Governor Forced to Pull Gas Car Ban Proposal in Major Defeat for Electric Vehicle Pushers
When even Ned Lamont believes phasing out internal combustion cars by 2035 is a lost cause, you’d better believe it’s a lost cause.
Lamont is currently Connecticut’s governor; those with long memories might remember that, in 2006, having decided that then-Sen. Joe Lieberman — formerly Al Gore’s running mate — was insufficiently lefty, challenged him in the Democratic primary. (Lamont won the primary, although Lieberman prevailed by running as an independent in the general election.)
In office, he’s been along for the ride during the Northeast’s leftward drift in the 21st century. This included regulations to, as local publication Connecticut News Junkie noted, “incrementally phase out the sale of new gas-powered vehicles” by the magical date of 2035, when everyone seems to believe ICE cars can stop being sold.
However, according to WTNH-TV, Gov. Lamont announced he was withdrawing the ban proposal on Monday.
“The Legislative Regulation Review Committee, which is made up of 14 lawmakers was set to have a hearing and vote on Tuesday regarding the ban on the sale of gas-powered cars in 2035,” the Hartford-based station reported.
“On Monday afternoon, legislative sources told News 8 that the committee would hold off on the scheduled vote.”
The move was celebrated as a victory for “common sense” by legislative Republicans.
Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly said that Lamont’s “decision to withdraw the regulations is a reasoned approach to address the growing concerns raised by working and middle class families.
“Common sense has prevailed,” he said. “Adopting California emission standards which ban the sale of gas-powered cars is a substantial policy shift which must be decided by the General Assembly,” he added.
“There are too many questions regarding the capacity of our electric grid, the cost and location of grid improvements, and the negative impact on urban, rural and working poor families.”
Senate Republicans on the legislature’s Regulation Review Committee today issued the following statement regarding the Governor’s withdrawal of proposed regulations requiring all new vehicles sold in Connecticut to be electric. pic.twitter.com/909NHhTS3z
— Kevin Kelly (@21KevinKelly) November 28, 2023
Sen. John A. Kissel, the GOP co-chair of the panel, called the decision to abandon the EV timeline a “prudent step.”
“The people’s elected representatives are the ones who should be making this decision,” Kissel said.
“Something so life-changing — something that will take our choice away — needs to be decided by the full legislature. Ask anyone on Main Street anywhere in Connecticut those questions. They will they you that they — the people — should get to decide.
“It should be the people’s choice,” he concluded. “I thank my colleagues on the committee — and the governor — for withdrawing these regulations.”
Lamont isn’t throwing in the towel yet, however, promising to try again.
“I really look forward to working with our friends in the legislature,” Lamont said after abandoning the push, realizing it lacked sufficient support in the legislature’s Regulation Review Committee.
“You’ve been amazing. You took the lead on this before, you’re taking the lead on it again. Reach across the aisle, see if we can satisfy some of the naysayers, get them on board,” Lamont said.
The problem is that the idea of getting people “on board” with EVs seems to have hit a wall.
After early adopters snapped up the first wave of EVs from mainstream auto companies, consumers seemed to be generally uninterested in the supposedly eco-friendly models carmakers were pushing.
Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal reported that, given that “sales growth has slowed for battery-powered models,” dealers were slashing prices with discounts on EVs, with Ford and Hyundai offering up to $7,500 rebates on cars that were previously flying off lots.
Even Tesla, the Journal reported, had “slashed prices” due to waning demand.
The 2035 date was always an unrealistic deadline randomly picked somewhere in the not-too-distant future by Democrats as an opportunity to switch everyone to battery cars. To the extent it wasn’t random and based in reality, it was based on an adoption rate roughly similar to the curve of early adoption.
That’s not how it works. That’s never been how it works. And when it can’t get support in deep-blue Connecticut — and the guy who found Joe Lieberman insufficiently liberal for his tastes decides to drop the push for now — it’s time for the Democrats to acknowledge the hurdles to the magical date are insuperable.
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