White House to Meet with GM, Ford, others to Discuss EVs

[Ogre]

A White House official said Biden "will meet with CEOs who support passing Build Back Better to discuss the ways his (BBB) agenda will make the U.S. economy more competitive, increase worker productivity and workforce participation, lower inflation over the long-term, and strengthen business growth."

Well… I guess since Tesla doesn’t support BBB, that explains why they won’t be there. Kind of hard to argue with that.

But what is truly difficult to believe is coincidental is that they are having this meeting on the same day Tesla announced earnings.

https://www.reuters.com/business/white-house-host-ceos-spending-bill-push-2022-01-25/

 

[electricAK]

They support Biden on BBB, He supports them. It's pretty simple. I know Elon is philosophically opposed to government subsidies, but it's clearly not in Tesla's interest to not have a seat at the table here. I hope Elon comes to his senses on this and starts working WITH the government, not against it. Elon's personal views != Tesla's position.

 

[Crissa]

We need the BBB for lots of other things. Yeah, Tesla doesn't need it. But that's privilege. They could push for better verbiage instead of being head-in-sand about the other needs.

-Crissa

 

[Sirfun]

Kinda like Survivor. When someone gets a reward, or sent away to Exile island. The others use it as an opportunity to make plans.

This is interesting!!

 

[Crissa]

This goes both ways.

Telsa/ Musk could be a lot more friendly with the administration, but the administration has been fairly hostile towards Tesla all along the way. Not a ton of incentive for Musk to use his significant political clout to help this administration.

At no point has the administration been hostile to Tesla.

I dare you to find an example.

It'll be:
Out of context
Fabricated
Not in the Administration

-Crissa

 

[electricAK]

The total lack of inclusion of Tesla in any of the Whitehouse's EV and climate change PR is a bit stunning. Is it because Tesla is anti-union? I'm sure Ford and GM CEO's hate unions too. Seems more like a personal feud between Musk and Biden/Democrats in general.

Or, perhaps, did the Whitehouse try to invite Tesla and Elon said no?

 

[Crissa]

The White House did an 'electrification day' about bringing older manufacturers into the new era. They didn't invite any other new EV to it - not Rivian or Workhorse or Lordstown, despite them having a partially unionized workforce.

Tesla doesn't have a PR department to call, so even if they did call, it's quite likely they got rebuffed by institutional inertia.

This whole idea that Biden needs to mention Tesla is toxic.

-Crissa

 

[TheLastStarfighter]

I’m not entirely sure Musk’s stance is the big issue here. Biden was somewhat pandering to GM/ UAW/ Ford before Musk said anything about the legislation. It does give the administration a good reason to not invite Tesla, but the timing on the meeting just smells.

The UAW seems to be exerting direct control over the ole fella.

 

[TheLastStarfighter]

The White House did an 'electrification day' about bringing older manufacturers into the new era. They didn't invite any other new EV to it - not Rivian or Workhorse or Lordstown, despite them having a partially unionized workforce.

Tesla doesn't have a PR department to call, so even if they did call, it's quite likely they got rebuffed by institutional inertia.

This whole idea that Biden needs to mention Tesla is toxic.

-Crissa

Rivian is not unionized.

 

[Crissa]

The UAW seems to be exerting direct control over the ole fella.

Sounds like they're exerting more control over a segment of the House committee. Biden's bill didn't include the giant bonus to unions.

-Crissa

 

[HaulingAss]

We need the BBB for lots of other things. Yeah, Tesla doesn't need it. But that's privilege. They could push for better verbiage instead of being head-in-sand about the other needs.

-Crissa

Can you clarify your comment that Tesla doesn't need subsidies, "but that's privilege"?

It's not privilege, it's the result of hard work and innovation to drive down costs and bring consumers real value. Tesla didn't get any subsidies that were not also available to every other car maker.

 

[TheLastStarfighter]

I should have known not to post this. It’s just hugely frustrating.

Anyhow.

Have a great afternoon everyone.

Can I ignore my own thread?

Anything political makes people stupid these days.

 

[HaulingAss]

This whole idea that Biden needs to mention Tesla is toxic.

-Crissa

It's not that Biden "needs" to mention Tesla. It's that it's awfully strange that he doesn't want to champion America's newest automaker that is successful and builds cars using well-paid American workers with the highest 'Made in USA' content of any car out there. Most Presidents want to associate with American success stories. Bringing good manufacturing jobs back to the USA. This is a sector of the American economy that has seen a huge drain to other countries.

Even Ford located their Mach-e plant in Mexico to avoid paying US workers. Tesla should be championed for paying workers living wages without being forced to by a union. Tesla employees won't even support a vote on unionizing because they don't want to lose the great benefits they have. I am generally pro-union but if workers can do better without a union, that's even better. And modern unions have become horribly corrupt to the point they represent the manufacturer's interests more than the worker's interests.

 

[FutureBoy]

Anything political makes people stupid these days.

So, my son tells me that you used a bad word. I asked, "Which word?" He tells me the "S" word. 2nd grade is so different these days from when I went to school.

 

[Crissa]

It's not privilege, it's ...

...really rude to insist you know what privilege means, when you then describe something which is irrelevant to privilege existing.

Privilege is not, by default, unearned. It is the property of having an advantage.

Their success created the privilege.

-Crissa