One of the most often repeated slogans from politicians of both parties is one that expresses their desire to regain control of government institutions that have been usurped by their opponents. They chant that they will “Take America Back” from the usurpers and restore the values that the American people cherish.

Click here to post this article on Twitter or Click here to post on Bluesky

However, the problem with the Republican version of that is that it is their clear and stated objective to take America back in time to an era in which they were more comfortable discriminating against minorities and women, while enriching themselves and their wealthy friends and corporate benefactors. That agenda has not been particularly popular as of late…

SEE THIS: TRUMP IS TOAST! Even In a Fox News Poll Most Say Trump’s Economic Policies Have Hurt Them

On Thursday morning, Trump’s Transportation Secretary (and former MTV reality show goofball), Sean Duffy, was interviewed on CNBC to try to persuade their viewers that making cars less gas efficient and more polluting will benefit them in their pocketbooks. It was an argument that he was ill-prepared to make. And it showed…

“I want the market to decide what kind of EV I should offer, what kind of vehicle the American consumers want to buy. This rule will actually allow you to bring back the 1970s station wagon. Maybe a little wood paneling on the side. We can bring back choice to consumers.”

WHUT? This is what Republicans mean when they say they want to "take America back."They mean back 50 years so you can have a shitty "1970s station wagon" that guzzles gas, pollutes the air, and makes people sick. And also be able to oppress minorities and women.

— News Corpse (@newscorpse.bsky.social) 2025-12-04T18:37:06.130Z

OH GREAT! That’s just what America wants. They have been hankering for the nation to go back 50 years so they can buy a shitty “1970s station wagon” that wastes fuel, worsens air pollution, and has fewer safety features. And they are also looking forward to being able to oppress minorities and women, returning to a federal minimum wage of $1.60 per hour, and enjoy calling people on their land lines using their rotary phones.

What Duffy is referring to are the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards that auto manufactures are required to meet. He is defending Donald Trump’s decision to roll back those standards to allow for lower fuel economy performance. Trump argues that this will result in cheaper cars, saying that…

“We’re officially terminating Joe Biden’s ridiculously burdensome, horrible, actually, CAFE standards that impose expensive restrictions,”

However, as usual, what Trump is asserting does not align with reality. First of all, he already eliminated any fines associated with not meeting CAFE standards in his “Big Ugly Bill.” And while there is some debate over whether or not higher fuel efficiency standards make cars more expensive, there is no debate that they lower fuel costs for consumers. And more importantly, they reduce pollution and the healthcare costs – including preventable illness and death – associated with it.

The bottom line is that there is no rational argument to roll back the CAFE standards. To the contrary, that will only make owning a car more expensive, and maintaining good health more difficult. If people didn’t want higher fuel efficiency in their cars, they wouldn’t be buying EVs in droves.

Trump’s plan, though, will please the CEOs of the big auto makers. And that’s really the only thing that’s important to Trump and the Republican Party. Let’s see how that works out for them in next year’s election.

RELATED STORIES:

• Dementia J. Trump Says Affordability is a Scam, and Also that He is the Affordability President
• Trump Promises Higher Prices ‘On Everything’ Just in Time for the Holidays – No, Really!
• Trump’s New Plan to Kill Obamacare Would Cost People More and Make Insurance Companies Richer

Be sure to visit and follow News Corpse
on Twitter and Facebook and Bluesky and Threads.

And check out my books on Amazon:

Fox Nation vs. Reality:
The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.

Thanks so much for your support.