The National Wildlife Federation – allied with other environmental groups in a coalition called Go60MPG.org – has put the pedal to the metal, joining the Obama Administration and the MSM in a full court press to vilify the auto industry for failing to embrace a ruinous 56 mpg-by-2025 fuel mandate.

“American innovation and technology can build cars and trucks that save us money at the pump (and) clean up our air,” writes NWF & Co. on their joint website. “But the auto industry still isn’t getting the picture and is instead dragging its feet on adopting strong standards for the vehicles of tomorrow. That’s why we’re sounding the call to strengthen fuel efficiency to at least 60 miles per gallon between 2017 and 2025.”

Funny thing. . .

It wasn’t long ago, General Motors and the NWF were as close as Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony.

In 2007, the two lovebirds shared vows to join in holy U.S. Climate Action Partnership, calling “for swift action to confront global warming,” in the words of NWF CEO Larry Schweiger at the time. “USCAP announces a doubling of business members including new members General Motors Corporation, Dow Chemical, and Shell Oil. Together, we are urging the federal government to quickly enact strong legislation to achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.”

We’re not making this up. General Motors? General Suckers.

“USCAP members are united on the goal of prompt enactment of national legislation. . . over the shortest period of time reasonably achievable,” continued the NWF chief. “USCAP’s ‘Call to Action’ recommends that Congress establish mandatory emission targets to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas levels by 10-30 percent below today’s levels within 15 years, and a 60-80 percent reduction by 2050.”

Can’t say GM wasn’t warned. Reduce GHGs by an absurd 80-by-2050? And they didn’t think an absurd 100 percent MPG increase-by-2025 would illogically follow? As if waking from a honeymoon stupor, GM seems to have realized (together with its Alliance for Auto Manufacturers brethren) that it’s been set up by a process effectively forcing the company to make only unprofitable electric hybrids.

GM and NWF are partners in another awkward way: They both receive federal funding.

That is, while the U.S government was bailing out Government Motors to save it, it was also feeding NWF – via grants from the EPA and The Department of Defense, according the non-profit’s 2009 Annual Report – to destroy it.

Your tax dollars at work.