Photo: Benny Kirk
If there are two things that exist in America that get along like oil and water, it's electric cars and Democratic West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin. Senator Manchin first came to our attention after he voiced his disapproval of President Joe Biden's plans to implement an EV tax credit for American union labor.
It would have been easy to write off such behavior towards EVs as collateral damage in the conservative Senator's crusade against union organizing. That was, until yesterday, when the New York Times reported on a story that makes the water very murky indeed. The article detailed how a provision in President Biden's climate change and social spending bill banning off-shore oil drilling was rejected from the bill's provisions. The NYT reports this occurred at the express direction of Senator Manchin.
This latest move by Washington D.C's most conservative Democrat brings the notion of his indifference towards EVs into question. The West Virginia senator has long had his involvement in the American coal and petroleum industries heavily scrutinized by politicians in Manchin's own party. Not the least from Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren.
The pressure is on Washington to pass legitimately helpful legislation on to the American people. With the 2022 mid-term elections less than 12 months away, this is doubly the case. As Senator Manchin continues his very public verbal boxing match with members of his own party, some are worried it could cost the Democrats everything at the voting booth.
Meanwhile, further scandals accusing Senator Manchin's wife and daughter of intentionally price gouging life-saving EpiPen injections continue to raise doubt about the career politician's scruples. For the average vehicle buyer, this latest round of political theater will profoundly impact the way we purchase new cars. You can expect electric vehicles to remain well out of the price point of average working-class Americans. Assuming proposed EV tax credits are removed from President Biden's new bill as per Manchin's instructions.
This latest move by Washington D.C's most conservative Democrat brings the notion of his indifference towards EVs into question. The West Virginia senator has long had his involvement in the American coal and petroleum industries heavily scrutinized by politicians in Manchin's own party. Not the least from Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren.
The pressure is on Washington to pass legitimately helpful legislation on to the American people. With the 2022 mid-term elections less than 12 months away, this is doubly the case. As Senator Manchin continues his very public verbal boxing match with members of his own party, some are worried it could cost the Democrats everything at the voting booth.
Meanwhile, further scandals accusing Senator Manchin's wife and daughter of intentionally price gouging life-saving EpiPen injections continue to raise doubt about the career politician's scruples. For the average vehicle buyer, this latest round of political theater will profoundly impact the way we purchase new cars. You can expect electric vehicles to remain well out of the price point of average working-class Americans. Assuming proposed EV tax credits are removed from President Biden's new bill as per Manchin's instructions.
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