America has always stood apart because we trust everyday folks more than we trust faraway bureaucrats. Our freedom to work, build, buy, and live as we see fit is the lifeblood of this great nation, and, for millions of us, it’s also an expression of our faith. When government oversteps and tries to dictate how we live, that’s when we know it’s time to push back.

One of the provisions in the OBBBA pushes back sharply by repealing the federal mandate forcing automakers to ensure that about 67% of all new car sales are electric vehicles (EVs) by 2032. Under the previous rules, the EPA had sweeping power to set tailpipe emissions so strict that car companies had no real choice but to ramp up EV production fast, ready or not.

By lifting this mandate, the OBBBA restores the right of families, states, and businesses to make their own decisions about what they drive, how they invest, and when — if ever — they switch to an EV. But this isn’t just about cars. It’s about freedom, stewardship, economic wisdom, and trusting the people more than the government.

Why Ending the EV Mandate Makes Sense

1️⃣ Freedom of Choice

America is the land of the free, not the land of the forced. Mandates like this restrict the God-given right to choose what works best for your family, your business, and your budget.

Think about the variety of lives Americans live: a rancher in Texas hauling cattle, a contractor in Ohio towing tools, or a city commuter in Atlanta zipping to work. One-size-fits-all government dictates rarely fit real life.

True liberty means we act responsibly, but freely. Repealing this mandate restores that freedom and puts trust back where it belongs: with the people.

2️⃣ Protects Affordability

EVs are advancing fast, but let’s be honest: they aren’t cheap. The average electric car still costs significantly more upfront than a traditional gas car or truck. Many families in rural areas also face costly upgrades just to charge at home, plus battery repairs that can break the bank.

Mandating these purchases risks forcing hard-working Americans into debt or trapping them with options they can’t afford to maintain. Proverbs 22:7 reminds us, “The borrower is servant to the lender.” Good stewardship means protecting families from government-driven debt, not pushing them into it.

3️⃣ Supports American Auto Workers

For over a century, America’s auto plants have built not just cars, but strong communities. Assembly lines in Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, and the South put food on countless tables. Suddenly demanding a massive switch to EVs risks shuttering plants, wiping out good union and non-union jobs alike, and gutting towns that depend on this industry.

Even automakers and dealers themselves called the mandate unrealistic and warned it could backfire economically. Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us there’s “a time to every purpose under the heaven.” Smart change respects timing and livelihoods; reckless policy sacrifices both.

4️⃣ Encourages Technological Humility

As Christians, we should honor progress that respects human dignity and God’s creation. But forced progress often leads to shortcuts, higher costs, and poor quality. Ending the mandate doesn’t stop innovation, it frees it to grow naturally, led by what consumers want, what engineers can deliver safely, and what our power grid can actually support.

5️⃣ Promotes Fiscal Balance

Let’s be blunt: mandates cost money. Subsidies, tax credits, and massive infrastructure demands don’t pay for themselves. They land squarely on taxpayers and add to the debt our kids and grandkids will inherit.

The smarter path is voluntary incentives and local pilot projects, not heavy-handed, top-down spending sprees. Patience and prudence protect our wallets and our future.

Concerns About Repealing the Mandate

1️⃣ Stewarding God’s Creation

EVs help lower greenhouse gases and reduce smog in crowded cities. Critics argue repealing the mandate slows progress on clean air and climate goals. Genesis 2:15 tells us clearly: “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” Ignoring the environment is not an option for Christians; we’re called to care for it.

2️⃣ Falling Behind Global Competitors

China and Europe are pushing hard for EV dominance. Some fear dropping our target gives rivals a head start, threatening America’s auto leadership tomorrow, even if jobs feel safer today.

3️⃣ Public Health

Dirty air hits kids and seniors the hardest. Gas engines pump out pollutants linked to asthma and heart disease, especially in crowded cities and low-income neighborhoods. Mark 12:31 says, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Mandates push automakers to cut pollution faster than voluntary promises might.

4️⃣ Weakens State Leadership — Limits Local Innovation

States like California pioneered stricter standards that inspired cleaner cars nationwide. Critics argue that rolling back the federal mandate undercuts states’ flexibility to address local air challenges on their own terms.

5️⃣ Missed Opportunity for Better Infrastructure

Mandates can force quick investment in charging stations, battery plants, and grid upgrades. Without a clear national goal, companies might delay building the backbone needed to make EVs convenient for everyone, especially in rural towns that get overlooked.

A Balanced Path Forward

Ending the 67% EV mandate is the right call. It restores freedom, protects working families, safeguards jobs, and prevents costly government overreach. It upholds our duty to respect liberty and steward our resources wisely.

But repealing the mandate doesn’t excuse us from caring for creation. Clean air and innovation still matter. It just means we do it better: through voluntary incentives, community partnerships, local leadership, smart tax credits, better infrastructure, and real market demand, not by force.

America has always done best when free people rise to meet challenges voluntarily, driven by faith, love for neighbor, and common sense.

Let’s keep our roads open, our skies clear, our wallets secure, and our freedom strong.