# Stop Bashing Electric Cars!



## Jason Lattimer (Dec 27, 2008)

I know it sounds like a conspiracy theory, but I think the answer is simple. The people in charge do not want people to gain more independence than they already have. The electric car is the only alternative transportation that you can not only refuel from your house, but you can make the fuel yourself if you so desire. Not so from the other forms of alternative energy. Has anyone noticed how the cost to fuel propane, natural gas and even ethanol seems to keep pace with the cost of gasoline. Electric is the only fuel you can use to reduce your own fuel costs or even eliminate it entirely.


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## somanywelps (Jan 25, 2012)

Jason Lattimer said:


> I know it sounds like a conspiracy theory, but I think the answer is simple. The people in charge do not want people to gain more independence than they already have. The electric car is the only alternative transportation that you can not only refuel from your house, but you can make the fuel yourself if you so desire. Not so from the other forms of alternative energy. Has anyone noticed how the cost to fuel propane, natural gas and even ethanol seems to keep pace with the cost of gasoline. Electric is the only fuel you can use to reduce your own fuel costs or even eliminate it entirely.


Yep, there's this nasty tipping point where home solar becomes viable. There's no option like that with gasoline.


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## PhantomPholly (Aug 20, 2008)

The alleged "bashing" I've heard to date seems to be limited to a) government waste in spending; b) normal start-up pains like the flaming batteries (similar news stories occurred for other emerging technologies, including gasoline cars, in their times); c) government insistence on promoting technology that is not really ready for prime time.

When you promote a stupid idea, even if it will ultimately be a better idea, people are going to bash you. Either get thicker skin or wait to promote it until it is really proven.


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## lowcrawler (Jun 27, 2011)

If EV's are the future, I'd rather the gov promote that than stuff that is clearly 'the past' (ie: oil). Though, as a rule, I'm against subsidies. I think farm subsidies are asinine and encourage a monoculture that actually makes us less food-secure, for example.

However, EV's, done as part of a larger energy policy that reduces foreign dependence, are a national security issue. It's part of the governments job to secure our nation. Therefore, it's not a huge stretch to say promoting EV's and alternative fuel technology is part of our governments job if the private sector is being overly slow to react on it's own.


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## PhantomPholly (Aug 20, 2008)

lowcrawler said:


> If EV's are the future, I'd rather the gov promote that than stuff that is clearly 'the past' (ie: oil). Though, as a rule, I'm against subsidies. I think farm subsidies are asinine and encourage a monoculture that actually makes us less food-secure, for example.
> 
> However, EV's, done as part of a larger energy policy that reduces foreign dependence, are a national security issue. It's part of the governments job to secure our nation. Therefore, it's not a huge stretch to say promoting EV's and alternative fuel technology is part of our governments job if the private sector is being overly slow to react on it's own.


If I thought it would hurry thing's I'd agree. Go with your first gut feeling - end all of the subsidies and return the wasted money to the economy. That will hurry things more than anything else.


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## Jason Lattimer (Dec 27, 2008)

PhantomPholly said:


> If I thought it would hurry thing's I'd agree. Go with your first gut feeling - end all of the subsidies and return the wasted money to the economy. That will hurry things more than anything else.


 Wonder what gasoline would cost if oil subsidies ended?


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## Ziggythewiz (May 16, 2010)

There's only one way to find out, but it would involve saving millions of lives, so I don't think anyone wants that.


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## lowcrawler (Jun 27, 2011)

wonder what our taxes would be if we didn't pay for wars in order to gain oil


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## coulombKid (Jan 10, 2009)

lowcrawler said:


> wonder what our taxes would be if we didn't pay for wars in order to gain oil


 I wonder how many of mega-watts of renewable power would have resulted from every tax dollar spent "protecting our interests" in the middle east being spent, instead, on energy independence. In the classical comics they were referred to as "Daddy war-bucks". Eisenhower gave a stern warning about the military-industrial complex.


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## PhantomPholly (Aug 20, 2008)

Jason Lattimer said:


> Wonder what gasoline would cost if oil subsidies ended?


Probably not a penny more.

In the grand scheme, oil subsidies are not our biggest economic threat from government, though. Interest on the debt alone is pushing $400 billion / yr. How long before we can't even pay the interest, and then what happens?


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