The Trump administration finalized a significant weakening of federal fuel economy standards for automobiles, rolling back a key policy that had pushed the industry to improve the efficiency of cars and trucks and sell more battery-electric vehicles.
  • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    1 month

    It’s doubly bonkers because a strong EV push would be one of the big things that can actually make consumers far less sensitive to the price of oil.

    Like, the regime literally has a policy they could use that would significantly improve public sentiment on this shit. “Normal” republicans would tie that up into strategic independence and so on. But the regime is just too fucking stupid and gung-ho on Exxon et al to take that course.

    • Signtist@bookwyr.meEnglish
      30 days

      But how does that make them more money? It’s not a joke - they literally became politicians for the purpose of making money from bribes. They do what they’re paid the most amount of money to do, like modern day mercenaries.

      • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        30 days

        Well, in normal circumstances, you have to give a shit about what the populace thinks to at least some degree, or they will vote you out.

        Which, to me, indicates that they’ve decided that doesn’t matter. Personally, I’m guessing they believe they control enough of the electoral process at this point such that voting doesn’t actually matter anymore.

        • Signtist@bookwyr.meEnglish
          30 days

          I think you’re right. As the people on the inside, their own actions are the metric - if they were worried it mattered, they’d prioritize it, and if they’re not prioritizing it, it’s because they know it doesn’t matter. Still vote, by all means - you’ve got nothing to lose - but don’t rely on it as our primary way of getting ourselves out of this mess.

    • ThePantser@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      30 days

      Its also crazy because they could spin it as its American Made Energy or Homeland Energy. Really drive home that it makes us independent and less reliant on “brown people” oil. Even when there is a clear path to be racist and evil they choose the one that requires collaboration but then at the same time shit on them. Its insanity, plain and simple.

      • jaybone@lemmy.zipEnglish
        30 days

        Their voters hate brown people. But Exxon is pulling the strings. And they don’t give a fuck about any color other than green.

    • Freeposity@lemmy.worldEnglish
      30 days

      It’s more corruption than incompetence, though there’s a lot of incompetence too. The oil companies paid Trump a lot of money to protect their stranglehold on the American economy.