Readers React: Trump’s targeting of California’s fuel standards violates the GOP’s stance on states’ rights

To the editor: The most fundamental right and, indeed, obligation that a state has is to protect the health and welfare of its citizens. Therefore, no state should be compelled by the federal government to accept motor vehicle standards that endanger the health of the state’s residents by allowing increased emissions that have been proven to be harmful to humans. (“Trump EPA’s fuel economy plan could have far-reaching consequences for climate and clean air,” May 3)

It’s utterly hypocritical that staunch states’-rights Republicans are now against this most basic right of the states.

John Rossmann, Tustin

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To the editor: Imposing mileage standards is an unnecessary, knee-jerk reaction to climate change that ignores our history of technical progress.

No government required TVs to expand to today’s wall-covering sizes. No government insisted that computers or smartphones had to be developed. Industry does just fine with technical innovation because companies that cannot make a better product are swallowed by those that do.

In my lifetime, automobiles have evolved from inefficient clunkers to cars that get 30 miles per gallon and more, mostly because they had to to survive in the marketplace. Forcing deadlines means attention to costs must be sacrificed, and those costs then must be absorbed by the buyer.

The marketplace does and will continue to offer more fuel-efficient vehicles without the heavy hand of government.

Don Tonty, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Why, Mr. President, why?

Why would you want to weaken the standing of the American auto industry and degrade our air? Don’t tell me that it will result in safer vehicles to get us around. If you were really interested in transportation safety, you would encourage drivers to get off the road and embrace public transportation.

If you think you’ll get me stumped by pointing out the deficiencies of our current public transportation system, well, you’ve just identified where you should focus some attention.

Daniel Weiser, Rancho Cucamonga

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To the editor: There are definitely meaningful things that we in California can do to lessen the fallout of the Environmental Protection Agency’s actions. We can buy smaller cars. There are many available, both used and new, and they use much less fuel than the “gas guzzlers.”

Our legislators can increase the cost to register sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks and other overlarge vehicles. If a person feels he or she really wants or needs an enormous vehicle, then that person should have to pay for the cost of overusing gasoline and taking up so much space on our roads.

Maxine Van Voorst-Potter, Pasadena

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