Now comes its second opportunity.

Today, the union – which represents workers from GM, Ford and FiatChrysler – will tell Congress it opposes President Trump's efforts to reduce the regulatory burden on the companies which employ the union's workers and the car buyers which support them. It will tell Congress it wants the Obama-era fatwas defining carbon dioxide as an "emission" – and thus a "pollutant" – to remain in force and be enforced.

And for the public to be forced to spend more money on cars that are more "efficient" – regardless of the cost.

The UAW does not put it quite that way, of course.

Instead, it says that rescinding the fatwas – which are literally fatwas, orders emitted by unelected regulatory termites who have somehow acquired de facto legislative powers – "could lead to protracted litigation and uncertainty in the industry that will limit growth," in the words of UAW Legislative Director Josh Nasser.