The Good Old Chamber Of Commerce

TW: Reading history is always interesting, those on the forefront of change are frequently derided with similiar rhetoric.

From Economist:
"...a Time piece from 1977, discussing a planned stiffening of the American Clean Air Act, and industry warnings over the anticipated fall-out from the tough new rules. A sample:

'Under the 1970 act, automakers had until the 1975 model year to eliminate 90% of all hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Detroit has cut harmful emissions considerably: this year's General Motors cars, for example, produce 90% less HC and 83% less CO than those of the early 1960s. But faced with the difficulty of reducing emissions while also cutting gasoline consumption, the automakers persuaded the Environmental Protection Agency to extend the deadline to 1978. Now they want still more time and less stringent standards. The Senate is willing to give them until 1979, the House until 1980. Detroit could be caught in a squeeze. Unless standards are soon set that it can meet, the upcoming 1978 models cannot be certified for sale...
Under recent court interpretations of the 1970 act, the EPA must not only "protect and enhance" the nation's air but take active steps to prevent "significant deterioration" where air is still relatively pure. Environmentalists see these steps as safeguards against further despoliation by belching factories and power plants. But industry is sure that they will, as a Chamber of Commerce spokesman says, only "mandate undeveloped areas into eternal poverty."...'

Emphasis mine. That's the same Chamber of Commerce that is facing widespread defections based on its backward view of the science of global warming and policies which have been put forward to address it. (In a particularly embarrassing episode for the Chamber, its leaders recently called for a "Scopes monkey trial" for the science of global warming.)

Obviously, the Clean Air Act has been enormously successful, and obviously it did not lead to "eternal poverty". The American economy proved itself to be remarkably resilient, quickly innovating in response to new regulations and cutting pollution with minimal costs. I find it interesting that it is many of the titans of industry who seem to have the least faith in the economy, in entrepreneurs and their ability to innovate, to survive and thrive in a world where carbon is rationed by tax or cap."