President Barack Obama Jan. 26 directed the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider the Bush administration decision that prevented California and 17 other states from setting their own, stricter limits on auto emissions. Obama also directed his administration to move forward on tougher fuel-efficiency guidelines for the auto industry in time to cover 2011 model-year cars.

"For the sake of our security, our economy and our planet, we must have the courage and commitment to change," Obama said in a White House press conference announcing the moves. "It will be the policy of my administration to reverse our dependence on foreign oil while building a new energy economy that will create millions of jobs." (LAT, Jan. 26)

Even if he feels compelled to put it in slightly xenophobic terms (after all, the problem isn't foreign oil but oil)—could this be the USA's first blow against petro-oligarchical rule?

See our last post on the global climate crisis.