The Dawn of Connecticut's Coming Stone Age Is Arriving

Last week, we discussed the fantastic incoherent world that King Ned Lamont The Unaccountable and his Omnipotent one-party ruling Democrats have designed Connecticut to be. This week, I would like to examine the grievous realities that Connecticut Taxpayers will be subjected to with the impending Electric vehicle (EV) mandate. You may remember that I previously wrote about this mandate back on 11/25/23.

Kindly be advised that the economically incoherent Electric vehicle (EV) mandate is to be pushed through in a special sham legislative session being called by the same Ned Lamont. The Democrat Party intends to implement the "Advanced Clean Cars II, ACC" initiative (the “Act”) in this special sham session, requiring that all light duty vehicles sold in the state be Zero emission vehicles by 2035 and that medium and heavy-duty trucks reduce their extant "emissions" by 75% by 2035 as well. Truck fleets of 50 vehicles and over will be required to report to the draconian and imperious Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (“DEEP”) for "prioritization" of these fleets to electric vehicles. The Act also will create "superior warranty provisions and protections". It still has not been explained to me as to what this particular term means, in addition as to how the Act will work and as to whom will pay for it (https://portal.ct.gov/deep/air/mobile-sources/ct-proposed-emissions-standards-for-cars-and-trucks). Further, there is no public testimony nor pushback permitted in this special sham session, so in fact, these political wonders do not care one bit about what you may think.

The Act will result in a law that will compel citizens to follow California emissions rules and regulations which effectively eliminate gas powered vehicle as we know and use them, and replace it with the unaffordable and unreliable EV that will keep most people home during a cold and long snowy Connecticut winter. Please keep in mind that there still has been no cost analysis to this bill, but it is well-settled by many analyses that the environmental costs and environmental impact of generating mass vehicle E-power is far worse than the supposed benefit from abstention from fossil fuels. There are questions that have yet to have been answered by the untouchable administrative state bureaucracies. For example: Who will be paying for these vehicles, extended warranties, electric charging stations (that apparently will use no fossil fuels?), or EV batteries? Who is liable for damage when there is a fire in an electric vehicle and/or when an EV is in an accident? Will drivers be tracked by the DEEP or Revenue Services as to their travel? Will car electric charges be denied to those to be socially or politically unfavorable? In addition, what are the economic costs of the massive amount of gas/diesel stations/pumps closing, the economic costs of the massive layoff of gasoline/diesel mechanics due to a lack of work, the economic costs of parts supply houses/dealers going out of business since parts for gasoline/diesel vehicles will no longer be able to be sold? These are legitimate questions that need to be asked well before this Connecticut taxpayer funded special legislative session is called upon. As is par for the Connecticut course, all that is received is deafening silence.

Needless to say, there is the inevitable connection as to what (and how much) profit can be made by Ned Lamont's family hedge fund Oak HC/FT and the mandate for EV's in the state. The passage of this law will successfully open up yet another profit stream for Oak HC/FT along the lines of where investors immersed in the glamour of e-cars and the Lamont-connected Saudi-based Saudi Public Investment Fund, will profit once again as the Saudi involvement in E-cars has been covered in multiple recognized news outlets such as Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and The Jerusalem Post. How this blatant self-dealing by the Lamont family is legal and unquestioned by elected officials of all stripes is simply, beyond belief. Further, why this issue is never questioned by anyone in the state-run media adds to the total disrespect that Lamont and his Democrat Party have for Connecticut taxpayers. As my colleague Tony De Angelo famously says on his weekly segment on the Lee Elci Show (WJJF FM 94.9), Connecticut is the Lamont Hedge Fund disguised as a state. Of course, taxpayer be damned as usual.

In a respectful and fair world, Connecticut Taxpayers should be allowed to make their own decisions whether they wish to purchase an EV, and neither Ned Lamont, the Connecticut Democrat Party nor the failed economic state of California should be making that decision for them. The market laws of supply and demand should be at work for private transportation. Take just one look at the debacle of trying to run and charge EV's in cold weather as seen throughout our country. Better yet, picture a state like Connecticut that mandates EV's for all emergency vehicles, police cars, and food delivery trucks. Picture an ambulance on the way to an emergency call that runs out of battery power or catches fire. Picture an individual who dies because of this situation. Picture a baby that starves to death for want of baby formula. Picture a woman battered to death by her boyfriend because the police are busy charging their car battery and could not arrive on the scene in time. All of the above scenarios are brought to you in the failed vein of green energy, irrational and incoherent bureaucrats, consultants and elected officials, vapid climate change “activists” and the total disregard for common sense when it comes to this utterly ridiculous law and mandate.

This scenario in the opinion of many is the future with the horrific and incoherent "Advanced Clean Cars II, ACC" initiative. Profits over people. Profits over human life in The Unaccountable Ned Lamont's personal hedge fund disguised as the former great state of Connecticut.

 

Connecticut's Profit Driven Democrat Party: Democrats Profit at People’s Expense

 

It has become increasingly evident over time that most of Connecticut's Taxpayer funded programs and policies are somehow related to Democrat politicians and their ability to earn a personal profit or benefit from it.  Since the advent of the completely non-transparent Administration of His Royal Con Man King Governor Ned Lamont the Unaccountable, we know little to nothing about the many deals that are made almost daily to help the profits of the Lamont's family hedge fund and the deals of other assorted Democrats. Again and again, be it Lamont, or his wife Annie Lamont (aka “Saudi Annie”) and their myriad family private equity partnerships such as Oak HC/FT, Connecticut Taxpayers still have no clear answers to many questionable investments and arrangements tied to Sema-4, Digital Currency Group and its affiliates, ADVANCECT, 4-CT, Boston Consulting Group, UNITE US, Mt. Sinai Genomics, “The Horsebarn Hill Investment Fund”, Tidal River Fund, McKinsey, and the Lamont-based Cayman Islands shell companies a number of years later. The list seems endless, and we see absolutely no research, acuity, or initiative from our state-run media in investigating any of it. 

In any event the “Ned Gang” experienced a small loss this past week on the adopted California edict to outlaw gasoline powered vehicle sales in 2035 but we have no delusions in that the same gang will be back with retaliation in the form of a bill that buries this "Advanced Clean Cars II, ACC" initiative in it, possibly with a cuter name designed by either McKinsey or Boston Consulting.  When this initiative is then buried in a “rat” bill at 3 am at the close of the legislative session for passage, this successfully opens up yet another profit stream for Oak HC/FT along the lines of where investors vested in e-cars (such as the Lamont-connected Saudi-based Saudi Public Investment Fund), will profit once again off of the backs of non-politically connected minion and serf-like taxpayers.

Again, please do not delude yourself and do understand that the Electric Vehicle mandate is still very much in play.   But truthfully after the revolt against this farcical debacle was engineered at the hands of citizens, intrepid independent journalists, radio commentators, social media contributors, and not politicians (regardless of what they tell you), has the day finally dawned that Connecticut Taxpayers, state businesses and individuals who are tired of supporting the profit driven Democrat Party (whether it is corrupt Bridgeport,  drug-addled-bullet-ridden New Haven or state government in Hartford) are finally fed up with writing checks for these economically incoherent programs that are being mandated by non-elected Democrat career bureaucrats?

In addition, it is quite interesting to me that the bureaucracies propounding these programs almost always escape any criticism or challenge from any elected officials whatsoever, perhaps because these officials are pining for similar cushy state employment that some of their predecessors have already attained?  Could it be possible that Connecticut Taxpayers, the businesses, and individuals who are supporting the profit driven Democrat Party are now wondering once again how their humanitarian Governor earns $54 million dollars a year even though he does not take his salary?  Could it now be possible that Connecticut Taxpayers, the businesses, and individuals who are supporting the profit driven Democrat Party do not wish fund this incoherent economic gibberish called “government” that is rammed down their throats and pocketbooks any longer?  

Maybe and finally the outcry against this wretched E-Car Act requiring that all light duty vehicles sold in the state be Zero emissions vehicles by 2035 and that medium and heavy-duty trucks reduce their "emissions" by 40 to 75% by 2035 and requiring Truck fleets of 50 vehicles and over to report to the DEEP for "prioritization" of these fleets to electric vehicles, has broken the Democrats back with regards to their incessant march to economic Armageddon for the state. Still, many Democrats in the state are shocked at the outcry to the rejection of this piece of legislation even though behind the scenes tradeoffs/lobbying and bribing were being offered for a yes vote.  Could this now possibly mean that Connecticut Taxpayers have had enough?

However, keep in mind that these logically incoherent bureaucrats try to guilt, propagandize and shame state taxpayers to embrace their twisted vision, they will never tell you this entire “effort” has a hideously dirty little secret. As just one example, we are browbeaten by the delusional Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (headed by the $175,000 taxpayer-paid Commissioner Katie Dykes) and her wish to protect us from all causes of pollution wheresoever. However, this "vision" gives absolutely no consideration to the abuses of people and children of Color caused by the serial mining of the minerals in order to produce E-Car batteries: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/02/01/1152893248/red-cobalt-congo-drc-mining-siddharth-kara (inter-alia). This issue is well-known and well-settled. That said, I am of the belief that the very woke-liberal- environmentally sensitive and happily bureaucratic walking among us in Connecticut could care less about the generational damage done to these helpless people and to the earth as a whole by mineral mining, provided that they have their neat little Subaru or Volt car to plug into a charging station and chat about how hip they are to the cause of clean air.

Since the beginning of the Lamont Administration to this day the Democrat Party places their profits over people especially over Connecticut Taxpayers.  A new war over town zoning has begun that will drive Democrat profit streams in the future, create unaffordable and nonsensical housing, raise property taxes even higher, eliminate wetlands and wreak environmental destruction (sort of like the EV mandate coming in 2035), and help destroy Persons of Color far away while Middle Easterners tied to the E-Car industry keep trying to force feed the misguided products onto the driveways of citizens.  Connecticut has the modern day "Robin Hoods" although with a twist as the current Democrat Administration of His Royal Con Man, King Ned Lamont the Unaccountable, his wife Ann Lamont (aka “Saudi Annie”) and their family private equity partnerships such as Oak HC/FT seem to rob the middle class Connecticut taxpayers to help make them become poor and then giving to the rich, to make them even more wealthy in the vast economic wasteland known as Connecticut. 

In consideration of all the above, perhaps “Robbing Hoods” is a more apt term for these connected characters. And again, it is truly Democrat Profits over people in 2023.

Ban Connecticut's DEEP Rather Than Gasoline Powered Vehicles

One can be easily confused in reading what the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (“DEEP”) actually does in the state.  I do not see anywhere in its website where it, and/or Connecticut Taxpayers are legally bound to follow the environmental rules of California.  According to the State of Connecticut government portal (portal.ct.gov): "The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is a state agency in the U.S. State of Connecticut. The department oversees the state's natural resources and environment and regulates public utilities and energy policy." Also, "The mission of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is to conserve, improve and protect the air, water and other natural resources and environment of the State of Connecticut while fostering sustainable development. The agency’s mission includes the goals of reducing electrical rates and decreasing costs for Connecticut ratepayers, ensuring the reliability of the state’s energy supply, increasing the use of clean energy, and developing the state’s energy-related economy for conserving natural resources, thereby enhancing the quality of life in Connecticut. DEEP’s programs preserve and protect from pollution the state's waters, air, land and other natural resources." 

 However, Proposed section 22a-174-37, Low NOx and ACT Regulation (PR2023-020) and Proposed section 22a-174-36d, Advanced Clean Cars II (PR 2023-023) follow the rules of California to eliminate the sale of gasoline powered vehicles in state by 2035 and, forcing all Connecticut Taxpayers/Drivers to use electric vehicles if they hope to go anywhere at all.

While at it, why not ban all fossil fuels and their products as well? How you might heat your homes is totally irrelevant to the environmental and unelected political elitists that are not accountable to Connecticut Taxpayers while dictating these insane policies and laws.  Heating your homes with heating oil or natural gas?  Both are environmentally friendly but forget that, you must ban them.  So what, that you risk freezing to death and/or having your pipes burst when frozen?   We all know that His Royal Con-Man King Ned Lamont the Unaccountable and his Connecticut Democrat Party can use any type of energy they want to while living in splendor off the labors of the Connecticut Taxpayer supporting their incoherent economic environmental gibberish.  You must be made to understand that you are not a member of this ruling class, but merely a subject with no voice or no vote. Obviously, the environmental mecca and liberal wasteland known as California is what Connecticut Taxpayers must obey.  

Maybe Connecticut Taxpayers should ban the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection?  Maybe Connecticut Taxpayers should de-fund it?  Maybe Connecticut Taxpayers should realize that they no longer have any say whatsoever in what the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection wants to do, can do, will do, and will do at whatever cost that its denizens of the Connecticut Administrative State shall determine in their sole and absolute discretion. First the ban will be on gas cars and soon after furnaces, air conditioning units and afterwards, all of the plastic products in your bathroom will be banned as they are made with petroleum derivatives. Life as we know it will be banned in the guise of this Utopian zero emission endeavor of economic despair, discouragement, and destruction.  

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is overreaching its "governance" with this totalitarian decree.  Who is going to pay for all these supposed subsidies for electric vehicles that are no way economically affordable in a high tax, high cost-of-living state like Connecticut?  I forgot; the Connecticut Taxpayers will get the bill as they are continually shafted by all the various corporate welfare gimmicks Connecticut's state government force feeds to them.  An economy needs the basic laws of supply and demand to function daily.  Connecticut seems to be an example of a command economic system dictated by the ruling Democrat Party elite by forcing Taxpayers to buy vehicles that they do not want and cannot afford. And there is not yet one legislator speaking out to call this entire hallucinatory and fantastic “policy" pipe dream a farce, and calling for the free market to take over as to what vehicles Taxpayers wish to drive.

 This is just another example of Ned Lamont's Democrat Party economics and economic failure that Connecticut Taxpayers will pay for.  It is 1776 all over again.