Dozens of Democrat and Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives are commendably urging the Obama administration to drop a plan to require letter grades on the window stickers of new cars and trucks based on fuel efficiency and "greenhouse gas" emissions.
A vehicle that doesn't get what the government considers adequate gas mileage or that emits what Washington deems an inappropriate amount of "greenhouse gases" would get a bad grade. In fact, the ratings are stacked in such a way that only electric cars and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles can get an A-plus or A grade, the objecting lawmakers noted.
There should, of course, be clear disclosure of a new vehicle's mileage, emissions and so forth. Those numbers should be provided so that consumers may make an informed choice when they buy a car or truck.
But it should be the job of consumers, not of government, to determine whether the mileage and emissions numbers for a particular vehicle constitute a "passing" or a "failing" grade. Smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles serve the purposes of some motorists, but others have legitimate reasons to buy bigger vehicles that might not get equally good mileage.
Government should not be in the business of forcing car manufacturers and dealers to, in effect, poor-mouth their own products on the showroom floor with ugly letter grades.