November 23, 2010

The Anti-Volt Jihad

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Given all the bizarre crusades that conservatives regularly gin up on TV and talk radio, it’s hard to pick out any single one as the most bizarre. But for my money, one of the weirdest has been their obsession with the Chevy Volt. The Volt was conceived of years ago, has been in the works since well before 2008, and has nothing to do with the current occupant of the White House. But for some reason, conservatives are nonetheless convinced that the Volt is some kind of eco-chic, TARP-fueled bailout buggy that GM is selling solely because Commissar Obama has ordered them to. It’s weird as hell. I mean, it’s just a car. A pretty nifty car, in fact. (Nifty but pricey.)

Anyway, a little while ago Rush Limbaugh decided to extend his usual anti-Volt rants to Motor Trend magazine, which had named the Volt its Car of the Year. Last week Detroit Editor Todd Lassa decided to fight back:

Last time you ranted about the Volt, you got confused about the “range,” and said on the air that the car could be driven no more than 40 miles at a time, period. At least you stayed away from that issue this time, but you continue to attack it as the car only a tree hugging, Obama-supporting Government Motors customer would want.

….All the shouting from you or from electric car purists on the left can’t distort the fact that the Chevy Volt is, indeed, a technological breakthrough. And it’s more. It’s a technological breakthrough that many American families can use for gas-free daily commutes and well-planned vacation drives. It’s expensive for a Chevy, but many of those families will find the gasoline saved worth it. If you can stop shilling for your favorite political party long enough to go for a drive, you might really enjoy the Chevy Volt. I’m sure GM would be happy to lend you one for the weekend. Just remember: driving and Oxycontin don’t mix.

This really is one of those issues where there seems to be literally nothing involved except knee-jerk opposition to anything that the left might conceivably approve of. But I guess if you distort it enough you can convince your audience that it’s all part of Barack Obama’s state-planning paradise and a sign of socialism on the march. American ingenuity be damned, this is an opportunity to take a shot at Obama! Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to today’s movement conservatism.

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WE'LL BE BLUNT

It is astonishingly hard keeping a newsroom afloat these days, and we need to raise $253,000 in online donations quickly, by October 7.

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