Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is very concerned about global warming–so concerned that he is trying to promulgate California-style rules to force Minnesotans to drive electric vehicles, whether they want to or not. Walz says this is necessary to “make sure that there’s ice on that lake in January.” But if Walz is so dedicated to preventing the rest of us from burning gasoline in our cars, why is he driving a vehicle that gets 11 miles to the gallon? My colleague Isaac Orr wants to know:
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz drove a 1979 International Harvester Scout–which gets only 11.4 miles per gallon–-through the Minnesota State Fair Food Parade last weekend.
Normally, what kind of car anyone drives, including the Governor, would be none of our business. But Governor Walz has made it his business to tell Minnesotans what kind of cars they can drive by using the government bureaucracy to force Minnesota to comply with California car mandates. These mandates would force Minnesotans to spend up to $2,500 more per vehicle to meet California’s fuel mileage standards.
Governor Walz claims that these mandates are necessary to “make sure that there’s ice on that lake in January,” but if the Governor is truly concerned about keeping ice on the lakes in winter, why is he driving a vehicle that only gets 11.4 miles per gallon?
After an exhaustive investigation I finally nailed this one (I know other outlets got it first) @GovTimWalz and his family drove thru @mnstatefair food parade in his 1979 International Harvester Scout – according to a spokesperson it’s his only vehicle pic.twitter.com/gMNsPCrNqz
— esme murphy (@esmemurphy) September 6, 2020
Governor Walz is something of an anti-oil zealot. He has blocked construction of a new pipeline to replace an aging one, on the ground that in the future, Minnesotans won’t need any oil. That is a ridiculous claim–oil is Minnesota’s largest source of energy–but it certainly won’t be true if we all get 11 miles to the gallon, like our governor.
In the annals of hypocrisy, Tim Walz takes his place next to Nancy Pelosi. She shut down hair solons for the common people, but not for herself. He is trying to force the rest of us to buy electric cars, while himself driving an enormous moose of a vehicle that may the least fuel efficient model on the roads. As Isaac says, “California car mandates for thee, an International Harvester Scout getting 11.4 miles per gallon for me.”
