Proving that the bureaucrats in Sacramento can take a problem and make it a full-blown crisis without even trying, there’s been considerable attention this week to everybody’s favorite Capital Creatures over at CARB and their new plan dubbed “Cool Cars.”

Naturally, I mean the California Air Resources Board (CARB), which seems to exist for the sole purpose of trying to enforce the plans, schemes and dreams of the radical environmental lobby.

Since the “Green Monster” of environmental excess holds massive sway in Sacramento, is it any surprise we have to watch our government so intensely when it tries to do the special interests’ bidding?  It’s all in the name of saving the planet, or so they claim, but this sad history provides all the answers we need about the Green lobby’s obsession with global warming and telling the rest of us how to live.

Unfortunately, they went way too far this time.

As is often the case, we have Rush Limbaugh to thank for shining the light of truth on a move by CARB mandating that all car windows in new cars sold in California beginning in 2012 be treated with a special metallic glazing that will in theory keep cars cooler, meaning that we will use less air conditioning, save more gasoline, reduce our carbon emissions, and there will be peace on Earth.  (OK, I made the last part up)

Incredibly, CARB even admits that this big new government mandate will both increase the cost of cars, and most importantly, it will also disrupt radio signals for your GPS units, cell phones, satellite radios, and other devices!

In addition to the obvious inconvenience issues, there are even more serious reasons every clear-thinking Californian should oppose this new regulation: It could endanger the lives of every passenger.

Think I’m exaggerating?  Our friend Jon Fleishman wrote an excellent review, including some reporting from The Detroit News:

"Some companies worry that the new requirements haven't been fully tested. In a Sept. 22 letter, Garmin International Inc., the California Manufacturers and Technology Association and the International Bridge, Tunnel & Turnpike Association warned that "more time was needed to assess the impact" of the rules.

They noted that "ankle bracelets for parolees," along with cell phone calls and laptops, "may be adversely affected by the metallic reflective standard" because the signals "must be able to penetrate the glazing in vehicles."

Garmin's initial testing said the signals from GPS devices were degraded."

And the momentum is increasing.  Former Congressman Bob Barr penned an op-ed for the Sacramento Bee that also hit one out of the park:

"The basis on which this regulatory agency is proposing to mandate the "cool" coatings may be laudable – reducing interior temperatures of vehicles so drivers would run their air conditioners less, which would reduce the fuel consumed, which would lower carbon emissions, which would lead to a reduction in greenhouse gasses. Serious questions about the validity of the "science" underlying such a linear argument already have been raised. Even leaving those concerns aside, the signal-interference problems resulting from the reflective coating could lead to serious questions of liability."

Yielding to obvious pressure (and we suppose common sense), CARB has now backpedaled and exempted plastic-window vehicles – including the Jeep Wrangler and Chrysler’s GEM electric car – from their regulations, and this spells trouble for the regulators. 

Earlier this spring, the board had to reverse its insane call for an end to dark-colored cars – which they cleverly called “Cool Paints”, and this shows us real proof that there is a way to make an impact in Sacramento if we fight with the facts and make enough noise.  Yes we can.