Take the challenge
The Lewiston Tribune publisher values the Opinion page editor as a ”numbers guy.”
A simple challenge, numbers boy: Analyze Washington State’s “Clean Cars 2030” initiative, beginning with House Bill 1287. Compare the energy usage of average gasoline cars to that required by electrics from the grid. Remember to add the cost of all the new infrastructure needed. Subtract the energy lost after removing the lower Snake River dams, another Tribune favorite.
Washington State staff reports, “One million EVs will need to be driving on (Washington) roads by 2030 ... to meet ... the statutory greenhouse emissions goals ... in our 2021 Energy Strategy.”
That’s only 14.8% of all Washington cars. Analyze just that impact on the grid.
Officials hope to replace lost gasoline taxes with a “... road usage tax ...” (on all cars). Gov. Jay Inslee vetoed HB 1287 only because it relied on the ”road usage tax” that is not (yet) law.
Marty Trillhaase normally ridicules such mathematical stupidity. He might note, for example, the physical space required for the 1-to-8 hour charging time while millions of vehicles wait in line.
Sen. Liias, D-Everett, said: “Passage of this legislation takes the guesswork and uncertainty out of the electric vehicle transition by creating a clear timeline with the data, tools, and guidelines needed to help businesses, developers, governments and consumers plan with confidence”.
The Tribune knows this won’t happen in eight years or 80, but it is all in on the climate change virtue signal.
Facts don’t matter. ...
Rick Rogers
Clarkston
Enriched by Ukraine’s pain
The Ukrainian people are trapped, between the East and the West.
I remember riding around Kyiv with a developer who was friendly with the western-leaning president. He showed me land he wanted to develop that had people living on it. He told me how the Soviet style was so crude. They would offer 10 cents on the dollar. If the people refused, thugs were sent at night to beat them and chase them and their families off their land.
But he and his western types were better than that. They went to the courts to have the police remove the citizens from their homes in broad daylight. He was proud that he was civilized.
Politics in the Ukraine are divided, like Democrats and Republicans, reflecting whether people prefer the Soviet or western style of corruption.
So when the Russians rolled in, many cheered until the betrayal of bullets landed on them. Quickly, they grabbed their guns and began fighting those they once believed in.
As the fighting began, the Ukraine’s western leader heroically closed the borders to the men of his nation and international volunteers. They stay and die while western arms dealers rack up profits for financiers heavily invested in their fighting spirit. Some are predicting 40 years profitability. That’s twice as long as Afghanistan. How good do those stock portfolios look now, senator?
Yet our nation only falls further into debt paying for the death and devastation while our investment class gets richer off the sickening spoils.
Christopher Rousseau
Clarkston
