It's b-a-a-a-a-c-k ... July, that is, bringing two of my least favorite events: summer's merciless heat and humidity, and the annual "privilege" for my wife and me to each pay an extra $50 to renew our hybrid vehicles' license plates. Our older son also drives a hybrid, so he gets slapped with the additional fee, too. Full-electric vehicle owners are billed $100 on top of their basic renewal costs.

Some states actually encourage hybrid and EV purchases--offering tax credits or other incentives-- recognizing that such automobiles conserve fossil fuels and other resources, plus release fewer air pollutants with their partial-zero or zero-emission engines. However, our self-proclaimed "Natural State" apparently can't be bothered with environmental and public health stewardship, especially with so many elected officials full of solutions looking for nonexistent problems. Besides being full of other things ...

Anyway, hybrid/EV owners tend to be woke liberals, and it's always open season on them in Arkansas. Well, OK, some wealthier MAGA cultists here and elsewhere probably rushed out to purchase Teslas after Donald Trump--using his presidential office--endorsed the brand of his then-BFF, Elon Musk, urging the faithful to boost the company's anemic sales. You, too, can receive a........

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