A Study In American Fascism: The War Against Tessla

Republicans hate regulations nearly as much as they hate taxation, and according to their Libertarian mindset, the concept of government interference in free market capitalism is tantamount to seizing the one percent’s wealth and assets and giving everything to undocumented immigrants, gays, and people of color. However, during the past year Republicans have interfered with private businesses simply because the companies failed to adhere to GOP regulations against union representation and renewable energy sources. In Republican-controlled states, GOP legislatures have forbidden business owners from providing overtime pay, sick leave, or raising the minimum wage, and still have the temerity to decry tyrannical government interference in business over gender pay equity, attempts to raise the minimum wage, or enforcing 14thAmendment protections against discrimination in the workplace. In a relatively new form of Republican fascism and regulatory overreach, Republican states have told consumers what they can and cannot purchase, and enacted regulations forbidding one company from conducting business in their states.

Missouri is the latest state to attempt to ban residents from purchasing cars from Tesla by inserting new language in an existing bill that forces consumers to buy new cars and trucks only through franchised dealerships. The legislation, HB 1124was passed late last year without anti-Tesla language, but Republicans resorted to their now-typical stealth tactic and slipped new language to put a screeching halt to Tesla selling cars in Missouri; a clear violation of Republican libertarian policy against government dictating how free market capitalism is conducted. The Missouri senate version of the bill passed without the public’s knowledge and moves to the House for passage without debate because powerful car dealers and the oil industry ordered Republicans to protect their monopoly on pollution-causing vehicles without the public’s knowledge.

Powerful auto manufacturers already paid the Chris Christie administration to shut down Tesla in New Jersey because the company does not use middlemen (franchises), and the Christie administration supported banning Tesla because Republicans contend “Tesla shouldn’t have the right to unilaterally change the way cars are sold.” Free market capitalism is not free in Republicans’ minds and they will not allow Tesla, or any company to sell cars unless manufacturers profit from dealership franchise fees, dealerships profit as middleman, and the oil industry profits from selling gasoline and oil that Tesla CEO Elon Musk clearly understands is the rationale behind forbidding consumers from purchasing what they want. According to Musk, the electric cars need far less service than gas-powered cars so the need for a dealership franchise profiting off of regularly scheduled dealership maintenance is non-existent. He said, ”There are no oil, spark plug or fuel filter changes, no tune-ups and no smog checks needed for an electric car. Overcharging people for unneeded servicing (often not even fixing the original problem) is rampant within the industry and happened to me personally on several occasions when I drove gasoline cars.”

http://www.politicususa.com/2014/05/12/freedom-republican-run-states-telling-people-buy.html