Sometimes a lemming hits the brakes before it’s too late.
This time it was in Connecticut, a small state that’s been a Democrat hothouse for decades.
In what Fox News calls a "stunning blow to environmentalists" Gov. Ned Lamont, D-Conn., "is withdrawing his plan to mandate future electric vehicle (EV) purchases after the proposal received bipartisan pushback from lawmakers on a key legislative panel.
"Lamont ultimately pulled the proposal just four months after unveiling it and characterizing it as 'decisive action to meet our climate pollution reduction targets.'
"In July, Lamont unveiled the proposal, tethering Connecticut's emissions standards to those set in California, which mandates that every passenger vehicle sold is electric by 2035, the most aggressive target of its kind nationwide."
It’s not too often these pocket-fuhrers withdraw their own edicts, so we must congratulate the governor for deciding not to join California in jumping off the EV cliff.
Republicans applauded the move.
This is a prudent step, said State Sen. John Kissel, R-Conn. "The people’s elected representatives are the ones who should be making this decision. Something so life-changing — something that will take our choice away — needs to be decided by the full state legislature."
State Sen. Paul Cicarella, R-Conn. - Dist. 34, pointed out the obvious, "there was no plan to implement' the EV mandate proposed by Lamont."
That’s because — as we’ve told you before — left-adherents judge proposals on their intent. Never by the proposal’s results.
Lamont’s second thoughts also saved Connecticut’s consumers and taxpayers from reliability woes and tax dollar waste.
Consumer Reports has found "on average, EVs from the past three model years had 79% more problems than conventional cars.
"Based on owner responses on more than 330,000 vehicles, the survey covers 20 potential problem areas, including engine, transmission, electric motors, leaks, and infotainment systems."
It might be time for states to dust off their lemon laws.
The head of auto testing at Consumer Reports said, "says some of the most common problems EV owners report are issues with electric drive motors, charging, and EV batteries."
If you put this in gasoline car terms, it would mean the engines don’t run, it’s hard to refuel and the gas tank leaks.
All of which are problems the carbon burners solved decades ago.
And besides being unreliable, these lemons are expensive for the public at large.
The Street reports on a Texas Public Policy Foundation study that found when you add in all the subsidies and other hidden-from-the-public costs the "true cost of fueling an EV would equate to an EV owner paying $17.33 per gallon of gasoline."
This means the sticker price of an EV, while wildly expensive even with the tax giveaways, doesn’t reflect the total cost to the public. "Combined, the report found that these hidden costs add around $48,000 to the cost of an average model-year 2021 EV over 10 years."
Meaning EVs are the gift that keeps on costing.
Right now the only reason there is an EV market at all is because the feds waste billions in subsidizing vehicles most of the public don’t want. And that includes some Blue State governors.
There is a way to handle the EV versus gasoline car question without resulting to government edicts or tax giveaways.
It’s called the free marketplace.
Gasoline cars beat horse-drawn buggies without government help. If EVs truly offer a better alternative, then over time the electron-powered cars can do the same.
Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Reagan, is a Newsmax TV analyst. A syndicated columnist and author, he chairs The Reagan Legacy Foundation. Michael is an in-demand speaker with Premiere speaker's bureau. Read Michael Reagan's Reports — More Here.
Michael R. Shannon is a commentator, researcher for the League of American Voters, and an award-winning political and advertising consultant with nationwide and international experience. He is author of "Conservative Christian's Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now with added humor!)" Read Michael Shannon's Reports — More Here.