The story focuses on some of the lawyers, lobbyists and government officials involved in NHTSA's development of a weak roof safety standard -- if an automaker complies, it may gain immunity from lawsuits based on state consumer protection law. The story shows the links between some of the government's top officials, from former GM vice-president Andy Card, now White House of Staff, on down, to a network of auto-industry connected corporate law firms. The story also explains how the NHTSA case is part of a broader push against stronger state laws (PIRG's Preemption Alert also has details.)

The story also quotes Michael Greve of the the American Enterprise Institute extensively. First, Greve says that

preemption is crucial to protect the economy from "trial lawyers, ambitious state attorneys general and parochial state legislatures."

Greve then tells the LA Times that

well-connected industry law firms were part of a policy network providing legal and political rationale for the effort. He called them "a merry band of Washington lawyers -- who know how to push the buttons" and get things done.

Greve runs something called the Federalism Project over at AEI, which purports

to explore opportunities to restore real federalism--that is, a federalism that limits the national government's power and compels states to compete for their citizens' assets, talents, and business.

So long as those states are not seeking to protect their citizens' health, safety or pocketbooks, that is. While Greve's operation is cloaked in pseudo-academic gloss, it's quite political. If his quotes in the LA Times aren't enough, then take a look at the Federalism Project's special sub-project AG Watch. Here's what it says about New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's important investigation into radio station/record company payola:

national companies cannot be held at the mercy of mercenary states, parochial laws, or tinpot dictators. Mr. Spitzer has been trained to subpoena, sue, and settle. He fetches cash money for New York out of the pockets of the citizens of the other 49. A leash law! A leash law! Our nation for a leash law!

Phew! After you've checked out AEI on federalism, check out an alternative view. Redefining Federalism is a project of the public interest environmental law firm, Community Counsel.