Let's see, raising auto mileage standards would mean that the cars sold in the United States use less gasoline for each mile driven. Unless the savings on gas causes people to increase their driving enough to offset the improved mileage (pretty unlikely), then higher auto mileage standards will reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the auto sector. Unless this action spontaneously causes an increase in emissions from some other sector (also pretty unlikely) then we can say that mileage standards will reduce overall emissions of carbon dioxide. I don't think anyone still disputes the link between carbon dioxide emissions and global warming, so then why does the NYT tell us that it is just liberals that think that mileage standards will "combat global warming?" Clearly there can be differences about whether higher mileage standards are the best mechanism to combat global warming, but there is no serious dispute that they can slow global warming if implemented.
--Dean Baker
