Trump's War on the Climate Begins
Blatant corruption abounds as Trump transition team aims to kneecap the US EV market
Trump’s transition team has already begun taking aim at Biden’s environmental and climate policies. First on the cutting board is the federal tax credit for electric vehicles. Trump has said he wants to end Biden’s “EV mandate,” but considering there is no explicit policy named such and that Trump never gives policy details, there isn’t a clear picture of exactly how that would pan out. Unsurpsingly, “repeal what the last guy did” seems to be the opening strategy.
Currently, the tax credit makes it more attractive to buy new or used EVs. In theory, this is a picture perfect program for how liberals should enact change according to a conservative worldview. It’s an incentive, not a mandate or outlawing of alternatives. People can choose what they want, and this policy is supposed to help tip the favor towards something that is in the interest of the nation. It is in our collective interest to limit carbon pollution (which our transportation sector produces a lot of) because such pollution hurts us as a whole—if blue states suffer climate change-fueled wildfires, red states suffer climate change-fueled hurricanes.
Government policy should respect the freedoms and autonomy of its citizens, but it should also take action to protect their long-term interests when market conditions do not. Environmental pollution is the classic example of an externality not accounted for by the market, so it makes sense for the government to take action around it, such as by implementing policies to fight climate change.
Plus, the incentive is a tax rebate (conservative thought ostensibly advocates for lower taxes) and supports US jobs and infrastructure. For a new car to qualify for the rebate, it must undergo final assembly in the US. This incentive, along with a host of other carrots and sticks from Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), has been a significant factor in getting foreign car manufacturers to setup EV plants here in the States.
BMW in South Carolina, Toyota in North Carolina, Honda in Ohio, Hyundai in Georgia, Mercedes-Benz in Alabama. Billions and billions of dollars are flowing into our states from these companies to build cars and batteries in America for Americans (not to mention all of the American car companies—Ford, GM, Tesla—doing the same!).
Bringing manufacturing jobs and products stateside, hmm, that kind of sounds like the exact opposite of what Trump says Biden has been doing. And Trump’s team wants to pull the plug on the effort, rescinding the EV incentive and as much of the IRA as they can. This won’t destroy all progress in these plants and for EVs in general—there’s too much invested already and the momentum EVs have is largely because they can offer a better experience—but aggressive action from a new administration can significantly slow down progress and adoption, thereby accelerating carbon pollution and climate change.1
And that’s likely the goal. Attacks on clean energy adoption are expected given that Trump’s energy-policy transition team is led, in part, by oil billionaire Harold Hamm, who helped raise millions for Trump’s campaign (wow, that doesn’t sound like corruption and conflict of interests at all!).
One would think that having someone like Elon Musk as a core part of the new administration would dampen this EV aggression, after all he runs the nation’s largest EV maker. One would be wrong. About ending the incentive, Musk had this to say, “I think it would be devastating for our competitors and for Tesla slightly.”'
So, it’s blatant corruption on multiple levels. Musk, the richest man in the world, fueled the final stretch of Trump’s campaign with $100-200 million and is poised to lead a new department in his administration. He will not divest from any of his private business holdings or roles and will support Trump and his oil barons in attacking the EV industry. This will benefit Elon because any attack on the industry will disproportionately hurt his competitors.
Tesla has taken advantage of government EV subsidies and contracts for years (SpaceX, another Musk company, has also been largely funded by government contracts to the tune of billions). Now, Tesla has an established production line, significant market share, and immense charging infrastructure in-roads. After benefiting immensely from government incentives, Elon wants to pull the ladder up behind him. With Tesla in a strong, safe position, any incentive that may benefit its competitors needs to be eliminated, and Musk, perched in a new, nebulous government position with unbelievable access and untold influence over the future President, seeks to ensure they are.
If there was ever a time to be concerned about corruption or oligarchy, it is now. The richest man in the world used his economic might to help the President get elected, along with turning one of the world’s biggest social media site’s into a propaganda machine to the same end. Now that his candidate has won, Musk has placed himself inside the upcoming administration, weighing in on policy decisions, personnel appointments, and even discussion with foreign leaders. This new political power will let Musk sway policy to benefit the corporation(s) he is still fully invested in, even to the detriment of the public. This is, plainly, a rich man buying political power, buying politicians, buying the President.
Now, Trump is an egomaniacal hot head, and Elon does not seem to be suited to the suave manipulator role. So, there is very much a chance that despite the bought influence, a fallout between them occurs and Musk loses his explicit political power. After all, Trump’s first term showed us that he has insanely high turnover amidst the people he hires to his cabinet. Even his original Vice President did not return to the campaign, and now White House, with him (recall this is because Pence did not help Trump in his attempted coup after he lost reelection). Elon’s political machinations could still be thwarted by Trump’s own volatility.
That isn’t too much of a solace, though. The current state we find ourselves in is the one of horrendous corruption. Even if it doesn’t reach a particularly high zenith of impact, it is still a terrible place for a democracy to be. And the impact itself could very well turn terrible.
In the past, Trump has clearly shown a disregard for the reality of climate change and the need to fight it. Now that his next admin is beginning to take shape, we can see the denial will continue and new levels of corruption will facilitate it. Trump’s second war on the climate has begun.
Small addendum: One would also think that the Trump pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services would not come up much in climate-related conversations. One would…
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been tapped to lead the new admin’s health department, and while he has latched on to a popular movement which has some legitimate gripes with American food health, he is a crank.
RFK retweets the oldest and most baseless conspiracy theories about global warming and “chemtrails.” He suggests that the polio vaccine did more harm than good! He has an endless number of completely unsubstantiated claims and statements that reveals an inability to make good judgements.
There is room in a free, informed society for people, especially leaders, to inquire about the safety of established practices. But cynically calling out practices as unhealthy and needing more research when you don’t understand the current research supporting them is not analogous with the above. RFK is baselessly distrusting of the scientific apparatus that he has just been chosen to, partly, lead.
If he is able to enact his vision of change in America, the results will be disastrous, just like they were in American Samoa. I’m all for more whole foods,2 but that doesn’t mean a polio vaccine-skeptic should be our guide on issues of health.
Not to mention Trump generally hates car alternatives like trains, buses, bikes, and walkability, so car emissions won’t be reduced through those means either. In reality, making those more feasible options throughout the country is the best way to eliminate transportation sector emissions.
If you recall, so was Michelle Obama!
Trump is a caveman
You know, that Citizens United vs. FEC ruling might have really been the nail in the coffin. Undermines the constitution and opened the door to ever-more-blatant corruption being deemed A-OK.