the fact that lobbying, which literally is just bribing the government, is somehow legal all over the world is crazy to me.
They are literally not the same. Bribing is when you try to give something in exchange for voting/law making etc. Lobbying is convincing why prioritising is important. These can be selfish reasons, like in this case. However, lobbying may also be done for noble causes by a wide range of NGOs. Prohibiting lobbying is limiting the opportunity for all kinds of actors to argue their cause.
how is giving them millions of dollars “convincing why prioritising is important”
If there is proof that they have given millions of dollars, this will go to court, as that is illegal. Lobbying is not bribing as I pointed out in my initial reply. Lots of different groups and organisations use lobbying to make their concerns heard. Just because this is a case we don’t like, does not mean lobbying has no purpose.
I’m listening to a podcast about the French Revolution, and man this must be what it felt like watching all those entrenched interests and archaic institutions fight for their stupid outdated privileges in the face of imminent collapse.
imagine if they simply spent that lobbying money on research and development!
They know they can’t compete with China at this point, so they’d prefer to flip the table.
we can’t compete with China, therefore you’ll all die.
They know they can’t compete at the new game, so want to play the old game.
Trouble is, the new game already started.
If car companies can’t adapt and innovate in 10 fucking years then they deserve to go under.
The VDA now wants to shift from a full ban to a 90 percent CO2 reduction target for new vehicles by 2035. That means 10 percent of vehicles sold could be powered by internal combustion engines.
Here they go again. First it’s 90%. If that’s approved, they move to lobbying for 80%, 70%, … We’ve seen that move before.
Not that it matters, China can undercut them on price if they need to. German manufacturers have been cheapening their brand for increased profits, so that premium reputation matters less and less. Meanwhile cost of living isn’t going down.
Not that it matters, China can undercut them on price if they need to.
Not if they’re tariffed to hell and back.
Yea not going to happen. The EU isn’t retarded.
Where I live older cars can’t enter the city center. In a couple of years the ban will be expanded to all ICE cars. Many other cities are introducing same rules. This fight is pointless. Even if EU will not ban all ICE cars local jurisdiction will still fight them. On top of that last ICE cars manufactured in 2035 will still be on the roads until, what?, 2050? Those companies are basically lobbying for the right to complete against cheap electric cars from China with big batteries and fast charging. Good luck with that.
Fuck them.
