Trump’s Policies Indicate Love For Toxic & Deadly Pollution, Not Electric Vehicles

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Photo © David Havasi

Have you ever had that friend who wasn’t really a friend but was instead a loudmouth who made bold claims and mocked quieter people while claiming to be their friend? When Trump claimed in the recent debate that “I think I’m all for electric cars, I’ve given big incentives for electric cars, but what they’ve done in California is just crazy,” I cracked up laughing at first. Then I cried.

That’s our president. He “thinks” he is all for electric cars, while claiming credit for Obama-era incentives. His followup was even more confusing — “what they’ve done in California is just crazy?” Who is “they,” and what did they “do?” California has a lot of people. Was he referring to Tesla or Elon Musk? If so, why not just mention them by name? You’re a fan of EVs, right? Was he referring to regulators who put strong electric vehicle and fuel economy requirements in place, policies that helped get Tesla to the level it’s at today while cleaning up the air for its residents and helping to combat climate change?

In fact, Trump “loves EVs so much” that he choked the life out of the US EV tax credit extension last year. In 2019, many were hoping for a tax credit extension that would provide the EV tax credit to more Tesla and GM EV buyers, and people buying EVs from any other automakers that pass 200,000 EV sales. Trump reportedly denied the EV tax credit extension. White House officials told lawmakers that if they tried to expand the EV credit as a part of a compromise spending bill, they would stop it. Yeah, Trump loves EVs alright. /s

Republicans have many times claimed that “rich Californians and Tesla buyers” shouldn’t benefit from the tax credit. They have actually said this. Never mind that they are rich also and mooch off the backs of the working class, who they demonize for not being able to afford their bills or healthcare. People like me who don’t own a car but make an honest living are frowned upon for not being successful enough. But if I wanted to buy a Tesla, suddenly I’d be a rich liberal and looked down upon for that. Can’t win for losing, I guess.

Photo © David Havasi

Trump and his Republican supporters’ mockery of people who buy electric vehicles, clean energy, and other climate solutions make America look pretty silly to the rest of the world. What happened to celebrating our success? What happened to celebrating our innovation?

Why do some lawmakers not want their economy to prosper? Why do they hate “rich Californians” so much? The truth is, those “rich Californians” set the foundation for electric vehicles to become affordable for everyone. The money from original Tesla owners — those who bought the first Roadsters and then the Model S and X — went toward the development and production of more affordable vehicles for the middle class. That money didn’t go into Elon’s pocket, and from his pocket to the support of pedophiles such as Jeffery Epstein — in fact, it was our current president who was close friends with Epstein.

Even though our president was besties with Epstein, Elon Musk somehow got in more trouble with the press for being photobombed by Ghislaine Maxwell. This tells me one thing: there is a movement against not just Elon Musk, but clean energy in general. Tesla is all about sustainability for America and for the whole world, yet the press gets tricked into attacking it and Elon Musk while overlooking the fact that our own president was one of many powerful people who was actually involved in that scandal.

Oh, but he “loves EVs,” so it’s okay. (Please note the sarcasm — it’s there). Our system isn’t just broken; it’s shattered. The shattered pieces are cutting the bonds that unite Americans as well as our alliances with other nations. Trump made the US the only country in the world to pull out of the Paris climate agreement. That’s right — name a country and it’s signed onto the Paris climate agreement. Even Russia and Saudi Arabia are still signed on!

On pollution, Trump naturally blames other countries. “China sends up real dirt into the air. Russia does. India does. They all do. We’re supposed to be good?” As an American voter, I don’t care about what the other countries do — I expect my president to focus on America, not China, India, and Russia. I mean, yeah, I care that they are harming this planet, too, but my vote doesn’t count there. It counts here.

Trump’s “love” for EVs is toxic. It’s not love. He saw a moment on national television where it would benefit him to lie and say he loves EVs. It’s greed, and this type of greed is out of control and will destroy what America has tried so hard to become.


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Johnna Crider

Johnna owns less than one share of $TSLA currently and supports Tesla's mission. She also gardens, collects interesting minerals and can be found on TikTok

Johnna Crider has 1996 posts and counting. See all posts by Johnna Crider