Staff Reports
The curtain is being pulled back on Kamala Harris’ previous enthusiasm for electric vehicle mandates, revealing the stark reality of shifting public opinion and political expediency. While the Vice President was content to champion a radical agenda to eliminate gasoline-powered cars by 2040 back in 2020, times have changed. Now, with an election looming and a growing number of Americans vocalizing their opposition to such mandates, Harris seems to be tiptoeing back from the very policies she once fervently endorsed.
In her early campaign days, Harris was embroiled in a competitive frenzy with other Democrats, all racing to see who could outdo one another in eco-alarmism. Fast forward to 2024, and it seems quite obvious that her audience has collectively changed its mind. A staggering 70% of the populace is against phasing out gas vehicles, and the demand for EVs has plummeted. Automotive giants are now scrambling to refocus on hybrids instead of diving headfirst into an all-electric future that seems more far-fetched by the day.
Harris Appears to Be Backing Away From EV Mandates https://t.co/st82x3pKE8 pic.twitter.com/tcKov7df65
— AntiCorporatism.com (@CorporateState) September 5, 2024
This backpedaling is perhaps most telling in a recent “fact-check” communiqué from Harris’ campaign where the Vice President’s spokesperson dropped a bombshell: Harris no longer supports an EV mandate. This shift not only signals a reticence to rock the boat—which is an acknowledgment of broader voter sentiments—but also hints at the implications of party loyalty versus public opinion, something that many have called out as a transparent and rather pathetic ploy to move away from the unpopular policies already foisted upon the American people via the Biden-Harris administration.
It’s not just Harris who appears to be reassessing her position; President Biden himself has displayed reluctance in pushing for stringent EV mandates. After attempting to maneuver through regulatory loopholes via tailpipe emissions standards, the actual rolls were dampened significantly. This softening reveals an administration that recognizes the political peril posed by overzealous green policies.
Policy critics suggest that Harris’ newfound stance is hardly rooted in genuine conviction but rather born out of an acute political necessity. A recent poll indicates widespread opposition to gas vehicle bans across varying demographics, including a considerable number of Republicans and independents. The battleground states—Arizona, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin—are key to any presidential bid, and leaving those voters high and dry for the sake of green initiatives is a gamble that even Harris might not be willing to take.
The general public’s approach to EV technology is driven by market forces, not the frenzied demands of green zealots. Ford’s CEO recently emphasized that hybrids are turning out to be more profitable than their non-hybrid counterparts, something that goes against Harris’ hair-on-fire climate change strategies. As the nation pushes back against extreme environmental policies, it’s clear that the battle for hearts and minds is happening not in the echo chambers of the green lobby, but rather at the dealership across America. Harris would be wise to listen, but skepticism about her long-term reliability remains given her history of flip-flopping like a fish that just jumped out of water. The question looms: will her political survival prompt her to continue this retreat or will appeasing green activists emerge victorious once again?
