The Three Ts

by Gary Klinker

It is election time. Everyone must get out and vote November 5. Don’t tell me you don’t have time, your vote won’t count anyway, or you don’t follow politics. These and any other excuses are just that-excuses or just plain BS. In states like Wisconsin elections can be decided by less than the population of one small town. Voting is not just a right; it is a duty. Go do it!

Now I suppose you are wondering about the title. In my mind one of the big issues affecting us as motorcyclists and citizens of Wisconsin and of many rural areas comes down to three T words. Transportation, Tools, and Toys. Some politicians want to take away all three that we either rely on or enjoy. They are demanding that we give up internal combustion engines that we have relied on for over 125 years.

Transportation: States and the federal government are mandating the use of electric cars, pickup trucks, and big trucks by certain dates. Can motorcycles be far behind? Cold winters, hot summers, lack of charging stations, and long distances to travel all make this plan impractical for many areas of the country. That is not to mention the high cost of the vehicles we would be mandated to buy.

Tools: Think of all the gasoline powered equipment we use every day. Lawn mowers chainsaws, leaf blowers, tractors, and motorcycles are just a few. Most of these are in everyday use by many of us. They are also used where electricity is not available or impractical.

Toys: How many of us enjoy spending our free time with ATVs, snowmobiles, power boats, and UTVs? Some would include motorcycles in this category, but I consider them basic transportation, a subject for another day. Why should the government, state or federal, have a say about how we spend our money or time?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against anyone buying and using electric powered vehicles, tools, or toys. It is much like the helmet issue. Helmets are fine but mandatory use is not a government function. Any transition to power other than internal combustion should be driven by the free market not government mandates. The technology and infrastructure are not currently available for mass conversion by a date soon. The fact that many electric vehicles would not sell if not for government subsidies is another issue that flies in the face of the free market. We are all forced to pay for electric vehicles-even if we don’t want them.

Another related issue is the gasoline to power our internal combustion engines. If we cannot get E10 or less gasoline for small engines it is a de facto ban on them. These same politicians we are talking about are pushing for E15, E25, and E88 fuel that can ruin the internal combustion engines we now use. Try using these blends in your motorcycle or tools and see how long the motor, seals, and gas lines last. Especially after sitting during a long Wisconsin winter.

Some will see this as a partisan issue. I see it as a survival issue for all of us. It is up to each of us to study the issues and the candidates and then vote according to our best interests and for liberty rather than government mandates that make no sense for most of us. Along with that, take five like-minded people to the polls with you.

Get out and vote for our future and for freedom.

Ride Safe,

Gary