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Michigan bill to ban direct sales

Mark K

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This seemed like there should be a thread specifically for Michigan residents.
The Michigan legislature has tried multiple times. The current chapter in the saga it that the Senate has tabled the current attempt,
I'm hoping that they will seesaw without passing a bill before I am able to buy a Rivian.
I found this link under a different thread in this forum: https://www.cnet.com/google-amp/news/tesla-lucid-rivian-sales-ban-michigan-senate/
Is there anybody else from Michigan who wants a Rivian?
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MReda

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This is the thread where I saw the link. I wanted to specifically ask if there were any Michigan residents who were interested in this story.
Ahh, I misunderstood. I thought you were looking for a thread specifically on that topic, not just for people in Michigan.
 

electruck

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This is actually of significant interest to people outside of Michigan as well since legislation passed or rejected in one state may set the bar for legislation in others.
 

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Mark K

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This is actually of significant interest to people outside of Michigan as well since legislation passed or rejected in one state may set the bar for legislation in others.
As a resident of the state, I was afraid that if they have no interest in fighting future attempts to pass the bill, it could be a problem for other Michigan residents besides me..
I may be one of very few people living in Michigan who have any interest in buying a Rivian.
 

fastwheels

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As a resident of the state, I was afraid that if they have no interest in fighting future attempts to pass the bill, it could be a problem for other Michigan residents besides me..
I may be one of very few people living in Michigan who have any interest in buying a Rivian.
I have been a R1T pre-order for nearly 2 years now and find it ludicrous that the Michigan Auto Dealers have the leverage over our representatives in Lansing to push this kind of legislation forward.

I don't think we are alone - there are a lot of Teslas running around up here in the Traverse City area so there is definitely an interest in BEVs. We just need to become more vocal to our state reps so they know we are out here...
 

ElectricTrucking

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Don’t you know a letter gets you a standard letter back with nothing to do with your opinion?
 

fastwheels

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Don’t you know a letter gets you a standard letter back with nothing to do with your opinion?
While I largely share your cynicism, I do know one thing for a fact: If I never contact my representatives they will never have any idea of what I want them to be doing. If I contact them, there is a slight chance that they may do what I ask....

Very few people contact their elected representatives, so the small minority that do probably have an outsized voice in the direction of policy.

In this particular case, I sent my Michigan Senator and Representative email in support of allowing EV companies to operate freely in Michigan, as well as stating my support for alternative energy sources and legislation to support those. Will the email have any affect? Who knows - but at least I made an effort. I think we all should. :)
 

electruck

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With the volume of communication our legislators receive, I don't expect a personal response to every email I send them. That said, I would at least hope that their staff keeps a count of the matters that their constituents are for and against. If this isn't happening then our state and federal governments are not functioning "for the people".
 

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DucRider

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Very few people contact their elected representatives, so the small minority that do probably have an outsized voice in the direction of policy.
If only that were true. Most elected politicians see their primary job as getting reelected (so they can best serve you, or course). While doing what is popular with constituents is one path, the far more effective path to reelection has proven to be fundraising. This often results in catering to those that write the largest checks. If the feedback you give is not at odds with the desires of their large donors, it may be considered. Dealers Associations write large checks.

Not saying it is not worth the effort and you should not hound your elected representatives, but expectations should be relatively low.

Supporting organizations that work to advance the issues that are important to you is another avenue to pursue. In this case, Plug In America and the Electric Auto Association are worth a look.
If you are in a position to donate, part of the CARES act may make a donation deductible for you that otherwise might not be (consult a tax professional - this is not tax advice ;))

Here's how the CARES Act changes deducting charitable contributions made in 2020:
Previously, charitable contributions could only be deducted if taxpayers itemized their deductions.
However, taxpayers who don't itemize deductions may take a charitable deduction of up to $300 for cash contributions made in 2020 to qualifying organizations. For the purposes of this deduction, qualifying organizations are those that are religious, charitable, educational, scientific or literary in purpose. The law changed in this area due to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
The CARES Act also temporarily suspends limits on charitable contributions and temporarily increases limits on contributions of food inventory. More information about these changes is available on IRS.gov.
Another way to donate that costs you nothing is to use Amazon "Smile" if you order from them. You select a charity, they make a small donation when you buy most items from them
https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/community/how-to-sign-up-for-amazonsmile
 
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Mark K

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If only that were true. Most elected politicians see their primary job as getting reelected (so they can best serve you, or course). While doing what is popular with constituents is one path, the far more effective path to reelection has proven to be fundraising. This often results in catering to those that write the largest checks. If the feedback you give is not at odds with the desires of their large donors, it may be considered. Dealers Associations write large checks.

Not saying it is not worth the effort and you should not hound your elected representatives, but expectations should be relatively low.

Supporting organizations that work to advance the issues that are important to you is another avenue to pursue. In this case, Plug In America and the Electric Auto Association are worth a look.
If you are in a position to donate, part of the CARES act may make a donation deductible for you that otherwise might not be (consult a tax professional - this is not tax advice ;))

Here's how the CARES Act changes deducting charitable contributions made in 2020:
Previously, charitable contributions could only be deducted if taxpayers itemized their deductions.
However, taxpayers who don't itemize deductions may take a charitable deduction of up to $300 for cash contributions made in 2020 to qualifying organizations. For the purposes of this deduction, qualifying organizations are those that are religious, charitable, educational, scientific or literary in purpose. The law changed in this area due to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
The CARES Act also temporarily suspends limits on charitable contributions and temporarily increases limits on contributions of food inventory. More information about these changes is available on IRS.gov.
Another way to donate that costs you nothing is to use Amazon "Smile" if you order from them. You select a charity, they make a small donation when you buy most items from them
https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/community/how-to-sign-up-for-amazonsmile
In the Michigan House district where I live the representative voted against House Bill 6233. So the only reason to contact her would be to thank her for her vote. I will be looking into contributions to Electric Auto Association as you suggested.
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