Obama has taken over GM and Chrysler, and his Treasury Secretary says they would like authority to take over any company they deem vital to the economy of the country. This is the beginning of industrial policy dictated by the government. When FDR tried that, the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional. Obama has said he doesn't like the Constitution anyway, and the Supreme Court is unlikely to challenge him. It appears that Obama is going to force GM and Chrysler to make "green" cars. The public is unlikely to buy the "green" cars as long as gasoline is at $2 or $3 per gallon, so it will be necessary to tax gasoline up to a price of $6 or $8 per gallon to make the electric cars economical. Some serious upgrade of the nation's electric power system will also be necessary. Obama may be able to increase the salary of poor people, but considering inflation and the higher cost of energy the standard of living of all people except the super rich (who supported Obama with a lot of campaign contributions) will be lower.(Several very rich people I have known have said they would like energy costs to be increased a lot to get the hoi polloi off of the highways, and the airplanes, and the beaches.)