Americans are roasting Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg after he promoted electric vehicles in the midst of skyrocketing gas prices, which reached a record national high on Monday.
The U.S. broke its previous high on Monday, reporting a new national average of $4.104 per gallon. That average jumped to $4.173 overnight — seven cents more than the previous record high recorded in 2008.
Buttigieg spoke about the issue on Monday and touted a long-term plan to “bolster America’s electric charging network,” happily promoting electric vehicles — a move many described as “Let them eat cake-esque.”
“Today is about how we can deliver cleaner air, a better climate, affordable transportation, and good jobs all at once,” he said, adding that “people from rural to suburban to urban communities can all benefit from the gas savings of driving an EV.”
The former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, also used the opportunity to express concerns about climate change, identifying transportation as the “single biggest contributor to climate change” in the U.S. economy.
His remarks triggered reactions across social media, as Americans pointed out just how disconnected Buttigieg and other members of President Joe Biden’s administration are from the general public.
“How many people have a spare $56,000 for an electric car? What about the charging costs? This is not a realistic solution,” Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) said:
“Pete Buttigieg: Upset with near-record gas prices? Too bad. Buy an electric vehicle. (The average cost of an electric vehicle is over $55,000),” RNC Research noted: