WASHINGTON, DC — To say the past few years have been a tumultuous period for American politics would certainly be an understatement. Our political division as its widest since the Reagan Administration, and even following America’s flirtation with fascism and an attempted insurrection, the road to becoming united once again is long, perilous, and becoming more of an impossibility.
No other figure has stoked the fires of hatred and discontent more than Marjorie Taylor Greene. The self-proclaimed Christian nationalist who advocates for white supremacy has continuously been in the news regarding her extreme views and positions. For the potential owners of the 2023 Toyota RAV4, it appears she has them directly in her crosshairs, along with the Japanese automaker. If you were considering a new Toyota RAV4 for sale, you might be in for a rude surprise if America’s most toxic politician gets her way.
While Capitol Hill has been no stranger to controversy, Greene’s newest legislation proposes that sales of all Japanese automobiles be outlawed, specifically naming Toyota. While there has been a long-standing partnership between Toyota and the United States, Greene addressed Congress recently in hopes of terminating this partnership altogether.
“We mustn’t forget what the Japanese did to us at Pearl Harbor… For years, they’ve been gradually undermining the American infrastructure by raking in profits at the expense of our blue-collar workers… Toyota is the biggest criminal in this concern.”
Greene proposed a three-part bill that would not just eliminate the ability of Toyota to manufacture and sell their vehicles in the United States but would alter the models currently on the road.
Part 1: Elimination of Sale and Distribution. — All Toyota dealerships will be closed immediately, and their inventories will be sent back to Japan. All vehicles currently being leased and paid for with the aid of financing will be repossessed and returned, with full refunds given to American drivers who are at least three-fifths Caucasian.
Part 2: Toyota Models Owned Outright Will Be Retrofitted With American Powertrains. — Greene says it would be unethical to rob those Americans who have already paid for their vehicles in full of their transportation. The second part of her proposed bill would retrofit all Toyota models currently on the road with domestically-made powertrains and combustion engines; this includes hybrid vehicles such as the Prius. This is part of Greene’s plan to eliminate the EV segment altogether by 2030, as she claims that these designs have damaged federal infrastructure “by edradicating [sic] the gas station from the American way of life.”
Part 3: Scrap Heap Tax Break. — Greene referred to this as “the patriot incentive.” Essentially, a financial incentive will be put into place for those Toyota owners who have purchased their vehicles in full but don’t wish to have them retrofitted with new powertrains. This will involve the owner of the vehicle signing over ownership to several designated processing centers that will reduce their cars into reusable scrap. The previous owner will receive a tax credit similar to the incentive given currently to drivers purchasing EVs.
Does this new legislation have a chance of being signed into law? President Biden has already stated that he will veto any bill of this kind even if it passes the House and Senate with bipartisan support; however, he says this outcome is “highly unlikely.” The President also noted that Toyota came to the aid of American drivers during the energy crisis and fulfilled their need for fuel-efficient vehicles and that his administration would honor their past deeds.
We’ll keep you informed about this legislation as it makes its way through Congress.
