The US depends on foreign countries for oil, obviously. Consider as well that there is a national speed limit, even though road regulation is at the state level of jurisdiction. The national speed limit had nothing to do with safety. It exists as a as a national security measure to control US dependency on foreign oil.
So naturally when someone fuels their ICE¹ car in the US, they are working against the country. They are contributing to the foreign dependency problem. Somewhat ironically, republicans tend to drive gas guzzling SUVs and oversized pickups. These are the same people who are hell-bent on national security – and who have also hi-jacked the US flag and repurposed it to equate republican politics with patriotism. The foolishness is on display when they attach US flags to their F350 pickups.
US addiction to oil is a bipartisan problem. Dems are also addicted to the convenience of cars to the extreme extent of voting out a California democrat who vowed to impose a fuel tax. Cowardly hypocrits indeed.
There was an attempt by democrats to stigmatize tax avoidance and anti-tax policy as “unpatriotic”. Superficially that would be a wise move, but it failed. Republicans just laugh at that because they have made themselves the definition of patriotic. They can just as well argue that tax hostility is inherently American.
But what about fuel? The republicans would have no viable argument to make against the contradiction of burning oil with patriotism. If dems could pull that off, they could take back the flag.
¹ Internal Combustion Engine
Consider as well that there is a *national* speed limit, even though road regulation is at the state level of jurisdiction. The national speed limit had nothing to do with safety. It exists as a as a national security measure to control US dependency on foreign oil.
There isn’t a national speed limit, that ended in 1995. Each state chooses its own speed limits. Wikipedia page. It’s 80 in a lot of the less-populated mountain west states, which makes 70 seem slow when you’re driving across states.
I personally don’t think the flag can be taken back. Republicans turned it into a worthless commodity starting in the 1970s with the Vietnam War. It’s only gotten worse since.
It started to get a deservedly negative connotation in the 1980s. My grandfathers both served in World War II, and they respected the flag differently. That all changed in the 1980s with Ronald Reagan and Lee Greenwood singing “God Bless the USA” while wearing an American flag jacket.
It’s been essentially a symbol of anti-American principles since then. Like how the Christian flag often indicates Christian nationalism and not actual Christians.
American patriotism can’t be reclaimed, it has to be redefined with a different flag.
There isn’t a national speed limit, that ended in 1995.
I appreciate the correction. Though I must say that’s trivia that does not counter the original point. National security is still compromised by the dependency. The US has simply decided that it’s okay to bully for the oil even to the extent of sacrificing some service people’s lives.
It’s quite the opposite. Gas cars require imported crude. Acquisition and protection of crude has historically been a military function.
And I probably don’t need to say that in today’s USA, nothing is more patriotic than Jesus blessing our troops, in whatever action the undertake.
MAGA world was extremely anti EV, anti hybrid, anti sustainability, anti anything ecologically intelligent. This was the party of coal-rolling. They haven’t changed, they’ve just been confused and conflicted about EVs since Elon came into the fold.
It’s quite the opposite.
What’s the opposite of what?
Gas cars require imported crude.
That’s essentially what I said, no?
Acquisition and protection of crude has historically been a military function.
And? Anything that requires the use of the military is obviously contrary to national security. It’s like saying “Thieves force me to hire a security guard for my shop, therefore theives are good for security”.
MAGA world was extremely anti EV, anti hybrid, anti sustainability, anti anything ecologically intelligent.
Know your audience. Hence why the focus should not be on ecology – but rather national security, when facing a MAGA audience.
They haven’t changed, they’ve just been confused and conflicted about EVs since Elon came into the fold.
That confusion should be exploited.
What’s the opposite of what?
Your title question… no, we can’t stigmatize ICE cars because we are putting in overtime stigmatizing EVs and all things sustainable energy. We need to stop doing the opposite of stigmatizing ICE cars before we can stigmatize them.
Know your audience. Hence why the focus should not be on ecology – but rather national security, when facing a MAGA audience.
You’re gonna try to use logic to persuade MAGA, and tell me to know my audience. Lol. MAGA are fools and followers, not critical thinkers, not people who form their own opinions. They do what they’re told. The way to change what they think is to change what they’re told by their idols. Elon accomplished it with the Cybertruck by throwing heaps of money at the politicians (and a lifetime of being one of them). The same could work, but it requires heaps of money, a mouthpiece, commitment to a purpose, and organization.
I feel like some activists tried this some year back. The problem is politicians co-opted it into “energy independence” which turned into drill baby drill.
If the US had fewer oil reserves it would be easier to make that distinction but it gets really muddy with how much we produce.
But I mean there are some modern attempts. Have you seen this meme? https://old.lemmy.sdf.org/post/17536856
If the US had fewer oil reserves it would be easier to make that distinction but it gets really muddy with how much we produce.
Those reserves were reserved for a reason – so after peak oil the US would have some time before hitting rock bottom.
Have you seen this meme?
I had not. Let’s hope that meme is only pointed to MAGA nuts, because “keeps you dependant on woke companies” seems quite far off the mark. Whoever wrote that probably had the car maker in mind, but oil companies are as hard-right as they come. Buying fuel for an ICE car adds money to the warchests of republican policians - Greg Abbot most particularly.
Implying electric cars are patriotic. Or even good.
Geting cars off the road is a real win.
In the US, that would require undoing 100 years of civil engineering with money a broke-ass country does not have.
Implying electric cars are patriotic. Or even good.
Implying that making perfect the enemy of good is a wise move in this context. Or even sensible.
Geting cars off the road is a real win.
Yes, that is perfect. Also a dreamy unrealistic utopia that Americans won’t have at the current unsurmountable level of convenience zombieism that spans both parties.
“Dreamy unrealistic utopia”? Have you ever been to another country? Public transport is table stakes for the OECD.
Or, if you can’t imagine anything as “utopian” as a tram, move close enough to bike to work.
Do you really think all people and cultures are the same? Have you never been to the US?
Indeed I’ve lived inside and outside the US (as a cyclist in a city with good cycling and public transport). Just as Europeans would never accept the general population carrying guns, Americans will not give up their cars. Especially when there is no infra for it. Cyclists would get slaughtered in high numbers on most US streets.
move close enough to bike to work.
You clearly have no idea how zoning works in the US, and how sprawling cities are.
Apparently “solar punk” means “smug car brains.”
So sad.
I am 100% in the #fuckCars camp (as a cyclist). Whether that is “solar punk” depends on where you are. A solar punk can’t be anti-car while living in locations where carlessness is not viable (that’s just a stupid punk, soon to be dead punk). Your delusions and ignorance about US attitudes, culture, psychology, and addictions is a bit sad, considering hollywood movies would even be sufficient to straighten that out without setting foot in the country.
