Smart bombs: The hot-air solution

The same day that his NASA chief said it was “arrogant” for people to decide what kind of climate we should have, President Bush announced a plan to make sure it isn’t the kind that melts arctic ice and swamps coastal cities. His plan? Let’s have meetings to set goals! It doesn’t take much imagination to see how that will go over at the G8 summit of industrialized nations in Germany next week.

Germany: “We already have goals. We adopted them back when you weren’t sure this was a problem. Just accept ours, and let’s move on to solutions, such as mandates on polluting industries, carbon taxes and cap-and-trade schemes.”

U.S.: “Off the table. Let’s talk about goals.”

France: “Let’s talk about how to achieve goals. If those solutions are off the table, how do you propose doing that?”

U.S.: “We’ll have meetings.”

Japan: “When?”

U.S.: “Right after we agree on the goals. How’s your February in 2009 looking?”

Protectionism ahead. There are three chief reasons for considering a hybrid vehicle: global warming, gasoline prices and dependence on foreign oil. But the biggest obstacle is price. You can expect to pay thousands of dollars above a similar model with an internal combustion engine and you may never recoup the difference at the pump. That’s why tax credits that bridge the price gap between hybrids and conventional cars were begun in January 2006.

But in a nod to the Big Three automakers, which are behind on hybrid technology, Congress affixed limits. The full tax credit is available to the first 60,000 buyers of a particular automaker’s hybrid fleet. After that, the amount of the tax credit drops. Toyota has long since passed that benchmark, so current buyers get only a $787 credit, down from the full credit of $3,150. In September, the tax credit will be eliminated.

Meanwhile, the feds want to pour ridiculous sums into corn ethanol. As an alternative fuel source that alleviates the effects of global warming, it will have a dismal return on our investment. The feds also put a hefty tariff on cheaper and more efficient sugar-based ethanol from South America.

Guess we have to protect industries before protecting the planet.

Save the planet? Optional. Let’s say Congress fails to renew the tax credit. Does that mean hybrids are out of reach? That depends on whether you consider the hybrid technology to be an option or something that should pay for itself.

Many car buyers barely flinch when adding option packages, and few of them consider whether they’ll get their money back on an upgraded stereo system or sunroof. But add a hybrid engine to the equation and they whip out calculators.

The hybrid price gap would be narrowed if buyers skipped options, but apparently the prospect of spewing fewer emissions and burning less gasoline doesn’t pack the visceral punch of heated leather seats.