10-18-14 Hodgepodge

You Can Help Stop Regulatory Censorship

Whatever you might think about electric cars, the ongoing saga of Tesla's battle against regulatory capture of the automobile market has done us all a great service by showing how despicable politicians and mooching "businessmen" can be.

I applaud Tesla Motors for taking the high road and showing everyone what they are up against:

Not content with enshrining their ability to charge consumers dubious fees, on the last day of the legislative session, the dealers managed to make a last-minute change to the bill in an attempt to cement their broader retail monopoly. Using a procedure that prevented legislators and the public at large from knowing what was happening or allowing debate, Senator Joe Hune added new language in an attempt to lock Tesla out of the State. Unsurprisingly, Senator Hune counts the Michigan Automobile Dealers Association as one of his top financial contributors, and his wife's firm lobbies for the dealers.

By striking a single, but critical, word from MCLA 445.1574(14)(1)(i), the law governing franchise relations in Michigan, the dealers seek to force Tesla, a company that has never had a franchise dealership, into a body of law solely intended to govern the relationship between a manufacturer and its associated dealers. In so doing, they create an effective prohibition against Tesla opening a store in Michigan.

This amendment goes even further. It also seeks to prevent Tesla from operating a gallery in Michigan that simply provides information without conducting sales. We could even be barred from telling people about our car. [link dropped, bold added]

This bill has been passed and awaits only Michigan Governor Rick Snyder's signature. The full post includes a way to urge him to veto this legislation.

Weekend Reading

"In reality, it's a combination of poor judgment or weak organizational skills, topped by a tendency to overcommit." -- Michael Hurd, in "'Rush-a-holism' & the Perils of Multitasking" at The Delaware Wave

"People have a reasonable need to feel that their lives are important and that they are visible to others." -- Michael Hurd, in "Visibility in Personal Relationships" at The Delaware Coast Press

My Two Cents

After reading the column about "rush-a-holism", I may have to be careful about smirking the next time I hear someone brag about being a good multi-tasker.

How Good Ideas Spread

Universities don't -- in the name of spreading "enlightenment" -- merely dunk as many people as possible into water and then hand them degrees. For the same reason, advocates of good ideas have no interest in merely asserting their worth, or of getting people to mouth agreement with them. That is because, for good ideas to spread, people have to see and accept their truth for themselves. That's why even the staunchest advocate should normally hold off from claiming that his philosophy is true, even if, by his best judgement, he sees it as such.

--CAV