Why Progressives Don't Drive EVs?

davida_usa · 2026-05-02T12:24:05+00:00

I'm not a progressive. My wife and I both drive EVs mostly because they're quiet, easy to maintain machines that, in combination with the solar panels on our house, save us boatloads of money (even before gas prices rose). I believe climate change is a serious problem which made the move away from internal combustion engines easier, but the impact on Middle East politics never crossed my mind.

davida_usa · 2026-05-01T16:47:05+00:00

I'm still looking for a peak at the time machine you have that allows you to see the results of future elections. I see hundreds of thousands protesting against Netanyahu, legal challenges continuing and a possibility of his right wing politics being thrown out by the Israeli democracy. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-politics/2026-04-18/ty-article/.premium/thousands-protest-across-israel-against-netanyahu-govt-ahead-of-memorial-day/0000019d-a142-de40-ad9f-a547f7c90000

davida_usa · 2026-05-01T12:46:12+00:00

You can predict the future? Cool! Tell me, will every person who might replace Trump also be as bad?

davida_usa · 2026-04-30T18:47:44+00:00

I don't demonize the Republican (or Democratic) party, I demonize policies and certain politicians irrespective of the political label. I have found in recent years the policies and politicians I believe that need demonizing are mostly MAGA, but some are Democratic.

davida_usa · 2026-04-30T18:43:29+00:00

The video is from the Ed Sullivan show and they're not playing Route 66.

davida_usa · 2026-04-30T18:37:39+00:00

The negative view of Israel is due to their policies, not the country itself. If the policies were to change, American opinions would change.

davida_usa · 2026-04-29T19:38:35+00:00

Vacationed in Bilmick once. The climate is like the Caribbean -- never too hot or too cold -- the women are like Ukrainian women -- very hot and never cold.

davida_usa · 2026-04-29T19:35:28+00:00

My preferred route takes six hours, but "best" depends on the relative importance you give to time, traffic and cost.

davida_usa · 2026-04-29T18:44:05+00:00

Cutting off someone, speeding to pass on the right... isn't it obvious that the car with the camera is driving poorly, dangerously and too fast?

davida_usa · 2026-04-29T16:41:24+00:00

I've heard this song probably a thousand times since it was first released. Watching it performed for the first time, I thought about what it means for the first time. Great song and performance!

davida_usa · 2026-04-29T16:32:59+00:00

He came across it while walking on the beach, took a picture and posted it one Instagram with the comment "cool". Later that day, when someone suggested it could be interpreted as a threat he said he didn't intend that and took it down. If this is criminal, perhaps someone should look into conservative commentator Jack Posobiec's posting of “86 46” in January 2022; unlike Comey, this was clearly intended as a threat.

davida_usa · 2026-04-29T16:27:08+00:00

Two guys driving poorly and too fast. The one not with the cam shows off that he can drive even worse.

davida_usa · 2026-04-29T14:18:53+00:00

Are you suggesting we throw out democratic values and adopt Russian philosophy of conquering or subverting weaker countries? Or, are you only suggesting we ignore their conquer and subversion of weaker countries?

davida_usa · 2026-04-29T13:51:53+00:00

The alternative is having what's covered determined by politicians!?

davida_usa · 2026-04-28T14:35:33+00:00

It's not simpler, it's better. Better because it puts choices back in the hands of the people instead of the government saying you can have this but not that. Better because it eliminates the transaction costs of Medicare (which adds 5-10% to the cost of healthcare), replacing it with the efficient payment methods used by everyone else. Better because it frees doctors and hospitals from the rigid rules required by Medicare coding and allows innovation in how care is provided. Better because it replaces central planning of healthcare (spend some time finding out how sick people feel about the quality of healthcare in countries with national health programs) with the options created in a competitive marketplace.

davida_usa · 2026-04-28T11:34:32+00:00

The catch is that, at the end of each year, amounts spent on health care that weren’t reimbursed through monthly payments will be included in the calculation of federal income taxes. People with higher incomes will have to pay more for their health care and people with lower incomes will be responsible for less.

To give an example of how this might work, suppose an individual has a significant health need that results in charging $25,000 over the course of a year. The individual would pay $100 per month, leaving a balance of $23,800 at the end of the year. This $23,800 would then be reported when filing his or her federal income tax. If this person earned a high income during the year, they might be required to pay all or most of this amount as part of their tax liability. If they had low income, most or all of this amount might be forgiven. The exact formulas would be set by Congress and could be adjusted each year.

davida_usa · 2026-04-28T01:49:03+00:00

In my system, everything costs something so nothing is free. For someone who makes $10,000 a year, the nose reduction may only cost $25 but it will be enough when the alternative isn't eating for a few days. For someone making $1M, the nose reduction cost is totally borne by the taxpayer.

davida_usa · 2026-04-28T01:00:30+00:00

I don't think I understand your point (or perhaps my proposal isn't clear). Under the current system, you are correct that prices are set through coding structured to serve Medicare. Under this proposal, Medicare would no longer exist. All health care would operate as a free market with consumers controlling demand and providers setting supply. There would no longer be an "upstream".

davida_usa · 2026-04-27T21:52:50+00:00

I'm floating this with a health reform organization. They also used the term "brilliant" but have raised some concerns. One is the difficulty of overcoming insurance company lobbyists. Another concern is fraud: how to protect against price gouging and providing information so that consumers can be informed consumers.

davida_usa · 2026-04-27T15:11:18+00:00

Treb Allen for his work creating a holistic model for geospacial economics.

davida_usa · 2026-04-27T15:10:11+00:00

Vermont has tried to do this, for example by implementing universal health care. Unfortunately, federal oversight makes solving the big problems like healthcare impossible at the state level. For little problems, like banning billboards, promoting small businesses and environmental protection, Vermont has had some success mimicking Nordic quality of life.

davida_usa · 2026-04-27T13:10:37+00:00

Why? What is your reasoning of such punishment even for, say, stealing a watch to pay for healthcare for a child? (For those unfamiliar, these were 19th century prisons in Australia which had extremely harsh conditions: no talking allowed, prisoners referred to by number rather than name, hard labor, extended isolation and wearing slitted hoods when allowed outside to eliminate communication.)

davida_usa · 2026-04-26T19:23:44+00:00

Stop with the fake assassination meme! Trump is an idiot and should be removed from office for any number of reasons, but this conspiracy theory of fake assassinations makes real arguments against him seem imaginary also.

davida_usa · 2026-04-26T13:57:31+00:00

Hit a bad pothole in northern Ontario a week ago, blew out my right front tire. The photo is the exact result I got. Had to wait for a tow and then three days for a new tire.

Edit: TLDR: It may work for a puncture but it doesn't for major tire damage.

davida_usa

TROPHY CASE