Thomas Friedman, "This Is a Big Deal": This Is a Little Moronic

Thomas Friedman, no longer seeking salvation from a third party presidential candidate (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/opinion/sunday/24friedman.html), is back to pandering to Obama. In his latest New York Times op-ed entitled "This Is a Big Deal" (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/opinion/sunday/friedman-this-is-a-big-deal.html?_r=1), Friedman begins by acknowledging Obama's dismal environmental record:

"In many ways, President Obama has been a disappointment on energy and the environment. He has been completely missing in action on the climate debate. His decision to block his own Environmental Protection Agency from setting new rules to cut smog levels was disappointing. And, while I believe in using the balance sheet of the U.S. government to spur clean-tech research and start-ups, Solyndra was a case of embarrassing excess — precisely what happens when you rely too much on government push not consumer pull, spurred by price and regulatory signals."

However -- you guessed it -- all is forgiven, inasmuch as Obama is backing a deal with US automakers, which will go into effect in 2017 and require annual mileage improvements of 5 percent for cars until 2025.

Excuse me, but let's suppose Obama is re-elected in 2012, he isn't going to be around as president in 2017, if the automakers don't deliver on their promise. 2025? I may not be around at all by then.

This is a big deal? Poppycock! But just go right on groveling, Tom.