When does the absurd become dehumanizing? Always. But rarely as manically as when a liberal takes an idea to its illogical extreme.
Extremes are common in Minnesota. Extreme cold. Extreme leftist politicians. And now extreme lawn care. Is there a method in the madness?
Two Democratic lawmakers in the state are proposing two bills that would allow the government to dictate how citizens are to tend to their backyards, according to Fox Business. If approved into law, the bills would also extend government creep into neighborhood ice rinks.
Why all the fuss? You guessed it. Climate change.
Two members of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party — Democratic State Representatives Heather Edelson and Jerry Newton — introduced HF 1715 and HS 1716 this week. The bills seek to prohibit the sale of “spark ignition engine” landscaping equipment such as lawnmowers and chainsaws. Ice-resurfacing machines such as Zambonis would also be phased out, according to Fox.
A spark ignition engine is a gas-powered combustion engine. In place of the villainous fossil-fueled equipment, only electric battery versions would be sold in the state beginning Jan. 1, 2025.
The ban would include any machine that uses “a spark ignition engine rated at or below 19 kilowatts or 25 gross horsepower.” For starters, this would include the average Minnesota Joe’s lawnmower, leaf blower, hedge clippers, chainsaw, lawn edger and brush cutters.
Minnesotans will have no choice. When it comes time to buy new lawn and garden equipment, all will comply with the rules. Electric only. Resistance is futile.
The bills come in the wake of Governor Tim Walz‘s signing of a Democrat-backed clean energy bill. The law requires electricity production to be 80 percent carbon-free by 2030. That’s now less than seven years away. That’s not all. Electricity production must be 100 percent by 2040.
“DFLers are committed to taking action on climate — unchecked climate pollution threatens Minnesota’s future,” House Speaker Melissa Hortman said after lawmakers passed the bill, as reported by Fox. “Now is the time to take bold action and ensure Minnesotans have the healthy climate and clean energy future they deserve.”
It sounds like the DFLers — Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party — are full of that old sound and fury that signifies nothing.
What they do not tell you is what does matter: If you eliminate traditional sources of energy, you’re left with insanely expensive energy. It’s simple economics. As supply decreases, price increases. This is cruel, anti-human, and anti-progress. And it’s extremely anti-poor.
On the other hand, it may be ingenious. What better way to lure more and more people into governmental control? Those who can’t afford new lawn and garden equipment might be forced to apply for government assistance.
The same goes for those who can’t afford to pay for their astronomical electric bills resulting from electric cars, stoves, heaters, and everything else — including their lawn and garden equipment.
And for those who refuse to play along and allow their lawns to grow wild and be taken over for weeds? Fine them. And if they still fail to comply, send them to the hoosegow.
If that sounds a bit extreme, it’s no more extreme than HF 1715 and HF 1716. Think about it.
And the madness isn’t confined to Minnesota. In 2021, California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law to ban selling gas-powered leaf blowers and lawnmowers beginning in 2024, according to the New York Post. It doesn’t end there — it never ends. All new vehicles in the state are to run on electric batteries by 2035 due to a decision by the California Air Resources Board.
Other progressive-run cities like New York City, Los Angeles and Seattle are pushing for bans on fuel-burning appliances, such as gas stoves, over climate concerns and allegations they may be a health risk, according to the Post.
Who would back the madness of banning appliances like gas stoves? Certainly, it’s only a handful of power-crazy politicians right? Wrong.
According to a Morning Consult Poll, 56 percent of Democratic voters would support such bans, 56 percent of Republicans would oppose it and 39 percent of independents would favor it. There’s still some hope for sanity in those numbers. More than half of Republicans would oppose and less than 40 percent of independents would support it. Even 44 percent of Democrats would oppose such a move.
Good. But don’t take too much solace. The progressives are relentless and they are making big moves. They’re not insane either. They are organized and they are on the march.
They want nothing less than to eliminate your freedom. Under their watch, you will not even be free to trim your hedges without governmental consent.
The climate’s always changing, it’s natural, but progressives won’t stop trying for the impossible — to control the weather itself.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.