# At the intersection of politics and macroeconomics **URL:** \ **Category:** Macro Economic Trends and Risks\ **Created:** [May 8, 2024, 12:38pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/at-the-intersection-of-politics-and-macroeconomics/104827 "2024-05-08T12:38:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Goofyhoofy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/goofyhoofy/32/4721_2.png) [@Goofyhoofy](https://discussion.fool.com/u/Goofyhoofy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 12:38pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/at-the-intersection-of-politics-and-macroeconomics/104827/1 "2024-05-08T12:38:07Z")
Lots of polls and posts lately about politics on MeTAR, international or not. This link is about EV adoption, a topic with not only economic significance, but also environmental and societal. I post it here in the hopes that it will last, but know that it may not. If you elect to comment, please consider whether it will be helpful to the conversation. On the off chance that the post is pulled, I am also putting it on the Macroeconomics board at [Shrewdm.com](http://Shrewdm.com): [Post #280 by Goofyhoofy on the Macroeconomic Trends and Risks board](https://www.shrewdm.com/MB?pid=777271226) This is a gift link to the WaPo article: [https://wapo.st/3wqshcl](https://wapo.st/3wqshcl) **Here’s why so many Republicans won’t buy EVs** **Democrats say they are way more likely than Republicans to buy electric cars. Could that change?** ![IMG_0523](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/original/3X/0/0/00a1074fcf94a3ebbd2ff1611054eabe6d52f659.jpeg) ![IMG_0524](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/original/3X/b/1/b16c6384ed080e7868517d5fefc0715dc1d715ca.jpeg) > The finding held when researchers accounted for income, [gas prices], and population density. That means that even when looking at dense, urban areas — which are more likely to have more public EV charging — Democratic counties outweighed Republican ones in EV adoption. ---
**Author:** ![Leap1](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/leap1/32/72176_2.png) [@Leap1](https://discussion.fool.com/u/Leap1)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 12:46pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/at-the-intersection-of-politics-and-macroeconomics/104827/2 "2024-05-08T12:46:13Z")
The population centers want EVs more. The Rural areas less. Winters are tough in large parts of this country. EVs find it tougher to compete in cold winters. Not sure why this needs to be labeled. The positions on EV reverse based on regional area instead of party tag. The GOP EV in CA numbers would be more interesting. ---
**Author:** ![DrBob2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/drbob2/32/3456_2.png) [@DrBob2](https://discussion.fool.com/u/DrBob2)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 2:41pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/at-the-intersection-of-politics-and-macroeconomics/104827/3 "2024-05-08T14:41:27Z")
At the same time… [https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/21/us/electric-vehicles-republican-voters-dg/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/21/us/electric-vehicles-republican-voters-dg/index.html) In nine of the 31 states and DC that register voters by party, for example, more Republicans voters are linked to records of electric vehicles – including insurance and repair records – than Democrats. Republicans, independents and third-party voters associated with electric vehicles also exceed Democrats in 24 of those states. This data contradicts the idea that electric vehicles are “only popular with coastal elites and liberals,” said David Kieve, president of the Environmental Defense Fund Action… Many of the drivers of electric vehicles adoption are unrelated to politics, according to market experts. DB2 ---
**Author:** ![Hawkwin](https://g.foolcdn.com/misc-assets/discourse-member-avatar_120px_green600.png) [@Hawkwin](https://discussion.fool.com/u/Hawkwin)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 3:16pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/at-the-intersection-of-politics-and-macroeconomics/104827/4 "2024-05-08T15:16:00Z")
> [@DrBob2](#): > > In nine of the 31 states and DC > > … > Republicans, independents and third-party voters associated with electric vehicles also exceed Democrats in 24 of those states. What do you mean, at the same time? You state that like it is a counter-argument. Your response **supports** the OP. In other words, in 22 of 31 states, more Democrats than Reps registered EVs; even in states where there were less Democrats than Reps, Indies, or 3rd party registrants. ---
**Author:** ![WendyBG](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/wendybg/32/67464_2.png) [@WendyBG](https://discussion.fool.com/u/WendyBG)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 3:16pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/at-the-intersection-of-politics-and-macroeconomics/104827/5 "2024-05-08T15:16:13Z")
I am leaving this post on METAR because it has economic (marketing) significance for a major industry. It’s not a partisan post. If an investor wanted to know whether an EV company’s factory builds and/or marketing campaigns would be profitable this information could be helpful. Wendy ---
**Author:** ![DrBob2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/drbob2/32/3456_2.png) [@DrBob2](https://discussion.fool.com/u/DrBob2)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 4:54pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/at-the-intersection-of-politics-and-macroeconomics/104827/6 "2024-05-08T16:54:43Z")
> [@Hawkwin](#): > > What do you mean, at the same time? You state that like it is a counter-argument. Your response **supports** the OP. Let’s say it is more nuanced. _This data contradicts the idea that electric vehicles are “only popular with coastal elites and liberals,” said David Kieve, president of the Environmental Defense Fund Action…_ DB2 ---
**Author:** ![MarkR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/markr/32/2011_2.png) [@MarkR](https://discussion.fool.com/u/MarkR)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 9:52pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/at-the-intersection-of-politics-and-macroeconomics/104827/7 "2024-05-08T21:52:07Z")
There’s a better way to look at this information. States that are run by Democrats tend to have better incentives to buy EVs, and states with better incentives have a higher penetration rate. Within those states however, both Democrats, Republicans, and Independents tend to buy EVs. Some of the best incentives in recent years were to be found in CA, CO, and NJ. And most recently, it appears that [WA has the best incentives of all](https://www.commerce.wa.gov/growing-the-economy/energy/electric-vehicles/ev-instant-rebate-program/). Like almost everything in politics, pocketbook usually overcomes everything else. ---
**Author:** ![Leap1](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/leap1/32/72176_2.png) [@Leap1](https://discussion.fool.com/u/Leap1)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 6:01am UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/at-the-intersection-of-politics-and-macroeconomics/104827/8 "2024-05-09T06:01:42Z")
> [@DrBob2](#): > > This data contradicts the idea that electric vehicles are “only popular with coastal elites and liberals,” said David Kieve, president of the Environmental Defense Fund Action… I think Musk did an excellent sales job. He did not stay in his earlier political lane. The job for Musk was always to sell EV to ICE guys. ---
**Author:** ![wecoguy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/wecoguy/32/4301_2.png) [@wecoguy](https://discussion.fool.com/u/wecoguy)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 6:43am UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/at-the-intersection-of-politics-and-macroeconomics/104827/9 "2024-05-09T06:43:24Z")
> [@MarkR](#): > > Some of the best incentives in recent years were to be found in CA, CO, and NJ. Living in CA, new '23 RAV4 Limited Hybrid. No Incentives found… Found a dealer with no markup, kept it down to $48K, like it all, but zero incentives… Same problem with our A/C last year, it wasn’t an Energy Star, so no rebates for the heat pump model we chose… ---
**Author:** ![Leap1](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/leap1/32/72176_2.png) [@Leap1](https://discussion.fool.com/u/Leap1)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 8:19am UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/at-the-intersection-of-politics-and-macroeconomics/104827/10 "2024-05-09T08:19:50Z")
I am clearing the design review with my condo association for a heat pump. Mitsubishi 3.0 tons machine installed with a new placement of the pump and new install of the air handler will be around $17k. The savings will be around $1k per winter. The warranty is 12 years. Over the course of 15 years it might pay for itself. ---
**Author:** ![intercst](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/intercst/32/1543_2.png) [@intercst](https://discussion.fool.com/u/intercst)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 11:09am UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/at-the-intersection-of-politics-and-macroeconomics/104827/11 "2024-05-09T11:09:49Z")
> [@MarkR](#): > > And most recently, it appears that [WA has the best incentives of all](https://www.commerce.wa.gov/growing-the-economy/energy/electric-vehicles/ev-instant-rebate-program/) Thanks for posting that. Unfortunately there is no way for me to get my 2025 income down to 300% of the Federal Poverty Level. {{LOL }} intercst ---
**Author:** ![intercst](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/intercst/32/1543_2.png) [@intercst](https://discussion.fool.com/u/intercst)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 11:17am UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/at-the-intersection-of-politics-and-macroeconomics/104827/12 "2024-05-09T11:17:22Z")
> [@Leap1](#): > > Mitsubishi 3.0 tons machine installed with a new placement of the pump and new install of the air handler will be around $17k. If you can limit your income to 80% of the Hartford County median, you can get an $8,000 refund from the Federal Gov’t on a heat pump. Of course that’s a stretch, I’m sure. The long suffering, City of Hartford really brings the County median income down to a pretty low level. {{ LOL }} intercst ---
**Author:** ![MarkR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/markr/32/2011_2.png) [@MarkR](https://discussion.fool.com/u/MarkR)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 2:57pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/at-the-intersection-of-politics-and-macroeconomics/104827/13 "2024-05-09T14:57:58Z")
> [@intercst](#): > > Thanks for posting that. Unfortunately there is no way for me to get my 2025 income down to 300% of the Federal Poverty Level. {{LOL }} You would have to get married for a year. 😂 But seriously, I have the same problem with the Federal EV tax credit. I was trying to have a low income year so I could use it at least once, but so far it isn’t working out. This is the main reason I so much prefer buybacks over dividends, with buybacks, **I** can choose when to take income, with dividends, **the company** decides when I take income. ---
**Author:** ![JimKredux](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/motleyfoolfree/user_avatar/discussion.fool.com/jimkredux/32/1687_2.png) [@JimKredux](https://discussion.fool.com/u/JimKredux)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 6:37pm UTC](https://discussion.fool.com/t/at-the-intersection-of-politics-and-macroeconomics/104827/14 "2024-05-09T18:37:25Z")
This very much sounds like a first world problem gentlemen Jk