So I was looking at my Facebook feed and saw that the Tennessee Republican Party posted a press release from Lamar Alexander announcing that he bought a Nissan LEAF electric car. (TRP posts almost every PR from our federal delegation).
Alexander is buying a car, with his own money, that is made in Tennessee by Tennesseans, which is fueled indirectly from West Virginia rather than directly from Libya and Venezeula. Senator Frist also purchased a LEAF a few days ago and has been posting his positive experiences.
My reaction: "Cool. Wish I could afford one, but I'm glad he got one"
Unfortunately many of my fellow Republicans posted comments calling Alexander a RINO for purchasing such a vehicle. (See below). Have we as Republicans sunk so far to the lowest common denominator of populism that we negatively judge people for purchasing a car that doesn't use the almighty gasoline. What is so damn "conservative" about oil, and why must we enslave ourselves to it? Should Lamar have purchased a 90's era Hummer with a gas leak instead?
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Press Releases - Press Room - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander
ALCOA, Tenn. – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today took delivery of the Nissan LEAF he is leasing from Alcoa’s Twin City Nissan, saying, “Plugging in my new LEAF will give me the patriotic pleasure of not sending money overseas to people who are trying to blow us up.”
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COMMENTS:
Guy Land Lamar Alexander is a green squish... news at 11.
5 hours ago · Like · 1 person
Valerie Sechler Morris This is newsworthy?
5 hours ago · Like
Valerie Sechler Morris I would be more impressed if Sen. Alexander was putting pressure on the Obama administration to sign the oil leases and other measures to open up our own resources...Instead we get a fluff story like this? Not to mention that not too many people could afford to go out and purchase a Leaf in this current economy. Chairman Devaney get out front..grow a backbone and show some leadership instead of promoting fluff stories. This does nothing for the average Tennessean!
5 hours ago · Like · 3 people
Mark Winslow What she said.
4 hours ago · Like
Jeff Short I voted for Lamar last time, but I have written him on conservative issues and he will not write you back unlike Sen. Corker our other Senator in TN. Lamar is a RINO, Corker so far I believe is the real deal. Lamar is trying to impress the tree huggers and that doesn't impress me.
4 hours ago · Like · 1 person
Elaine Amor Sure he can afford to go out and buy one. How many of these unemployed workers who are payng 3.45 a gal. for gas can even afford to go look for work let alone go buy a new Nissan LEAR?
Come on Lamar get real!
4 hours ago · Like · 1 person
Donna FitzGerald David Hmmmm... not many starving children living in broke down cars are jumping for joy. Maybe you should ask their unemployed parents how they feel...
3 hours ago · Like
Jack Martin Smith That car will be like my treadmill dusty and stuff piled up on top of it!
about an hour ago · Like
Frances Arthur I agree with Mark. What Valerie said...You go girl! These RINO's are just killing me.
49 minutes ago · Like
Listen, Commie, this is Jesus' own country. You want electric cars? Go to Canada, you commie hippie atheist!
