Obama flexes his "green" muscles.(Inside Track)(president Barack Obama)

When George W. Bush was president, the administration prevented California and 12 other states from issuing stricter fuel-emission standards for automobiles than the national level. On January 26, President Barack Obama reversed that policy by issuing an executive order allowing states to impose standards stricter than the current federal standards (something the states could constitutionally do under the principle of federalism, assuming it was legal under their own constitutions). But Obama did not stop there; he also issued an order for federal regulators to review and come up with stricter federal standards including limits on greenhouse gas emissions. So much for federalism!

These executive orders were embraced by the environmental lobby as well as by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who enthused: "Now California finally has a partner and ally in the White House.... Promises were made by President Obama, and promises were kept."

Perhaps the biggest fan of Obama's actions was the president himself. Obama proudly explained the goal of his orders to federal bureaucrats: "We will start by implementing new standards for model year 2011 so that we use less oil and families have access to cleaner, more efficient cars and trucks.... And that's why I'm directing the Environmental Protection Agency to immediately review the denial of the California waiver request and determine the best way forward. This will help us create incentives to develop new energy that will make us less dependent on oil that endangers our security, our economy, and our planet."

President Obama's explanation paints a pretty rosy picture of the federal government's supposedly benevolent action. In fact, it conveys the impression that everyone wins and nobody loses. But is ...