Staff Reports
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker appears to have grand visions of a greener state with his ambitious aim to put one million electric vehicles on Illinois roads within a mere six years. However, it seems his political party’s electric vehicle agenda is sparking some concern—even from within. A campaign called “Driver’s Seat” orchestrated by the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers is making it clear that not everyone is thrilled about the gas-powered vehicle exodus the Democrats are promoting.
The campaign takes aim at Vice President Kamala Harris, who has been an enthusiastic supporter of a full-on ban of new gas-powered cars throughout the United States. This initiative is part of a lavish eight-figure effort to inform the public about the dangers of such bans while encouraging consumers to voice their opposition to these mandates directly to their elected officials. Talk about taking the driver’s seat literally—except this time it’s more like jumping in the backseat while someone else drives off a cliff.
AFPM CEO Chet Thompson wasted no time in stressing that Americans need to get the lowdown on where the Vice President stands on these sweeping regulations that resemble something out of a dystopian novel. Thompson, also sounding the alarm for Congress, asserted that it’s essential to protect consumer choice by acting promptly against the Environmental Protection Agency’s rules that aim to tip the scales in favor of electric vehicles by 2032.
Joining the criticism is the Illinois Corn Growers Association, which has decided to take legal action against the EPA. They argue that the agency’s push for a dramatic electrification of America’s vehicle fleet is not only burdensome but also unjustifiable financially. Their lawsuit contends that the costs involved in this harebrained scheme need congressional approval before any further progress can be made. Apparently, pulling the plug on gas cars is not just a bad idea; it’s also a costly one.
Washington Examiner: Public service campaign blasts Kamala Harris’ electric vehicle agenda https://t.co/m9iXR0zBX8
— Ian’s Newsfeed 🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@IanHNewsFeed) August 25, 2024
Amid all this environmental zeal, Illinois has been attracting electric vehicle companies with generous incentives, which might sound good on paper. However, the reality is that Lion Electric, a bus manufacturer in Joliet that accepted nearly $50 million in those incentives, has recently taken the unfortunate step of laying off hundreds of workers. Pritzker’s green dream is looking less like a sustainable plan and more like a recipe for job losses and economic woes for hard-working citizens.
To top it off, Illinois currently boasts only about 111,000 electric vehicles on its roads. With the Pritzker administration pushing for one million, the math doesn’t exactly favor a smooth ride ahead. It seems that the governor’s electric highway might be more of a bumpy gravel road, littered with dashed hopes and reality checks for both producers and consumers alike.
