I may have to hand in my conservative card

[MushCreek]

I'm pretty middle-of-the-road, but lean conservative. But c'mon, the far right has really gone off the rails. I don't understand the animosity towards electric vehicles, in particular. A good friend of mine (college educated) posted the following on FB:

Just thought I would try to clarify some language that is floating around. There is no such thing as an electric car. In order to be considered "electric", it must be connected to a source of electricity. Therefore, what we're being sold is a battery operated vehicle, that much like the ones I had as a kid, are rarely satisfactory, don't last as long as expected, and cost more than I could afford to replace the batteries. No thanks. I outgrew those last century.



Ummm... a battery is a source of electricity, just like a gas tank is a source of gasoline. To say a battery operated car is not electric unless connected by a cord is like saying an ICE car isn't one unless you have a gas hose to the refinery. Were do they come up with this stuff?!? If you're going to rail against something, use facts, otherwise you just look stupid.

[David G]

Ayup

[Joe (SoCal)]

Windmils cause cancer.

[StevenBauer]

That’s the straw that broke the camels back? Not the insurrection? Or separating legal asylum seekers from their kids and not keeping track of who went where? Taking away women’s rights? Refusing to even try to control gun violence? Voting against mental health programs in our schools? Or any of the dozens of other reasons?

[David G]

That’s the straw that broke the camels back? Not the insurrection? Or separating legal asylum seekers from their kids and not keeping track of who went where? Taking away women’s rights? Refusing to even try to control gun violence? Voting against mental health programs in our schools? Or any of the dozens of other reasons?

IKR?

But we all have our breaking points. I'm just glad when someone reaches theirs. Too many are so welded on that they never will.

[Dan McCosh]

I'm pretty middle-of-the-road, but lean conservative. But c'mon, the far right has really gone off the rails. I don't understand the animosity towards electric vehicles, in particular. A good friend of mine (college educated) posted the following on FB:

Just thought I would try to clarify some language that is floating around. There is no such thing as an electric car. In order to be considered "electric", it must be connected to a source of electricity. Therefore, what we're being sold is a battery operated vehicle, that much like the ones I had as a kid, are rarely satisfactory, don't last as long as expected, and cost more than I could afford to replace the batteries. No thanks. I outgrew those last century.



Ummm... a battery is a source of electricity, just like a gas tank is a source of gasoline. To say a battery operated car is not electric unless connected by a cord is like saying an ICE car isn't one unless you have a gas hose to the refinery. Were do they come up with this stuff?!? If you're going to rail against something, use facts, otherwise you just look stupid.

Might also note how many folks think a hybrid isn't an ICE car.

[John Smith]

I'll take what I can get.

[MushCreek]

Oh, the far right has plenty of things I don't agree with, as does the far left. That's why I'm registered as an independent. In recent years, it's gotten so that I can't in good conscience vote for either candidate. I guess what bothers me most is that this was posted by a good friend of mine. There's no point in arguing with him, or anyone else. People today stick to their viewpoints to the bitter end. It's just about that time of year when I'll have to put most of my FB friends on 'ignore' until after the elections.

[Gerarddm]

Conservatives have been bad for this country since at least FDR's era. Thought you should know.

[CWSmith]

Conservatives have been bad for this country since at least FDR's era. Thought you should know.

You can make a case for the Eisenhower conservatives, although I think it is limited and they are largely extinct now.

The truth is that neither side knows when to stop, but it is the right that spreads lies. The left has other problems.

[Jack Loudon]

They start off with a false premise and build on this with plausible (to them) anecdotes. From this foundation...voila! A universal truth is revealed.

The astounding thing is not that the Trumps and televangelists etc exist, but that they are supported and idolized by so many otherwise intelligent people. Maybe it's a genetic abnormality, a bit of errant chromosome.

[Paul Pless]

I may have to hand in my conservative card

may?

[LeeG]

I have no problem describing EVs accurately or arguing that they have significant limitations as ICE vehicle replacements but what bugs me is when folks come out the gate making a counterargument against a position that is a mischaracterization or generalization that they have made to make their counterargument easy.

[David G]

I have no problem describing EVs accurately or arguing that they have significant limitations as ICE vehicle replacements but what bugs me is when folks come out the gate making a counterargument against a position that is a mischaracterization or generalization that they have made to make their counterargument easy.

Yes, a form of lying called the Straw Man Fallacy.

[LeeG]

Yes, a form of lying called the Straw Man Fallacy.

It’s so damn lazy.

[Canoeyawl]

Good choice, there are several members of note here that through the years have done the same thing and are rather proud of a shrewd choice.
A little critical thinking goes a long way. I am registered as an independent, not because I don't vote a straight democratic ticket (I do), but because of the junk mail. Either party will send enough junk mail you to wear out a shredder.

[Osborne Russell]

I'm pretty middle-of-the-road, but lean conservative. But c'mon, the far right has really gone off the rails.

Don't abandon the field to those dorks. They're not conservatives.

[MushCreek]

I rarely vote straight ticket. Too many extremists in both parties. I'll never vote fully Democrat; there are too many issues I don't agree with. But the R's have done their darndest to alienate me as well. Sadly, in the last two presidential elections, I couldn't vote for either candidate, and SC doesn't allow write-in for POTUS. I just vote the down ballot, and hope the best. How the heck did this country get so polarized?

[David G]

I rarely vote straight ticket. Too many extremists in both parties. I'll never vote fully Democrat; there are too many issues I don't agree with. But the R's have done their darndest to alienate me as well. Sadly, in the last two presidential elections, I couldn't vote for either candidate, and SC doesn't allow write-in for POTUS. I just vote the down ballot, and hope the best. How the heck did this country get so polarized?

It's been a deliberate strategy, enacted over several decades, by the monied interests. Polarization, chaos, and fear favor authoritarians, and weaken democracy.

[John Smith]

I rarely vote straight ticket. Too many extremists in both parties. I'll never vote fully Democrat; there are too many issues I don't agree with. But the R's have done their darndest to alienate me as well. Sadly, in the last two presidential elections, I couldn't vote for either candidate, and SC doesn't allow write-in for POTUS. I just vote the down ballot, and hope the best. How the heck did this country get so polarized?

I don't think that makes any sense in today's world. The GOP has been pretty well taken over by the Trump crowd. Many candidates are still saying the election was stolen. They oppose any abortions.

They've lost me entirely. The lesser of two evils, if one looks at it that way, is better than the worser of two evils.

[Norman Bernstein]

I'm registered as an independent, and have never registered with either party. I vote either FOR a person... or sometimes, AGAINST a person. Admittedly, most of my votes are democratic... but I'm not above voting for a Republican from time to time. Massachusetts, the bluest of the blue states, has a history and tradition of Democratic-controlled legislatures, as well as Republican governors. I voted for Bill Weld, Mitt Romney, and Charlie Baker, all Republicans, and all of whom, in my opinion, were pretty good governors. The vote for Romney, admittedly, was based upon my hatred of his democratic opponent... but he did a good job, nonetheless. That does NOT mean I'd vote for him as president.

[John Smith]

I'm registered as an independent, and have never registered with either party. I vote either FOR a person... or sometimes, AGAINST a person. Admittedly, most of my votes are democratic... but I'm not above voting for a Republican from time to time. Massachusetts, the bluest of the blue states, has a history and tradition of Democratic-controlled legislatures, as well as Republican governors. I voted for Bill Weld, Mitt Romney, and Charlie Baker, all Republicans, and all of whom, in my opinion, were pretty good governors. The vote for Romney, admittedly, was based upon my hatred of his democratic opponent... but he did a good job, nonetheless. That does NOT mean I'd vote for him as president.

My problem with Romney is I never know which one of him will step up at any time.

[Canoeyawl]

In todays politics the important decisions are made by the parties in control of congress and very rarely by an individual (except by obstinance perhaps) Voting for an individual against the party line is a wasted vote...

If it wasn't for Ralph Nader and the young fools that voted against the major party line, we would never have had an appointed president (a blithering idiot) with the following attack on the twin towers, the economic depression and the 20 year debacle in Iraq and Afghanistan, leaving us as a country vulnerable and directly in the sights of Vladimir Putin, giving us (I still can't believe it) Trump. Voting for an individual on merit is a suckers game, well played by confidence men.

[McMike]

You're either on the right side of history or a conservative. They've gone far beyond a counter to liberal ideas, they've become fascist, racist, generally evil.

[Hallam]

This is we’re language can become misleading. For example, If using the word conservative as a label for todays MAGA type Republican in one sentence then using the word to denote what is it’s more traditional meaning. So what do people who describe themselves as Conservative in political outlook do when they also reject MAGA type Republican politics. Anyway, It's just a thought.

[Tom Montgomery]

.
Get a horse!

[Paul Pless]

.
Get a horse!

fart

[Hallam]

.
Get a horse!

( nice symbolism with the Ed Sheeran doppelgänger on his knees paying homage, with the lyric sheet for John Lennon )

[Garret]

I have a number of conservative (politically anyway) friends. It's been interesting watching how they've dealt with what the Rep. party has done to itself & the country since Reagan. These are by & large bright, educated folks & seeing how some have gone down the rabbit hole (like the anti-EV guy in the OP) amazes me. The other part I find difficult to understand is that Biden is basically an Eisenhower Rep. but it seems that the label "Democrat" prevents anyone who identifies as a Republican from thinking favorably of him. Sure - some voted for him over Trump, but that's like choosing a baloney sandwich over a dog turd,

One thing I do that annoys them is to ask why they don't fight to get their party back from the loony-tune fascists. Seems it's too much work or something.

[LeeG]

to the so called polarizing topic of EVs, we’ll go over the cliff with relatively inexpensive fuel and little investment for a lower fossil fuel transportation. The political identity associated with advocacy for or against EVs can be changed like a shirt, it’s irrelevant.

[Keith Wilson]

But c'mon, the far right has really gone off the rails.

Quite true, and not only about this. Glad you realized it. It's unfortunate, to say the least. We need reasonable conservatives, and they're getting harder and harder to find.

[McMike]

Reasonable conservatives are today's Democrats. . . . . gahhhh, WTF am I kidding, they all suck. Our government is fooked.

[Keith Wilson]

Cynicism is like beer, or ambition, or ice cream; great in moderate doses, bad for you in excess.

[McMike]

Cynicism is like beer, or ambition, or ice cream; great in moderate doses, bad for you in excess.

Yeah well, all they keep serving is beer, really bad beer.

[Tom from Rubicon]

Poor MushCreek has got his self a dichotomy. Most Independent's I know are the "What about me."