Bill to allow Tesla to sell cars in Texas dies in committee

Lawmaker chides "Mr. Tesla" for failing to negotiate with car dealers.

Read the whole story

 

[MKG]

Mr. Tesla is currently in a meeting. Morons.

 

[snowman<ca>]

How dare Mr Tesla not come back from the grave to meet with car dealers.

 

[SuperSpy]

And nobody was surprised.

 

[Jehos]

Not surprising in the least. Look at what just happened with the Denton fracking ban--our state legislature basically runs on "who is going to give us the most money?"

If you're a big business and would like to own politicians to railroad your own agenda, Texas is the place to do it.

 

[captainadamo]

But if it had had some sort of anti-gay rider attached it likely would have passed near unanimously. It's majorly embarrassing living in this state many days.

 

[Ignus Fast]

How this is not considered actionable corruption is just beyond me. I can only conclude that we, the people, are just too lazy to do anything about it.

 

[captainadamo]

Ignus Fast[/url]":btt4tvlb]How this is not considered actionable corruption is just beyond me. I can only conclude that we, the people, are just too lazy to do anything about it.

But they are just listening to all the "free speech" that was given to them by the lobbyists.

 

[joshv]

Wait, so Texas is the state of small government, freedom, and free enterprise, and yet a commercial cartel has managed to capture the apparatus of government to such a degree that the manufacturer of a perfectly legal product cannot sell that product without engaging the services of a member of that cartel?

 

[SuperSpy]

I wonder how this would play out if instead of a relatively small and unknown (to many) company like Tesla, it was a juggernaut like Apple (or even Google).

 

[The Quick &amp; The Read]

The origin of the state name, Texas, is from the word, "Tejas", which means 'friends' in the Caddo language.

Yeah, sounds about right. :facepalm:


EDIT: Oooh, folks, sorry. You misunderstand me. It was a joke about the politicos taking care of their 'friends," the Texas Automobile Dealers Association.

 

[Alfonse]

Speaking of Elon Musk—in a stunning display of total ignorance,

Considering the nature of the legislation she just shit-canned... what exactly about her total ignorance is "stunning"?

 

[captainadamo]

SuperSpy[/url]":3ieya3j6]I wonder how this would play out if instead of a relatively small and unknown (to many) company like Tesla, it was a juggernaut like Apple (or even Google).

I'm sure it's all up to how much free speech is donated to their PACs/campaign coffers.

 

[scotts13]

SuperSpy[/url]":1l0iwr0l]I wonder how this would play out if instead of a relatively small and unknown (to many) company like Tesla, it was a juggernaut like Apple (or even Google).

(GRIN) No need to wonder. Texas has many Apple company stores, even though there were plenty of independently franchised Apple dealerships before they opened, as well as dealers in other brands.

HINT: I used to work for an independent Apple dealership. It didn't fare so well when a company owned Apple store opened nearby.

 

[TBoneT]

Alfonse[/url]":2l8yskhq]

Speaking of Elon Musk—in a stunning display of total ignorance,

Considering the nature of the legislation she just shit-canned... what exactly about her total ignorance is "stunning"?

She referred to Elon Musk as "Mr. Tesla" as she is completely ignorant of who runs Tesla. I doubt she'd call Bill Gates "Mr. Microsoft"

 

[sapphir8]

What deal would he make with the dealerships? I'll give you a percentage? I'll only sell X amount of cars a year or here is 500 million up front in lost sales? Fuck the dealers. I am proud of my home state in many ways and can't see myself living anywhere else, but some of the policies we have make me scratch my head.

 

[captainadamo]

sapphir8[/url]"imukaqz]What deal would he make with the dealerships? I'll give you a percentage? I'll only sell X amount of cars a year or here is 500 million up front in lost sales? Fuck the dealers. I am proud of my home state in many ways and can't see myself living anywhere else, but some of the policies we have make me scratch my head.

Some of the policies? Do you just not follow the legislature that closely?

 

[Alfonse]

TBoneT[/url]":2k2qjm1u]

Alfonse[/url]":2k2qjm1u]

Speaking of Elon Musk—in a stunning display of total ignorance,

Considering the nature of the legislation she just shit-canned... what exactly about her total ignorance is "stunning"?

She referred to Elon Musk as "Mr. Tesla" as she is completely ignorant of who runs Tesla. I doubt she'd call Bill Gates "Mr. Microsoft"

My point was that, considering the rampaging ignorance displayed by her political stance, the added ignorance of not knowing that Tesla is just the company's name should not be at all stunning.

She doesn't even know what's in the best interests of her people or how capitalism is supposed to work. Why would you think she'd know that not all companies are named after their owner?

 

[renik]

TBoneT[/url]":3hp4qnwa]

Alfonse[/url]":3hp4qnwa]

Speaking of Elon Musk—in a stunning display of total ignorance,

Considering the nature of the legislation she just shit-canned... what exactly about her total ignorance is "stunning"?

She referred to Elon Musk as "Mr. Tesla" as she is completely ignorant of who runs Tesla. I doubt she'd call Bill Gates "Mr. Microsoft"

The sarcasm was lost on you. The point was that there is nothing "stunning" about her ignorance; it's completely expected.

 

[captainadamo]

Alfonse[/url]":7e2okddf]

TBoneT[/url]":7e2okddf]

Alfonse[/url]":7e2okddf]

Speaking of Elon Musk—in a stunning display of total ignorance,

Considering the nature of the legislation she just shit-canned... what exactly about her total ignorance is "stunning"?

She referred to Elon Musk as "Mr. Tesla" as she is completely ignorant of who runs Tesla. I doubt she'd call Bill Gates "Mr. Microsoft"

My point was that, considering the rampaging ignorance displayed by her political stance, the added ignorance of not knowing that Tesla is just the company's name should not be at all stunning.

She doesn't even know what's in the best interests of her people or how capitalism is supposed to work. Why would you think she'd know that not all companies are named after their owner?

This is perfectly valid capitalism. Capitalism is only that industry is privately owned and not by the state. I think you mean she doesn't know how a free market is supposed to work. The two are not the same thing and capitalism does not in itself require a free market. A monopoly-controlled market can still be capitalistic.

 

[Me Myself And I1]

mkg[/url]":3p62e0hc]Mr. Tesla is currently in a meeting. Morons.

Well, that's Texas's legislature, so what do you expect....

 

[Ge0ph]

As a consumer, one of the most miserable experiences one can have is dealing with an auto dealer. It's clear the governments are not representing the people.

 

[MisterAlex]

I'm not surprised. I'm just disappointed. :v

Seriously, though. I live in Allen, and I see Tesla cars on a fairly regular basis. It's not like you can't get one; you just have to follow a different process--and incidentally, it doesn't involve paying sales tax in Texas.

 

[issor]

Nowicki[/url]":1o0tc1vx]Texas hmmm....

...In their own show of ignorance, certain Ars commenters are determined to pretend as though the only dumb and corrupt politicians are Republicans...

Texas state representative Senfronia Thompson (a Democrat representing House District 141)

By all means, let's keep up the echo chamber of blaming parties, rather than individuals.

 

[Skyfire77]

"I can appreciate Tesla wanting to sell cars, but I think it would have been wiser if Mr. Tesla had sat down with the car dealers first."

♫And by the way, which one's Pink?♫

 

[Leaffe]

Well, selling an electric car in the home of American Oil isn't supposed to be easy.

 

[dj__jg]

Alfonse[/url]":1skwq9lz]

TBoneT[/url]":1skwq9lz]

Alfonse[/url]":1skwq9lz]

Speaking of Elon Musk—in a stunning display of total ignorance,

Considering the nature of the legislation she just shit-canned... what exactly about her total ignorance is "stunning"?

She referred to Elon Musk as "Mr. Tesla" as she is completely ignorant of who runs Tesla. I doubt she'd call Bill Gates "Mr. Microsoft"

My point was that, considering the rampaging ignorance displayed by her political stance, the added ignorance of not knowing that Tesla is just the company's name should not be at all stunning.

She doesn't even know what's in the best interests of her people or how capitalism is supposed to work. Why would you think she'd know that not all companies are named after their owner?

Capitalism is supposed to work? ;P

 

[rountad]

Not a single mention in the comments about how this ignorant, corrupt, bought-off politician is a <gasp> Democrat!

I would suggest that we should be less concerned with red team/blue team and more concerned with honesty, competency, and other such characteristics.

 

[captainadamo]

santos-l-halper[/url]":1fcpa3o8]Have we forgotten that Texas is only one of the two dozen or so states where direct sales are prohibited? Sure, it is probably the largest state holdout, but like any big change with entranced interests, this will take time. But yes, lets not let this be a distraction from the hive mind mentality that the article and expected comments bring. All bash Texas. Texas bad. We good.

No, I'm sure many people know that. It's just irrelevant and doesn't make this action any less ridiculous. Why would it excuse them just because there are a dozen other states that have idiotic policies?

 

[Kilroy420]

How much of this is also on the substantial oil industry in Texas that has little desire to see Tesla freely sell their product?

Along with the powerful auto dealership lobby present in Texas, Tesla appears to have enemies and opponents around every corner and oil derrick in the Lone Star State.

 

[nrduren]

Let the free market decide! (Until such time that an effective monopoly emerges and can sustain a sufficient level of free speech contributions to the appropriate legislative bodies)

 

[captainadamo]

Leaffe[/url]":205be8bu]Well, selling an electric car in the home of American Oil isn't supposed to be easy.

And yet I can easily by a BMW i3 in state.

Kilroy420[/url]":205be8bu]How much of this is also on the substantial oil industry in Texas that has little desire to see Tesla freely sell their product?

Along with the powerful auto dealership lobby present in Texas, Tesla appears to have enemies and opponents around every corner and oil derrick in the Lone Star State.

Next to none probably since one can by the EVs from other car makers with ease.

 

[nrduren]

Nowicki[/url]":1gplqkfh]Texas hmmm....

I'm all for some healthy Republican bashing but did you miss the part where they quoted a Democratic member of the legislature defending the dealers?

 

[potatogun]

Leaffe[/url]":1po7dru1]Well, selling an electric car in the home of American Oil isn't supposed to be easy.

It's nothing to do with electric/hybrid/gas/antimatter. If Ford wanted to sell F-150s directly to consumers, they'd have just as much difficulty.

 

[DannyB]

What about SpaceX's new spaceport in Texas?

Do the legislators in Texas know that Mr. Tesla is also behind SpaceX?

Will Texas require SpaceX to sell payload launches through a dealer network?

 

[vudaful]

Right now, the people that can afford a Tesla, can usually afford to pay the taxes up front anyways. Where I live in TX, I sure don't see a shortage of Tesla's driving around.