Secretary Pete Really Grasps Public Coverage, & This Shouldn’t Be Uncommon – CleanTechnica – TechnoNews

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Just lately, I used to be in search of EV content material on Threads (the higher model of Twitter) and located an fascinating publish by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, discussing the significance of competing with China within the EV house. I wish to briefly undergo what he shared, however then focus on one thing way more vital about this video that we want to bear in mind.

Right here’s the publish on X/Twitter:

At an occasion, Secretary Pete is requested whether or not it is likely to be a good suggestion to simply embrace a budget EVs that may be accessible from China. With out going off into any bizarre tangents or performing like a buffoon, he offers a strong reply and reveals his work, explaining the geopolitical context and the problem America faces.

He begins with a well-organized argument, as if somebody had written an essay for him to learn. The thesis: No, as a result of it’s not truthful competitors. He then begins giving supporting particulars, explaining that it’s not industrial coverage as a lot as China distorting the markets. The Chinese language authorities isn’t doing EVs on this scale as a result of they’re cleantech lovers, however as a result of it’s good nationwide technique. EVs are the longer term, and Chinese language leaders wish to safe the nation’s maintain on the longer term. 

He then goes into the downsides for america. Not solely is america at a theoretical drawback, however he has private expertise seeing the outcomes of misplaced industrial capability that he shares, including some emotional context that reveals reference to staff and never simply the U.S. vs China massive energy recreation. Then, he takes the private expertise and zooms again out to conclude that america wants to regulate its personal EV future.

Truthfully, whereas I may write one thing like that, I don’t see myself having the ability to mainly write an essay in my head on the fly like that. Not solely was he able to reply and stroll by way of his considering, however he organized his ideas and didn’t stumble in any respect whereas doing all of that.

What this tells me is that when choices have to be made, our Secretary of Transportation is well-read, is aware of what’s happening, and would make a coherent determination. I don’t agree with him on every thing (and disagree with him vehemently on a few issues), however I wouldn’t be bothered seeing a man like this in any political workplace as a result of he’s very competent and would no less than be making an attempt to do the perfect factor for the individuals he serves.

Why This Impresses Me So A lot

Earlier than I’m going on, let’s verify in on another “leaders” in society. First, let’s take a look at one thing Trump mentioned not too long ago:

When requested about his ridiculous feedback about “my beautiful Christians” not needing to vote sooner or later, he responds with a rambling mess of a solution that doesn’t even reply the query. He talks about how a lot the viewers likes him, and the way unhealthy his competitors is doing at pleasing his largest followers, and retains going off on tangents. He peppers in phrases like “tremendous” to attempt to sound good and grand, however with out organizing greater phrases like that into a transparent, organized argument explaining why his “beautiful” followers received’t have to vote sooner or later.

It’s type of like going to a literature class with out having learn the pages for the day after which making an attempt to persuade the professor that you already know something in regards to the e-book, however with the mannerisms and conduct of a used automobile salesman combined in.

To be truthful, let’s take a look at somebody on the Democratic Social gathering facet who generally will get into these bizarre “word salad” moments:

She sounds extra clever than Trump, however she’s not saying something. No level is being made. Nothing is being conveyed to the viewers. And, this isn’t the primary time we’ve seen her do that. There’s the entire “Ukraine is a country” reply she as soon as gave to attempt to present she did the readings.

My level with sharing these clips isn’t to bash on anyone. My level is that that is the standard of management that america has gotten so unhealthy that folks like Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are seen as regular and even acceptable. I’m positive they’ve their higher moments, however there’s no scarcity of fantastic moments the place Pete Buttigieg delivers a coherent argument and takes disingenuous actors to highschool. Right here’s one other one:

As a substitute of getting dragged into the mud and arguing over the right position of presidency, Buttigieg goes straight for the factual underpinnings behind the man’s argument and systematically takes them down. He got here ready to reply a lot of the questions, however knew sufficient to talk past the notes to assist the dismantling of the argument. He didn’t take any crap off of the man, however took him down with none name-calling, facet tangents, or different makes an attempt to distract the viewers.

In comparison with the opposite examples above (and plenty of different moments we’ve seen), Secretary Pete makes them sound like this:

We Ought to Demand Higher

As a substitute of getting leaders who make everybody dumber for listening to them, we should always count on competence and an intensive understanding of the subject material at hand. When that isn’t accessible, management ought to defer to another person who has that stage of information or say that they’ll get again to the particular person later with extra info (this might reveals a need to wish to get it proper as a substitute of simply making an attempt to sound clever).

Not everybody may be an eloquent public speaker who can provide you with arguments on the spot and current them properly, however these individuals owe it to us to no less than clarify what they’ll and promise to get again to somebody afterward the issues they don’t know as a substitute of simply rambling and performing like narcissists. A shred of humility can be wanted to try this, and sadly, far too many politicians lately simply don’t have any readily available.

Is that actually an excessive amount of to ask?

Featured picture: Screenshot from the embedded video