Biden’s EV push faces opposition from unions, Schumer & Co.: A closer look at the challenges to democracy and more commentary

Green Desk: Unions Struggle with Biden’s Electric Vehicle Agenda

The Democratic Party’s alliance with the United Auto Workers (UAW) is being threatened due to an alignment between the UAW and former President Trump over electric vehicles (EVs), according to Axios’ Nathan Bomey. The UAW has not endorsed Biden’s 2024 campaign and a significant number of UAW members voted for Trump in the past two elections. UAW President Shawn Fain criticized Biden after the Energy Department announced a $9.2 billion loan to Ford for building battery plants in the South. Fain expressed concerns about the potential decrease in employment opportunities and wages compared to traditional assembly plants. This commitment to promoting EVs by President Biden is testing his support among longtime allies as Democrats need the Midwest to maintain their political power.

China Beat: Cuba’s Naval Base Represents a Global Power Grab

Miles Yu from The Wall Street Journal warns that China and Cuba, who both view the U.S. as a common enemy, have been using Cuba for activities such as eavesdropping and military training. These efforts started after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and China’s influx of weapons into Cuba is a direct violation of numerous U.S. sanctions. By targeting Florida, which houses a significant number of U.S. military facilities and command headquarters, China’s eavesdropping efforts further threaten U.S. national security. Political parties in the U.S. have neglected this threat for the past two decades, making it imperative for American leaders of all political stripes to confront it now.

Econ Watch: Federal Regulations Impose Heavy Costs on Americans

According to economist Casey Mulligan, the costs of new federal regulations during the Biden administration amount to nearly $10,000 per household. If these regulatory costs continue to rise at the same rate as during the Obama administration, the total costs of Biden’s rulemaking over eight years could reach almost $60,000 per household. In contrast, Trump’s regulatory moves reduced costs by almost $11,000 per household in just four years. The actual cost of rulemaking by Biden federal agencies was significantly underestimated, highlighting the negative impact of government regulation on prosperity.

Gadfly: Schumer & Co. Disregard Democratic Process

Jonathan Turley from The Hill expresses surprise at Senator Chuck Schumer’s disappointment in having to address and vote on forgiving hundreds of billions of dollars in loans. Turley sees this as a collapse of constitutional values and highlights the contradiction between Schumer’s campaign to protect democracy and his opposition to democratic processes regarding student loans. The recent Supreme Court ruling striking down President Biden’s student-loan giveaway was anticipated, as Biden and Nancy Pelosi both acknowledged its unconstitutionality. Nevertheless, Schumer and his colleagues now claim that respecting their authority is an act of constitutional cruelty while avoiding presenting the program to Congress because they know it would face opposition. Turley questions the consistency of their stance on democracy.

Libertarian: Federal Failures Behind Air Travel Issues

Commenting on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) failure to meet air travel demand, particularly in the New York City area, Matt Welch from Reason sarcastically invokes the “you-had-one-job” meme. Reason’s Robert Poole argues that the FAA should not be a federal bureaucracy but treated as a public utility, citing examples of air-traffic control systems in other countries. The FAA’s shortage of air traffic controllers in the tristate area is expected to result in numerous flight cancellations and passenger frustrations. Welch places blame on the federal government for this recurring issue, urging the FAA to increase hiring in order to improve air travel experiences.

— Compiled by The Post Editorial Board