Conservatives should be big fans of Tesla

[335eye]

Some would say the main feature of Ferrari is getting laid but you won't see it on the brochure.
Some would say the main feature of the Iphone is selfie culture and narcissism but it's not listed on apple.com.
Some would say the main feature of GW is growing gov't but you won't see that on the DNC platform.

 

[ecarfan]

Some would say the main feature of GW is growing gov't but you won't see that on the DNC platform.

"Some would say" that, but they would be misinformed and are ignoring a massive amount of evidence to the contrary.

 

[Doug_G]

Just a shot across the bow here - please keep the discussion relevant to Conservatives and Tesla / energy / environment / policy. Unrelated political topics shall not be discussed. I'm now keeping an eye on this thread, and any further off-topic discussion will be snipped. If it gets out of hand the whole thread will be deep-sixed. You have been warned!

 

[flashflood]

I'm a conservative (libertarian, more accurately) and a huge fan of Tesla. Opposition to Tesla seems to be more interest-group driven (oil, big three automakers, dealers, unions) than partisan or ideological.

 

[Electroman]

I'm a conservative (libertarian, more accurately) and a huge fan of Tesla. Opposition to Tesla seems to be more interest-group driven (oil, big three automakers, dealers, unions) than partisan or ideological.

Agreed. And if you see who is in bed with these big time polluters, then you will get the answer to the original question of why conservatives/Republicans do not like Tesla.

 

[flashflood]

Agreed. And if you see who is in bed with these big time polluters, then you will get the answer to the original question of why conservatives/Republicans do not like Tesla.

You do know that the $7500 federal EV credit was proposed in 2007 and signed into law in 2008 by George W. Bush, right?

 

[voyager]

I'm a conservative (libertarian, more accurately) and a huge fan of Tesla. Opposition to Tesla seems to be more interest-group driven (oil, big three automakers, dealers, unions) than partisan or ideological.

Most definitely. Telltale is this: Musk, Murray Tangle On Twitter Over Subsidies - Gas 2

 

[McRat]

You do know that the $7500 federal EV credit was proposed in 2007 and signed into law in 2008 by George W. Bush, right?

Never let the facts cloud a perfectly good conspiracy theory.

 

[Electroman]

Never let the facts cloud a perfectly good conspiracy theory.

Who is batting for big oil and dirty coal? Hint: It is not the democratic nominee..

 

[McRat]

Who is batting for big oil and dirty coal? Hint: It is not the democratic nominee..

The DNC is in the White House. I have cheap gas, and they burn cheap coal.

Who was in charge of getting the Prez the memo? Must have been a conservative intern...

 

[335eye]

"Some would say" that, but they would be misinformed and are ignoring a massive amount of evidence to the contrary.

Proof that it's working.

 

[Chopr147]

I am a conservative thinker, vote conservative leanings and love Tesla. Nothing should be surprising about that. I am far from alone in this.
The Liberal "I know best" attitude, name-calling and hysteria kills any discussion on merits. Right side can do the hysteria thing too but they are not as good at it or as annoying
The fact that Tesla is an American car company should be celebrated, but that kind of pride seems to be as popular as analog

 

[Doug_G]

@Chopr147, your post is flirting with the boundaries. The second sentence is actually well over the line. If anyone rises to the bait I will remove your post and the responses.

 

[Electroman]

I was about to take the bait, but now I won't

 

[Topher]

I would love to see more conservatives campaigning for a simple carbon tax, combined with a great simplification of the rest of the tax code. With the inherent reduction in government that would follow.

Thank you kindly

 

[LastGas]

Since I don't know what a "Conservative" is any more, it's hard to answer the question.

What I used to think a Conservative was should be a Tesla fan on several fronts, not the least of which is market-based solution to the problems caused by fossil fuels, as compared with a regulatory solution (such as Germany's recent announcement that internal combustion engines would be banned in passenger cars). American business has built a better mouse trap.

Modern politics is something different.

 

[Chopr147]

I'll bring it down a notch
Exactly LastGas but not just a conservative , really any red blooded American should be happy to see Tesla succeed for country pride if nothing else.
Forget GW, ice caps etc......... Pollution alone is a good enough reason to drive electric.
Too bad though, politics gets involved in just about every important decision these days.

 

[McRat]

Elon Musk understood the EV acceptance problem very well.

For EVs to really succeed against ICE cars, you need to have an EV people WANT to buy, not need to buy.

Relying on the Save The Whales method of EV sales will keep them rare.

It has been put into ink many times that the Prius, Leaf, and Volt have been successful.

No they have not. All three combined are a blip on the radar compared to just the Camry, which is a model that only holds a fraction of total passenger car sales.

Tesla is actually effectively competing against ICE models in it's sector. A new first for EV's.

So mandates failed, and desire won.

What are Politicians, mostly lawyers or business majors, going to do to create DESIRE to buy EVs? Nothing at all. They are not engineers and do not understand the American car buyer.

 

[Chopr147]

Because politicians care about nothing but themselves! Somehow career gov't pols. retire millionaires. How is that possible?

Tesla is actually effectively competing against ICE models in it's sector. A new first for EV's.

Not only competing but forcing Mercedes, BMW,Audi,Volvo ,VW etc...........to make an attractive EV. They may have gotten there eventually anyway but you can't deny Tesla has accelerated this! The model 3 reservations seems to have woken up the sleeping giant

 

[RichardC]

The latest sales figures for luxury sedan suggest that a quite a number of plutocrats must be enjoying their Teslas.

Tesla Model S Leads In US Luxury Car Sales - Gas 2