By Andrea Widburg
The conventional wisdom from the left is that COVID is the reason that shipping containers are in the waters off California with no stevedores or truckers available to take care of them. The implication is that if people would stop being selfish and take the vaccines, the whole problem would magically vanish. That’s nonsense. As a couple of astute articles explain, the problem is that California has passed two laws — one for “climate change” and the other as a sop to the unions — that destroyed much of California’s trucking industry. Add in woes unique to the industry and COVID payments that discourage people from working and…voilà!…empty Christmas stockings.
Stephen Green, at PJ Media, explains some of what’s going on. As a preliminary matter, truckers are aging out of the job, and new ones aren’t coming along. Because federal law requires that truckers be at least 21, kids who leave school at 17 or 18 get involved in other careers, leaving trucker shortfalls. Women don’t offset this problem because, as is typical for most physically difficult jobs, it’s not their thing. Those are long-term problems.
The short-term problem, though, is that California has passed laws taking trucks off the road:
Twitter user Jerry Oakley reminds us that “Carriers domiciled in California with trucks older than 2011 model, or using engines manufactured before 2010, will need to meet the Board’s new Truck and Bus Regulation beginning in 2020.” Otherwise, “Their vehicles will be blocked from registration with the state’s DMV,” according to California law.
“The requirement is to purchase electric trucks which do not exist.”
Sundance, at Conservative Treehouse, expands on this, explaining that the EPA reached an agreement with the California Air Resource Board.
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Yep, liberals killed Santa. Can’t wait to see who they blame it on.
They’ll blame it on Trump and those evil Republicans and Christians and everyone else who doesn’t believe in the leftists agenda to destroy America. And the sheep who worship at the Tower of Babel (babbel) will fall for it.
“…wisdom from the left…”
These words do not belong together.
Ever.
I’m pretty sure that there is a former president who might have stepped up and suspended these rules
So typical of government. Implement a Grand Solution without concern for ramifications. Sort of like closing mental hospitals and dropping off the patients/residents on street corners with no plans or place to live,
But the lefties get to preen and pat themselves on the back (till it hits the fan)
The feds are usually quick to trot out the Interstate Commerce clause to fuck with states doing things they don’t like.
Which means they like this.
Has the US done anything about manufacturing pharmaceuticals here in the US again? Having most of the drugs we use (and the precursors) made in China or India is shortsighted.
— trucks older than 2011 model
This is a load of crap. Diesel engines have become so much more complicated the past couple decades and all they have accomplished is adding another chemical to the exhaust – DEF – and restricted the hell out of them. They are actually less efficient now with less MPG. Plenty of diesel mechanics complain about this, the entire exhaust system gets plugged after 40-50k miles and costs thousands in repairs to remain compliant. Unrestricted trucks get much better fuel economy especially when hauling a load (as they usually are).
leftists destroy everything.
Don’t forget the new rules about contract workers and the self-employed.
Just wait until Texas and other red states pick up the slack.
I heard somewhere that the husk drove an 18 wheeler in his younger days. Surely he can recruit Pete Buttcheeks & the rest of his worthless cabinet members to do something useful besides robbing the unwashed masses blind. Oh, wait a minute, being a truck driver takes years of training, skill & commitment. These buffoons would not have a clue of how to drive an automatic transmission, as the husk demonstrated at the Ford plant earlier this year, let alone a vehicle with 9,10,11,13,15 or 18 speeds. I’d be surprised if they can even count that high without a telepromter.
Every single thing in CA is Fuc….up, everything. Newscum is the king now. People here are so eager to give away their precious freedoms. A state of sheep.