DFL lawmaker wants to subsidize electric vehicles, mandate a reduction in vehicle miles driven

Yesterday, American Experiment discussed how Rep. Hornstein wishes to increase the tax on gasoline as a way of disincentivizing people from driving. He also advocated for other controversial policies, like subsidizing electric vehicles (EVs) and passing legislation establishing a goal to reduce the number of vehicle miles driven in Minnesota.

EV subsidies, giving your money to wealthy liberals

Electric vehicles make up a tiny fraction of vehicle sales in Minnesota, accounting for just 1.39 percent of all the cars sold in 2019, according to EV Adoption. Sales have been low due to fears over limited battery range and the higher cost of electric vehicles compared to gasoline-powered cars.

Rather than wait for EV manufacturers to figure out ways to make their product truly competitive with traditional cars, many liberal policymakers want to subsidize people who purchase electric vehicles. In essence, they want to tax you more to pay for a second vehicle for wealthy liberals.

If that description seems like hyperbole, consider the findings of a literature review study conducted by the Electric Vehicle Council of the Fuels Institute:

The top demographic of 2019 EV owners are middle-aged white men earning more than $100,000 annually with a college degree or higher and at least one other vehicle in their household.

When asked about the likeliness to consider purchasing or leasing an EV next time, approximately 53 percent Democrats and approximately 35 percent Republicans responded affirmatively.

Partisanship aside, there is no legitimate reason to force low and middle-income Minnesotans to pay higher taxes to fund electric vehicle vanity purchases. If people want to buy an electric vehicle, they should do so, but on their own dime.

If we’re switching to electric vehicles, why do they want to reduce the number of miles traveled?

Another controversial policy suggested by Rep. Hornstein was passing legislation with the goal of reducing the number of vehicle miles traveled in the state, which could give the state of Minnesota the power to control how many miles you drive.

This suggestion is oppressive, un-American, and also makes zero sense.

If all of the cars in Minnesota are supposed to be “zero emissions” electric cars, why do liberal lawmakers care how many miles anyone drives? Isn’t the entire point of incentivizing Minnesotans to drive EVs to allow them to live their lives without emitting greenhouse gases? How would the government enforce this goal?

The implications of such a bad policy are obvious: rural Minnesotans will be harmed the most because they drive the most.

Minnesotans need reliable, affordable means of getting from Point A to Point B. They do not need higher gas taxes, higher taxes to pay for EV subsidies, or government-imposed limits on how many miles they can drive. Rep. Hornstein would benefit tremendously from pitching these policy ideas outside of the Minneapolis city limits. Doing so would help broaden his perspective and help him see who would be hurt the most by these proposals.