day, parts and subassemblies come to the plant from all over the globe. More than a thousand suppliers ship components by truck, rail, air and ship from throughout the world and all 50 states.

Boeing: Commercial Airplanes - Major Production Facilities Home

Thorgrim · 09-20-2006, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

I didn't say it was collapsing, is said employers were leaving the state like crazy. thats changed some since gray dufas was voted out, but its still pretty bad.

It was over-crowded so people left...that happens...I still think they are fine economically...I'll believe its "pretty bad" when they stop dominating the US economy

Ardentfrost · 09-20-2006, 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

It was over-crowded so people left...that happens...I still think they are fine economically...I'll believe its "pretty bad" when they stop dominating the US economy

I dunno dude... they have 12% of the entire US's population in CA. It's rather unfair to rate them just on GDP.

They are 12th in per capita income in the US (or were in 2003). If they were so good, they'd be #1, right?

6SpeedTA95 · 09-20-2006, 10:37 PM

https://www.dnb.com/newsview/0197econ2.htm

California shines in high tech / Report shows state leads nation in venture capital and high-tech exports

Bay Area Economic Forum Report: California Risks Losing One Million Manufacturing Jobs Unless State Lawmakers and Manufacturers Make Changes Business Wire - Find Articles

Study: California job loss could accelerate swiftly - Sacramento Business Journal:

KGET TV 17 - In the Spirit of the Golden Empire - California Losing to Competition?

And this isn't a new phenomenon
Bestselling author Michael Fumento reports: "California's Losing Tax Battle."

Company Relocations and Southern California Job Loss

Reasons for this include poor education
California Losing Ground on National Indicators of Children's Well-being