You can quickly identify a disingenuous argument when the arguer doesn't offer a practical alternative. Yucca Mountain arguments sound like this to me:

"We shouldn't use Yucca Mountain"

"What should we do instead"

"Feed the waste to unicorns--they'll turn it into poop rainbows!"

Fed gov't can't actually do anything anymore. Any NIMBY idiot can multiply a project's cost by 10 by whining about his feelings to a gutless judiciary. Useful idiots at newspapers eat up disingenuous arguments (spotted owl! sacred native landmarks!) that originate from financially interested groups, then write simplistic good-vs-evil propaganda pieces that tie the hands even the good legislators.

Could you imagine building an interstate highway system now? Every foot is a litigable affront to someone's feelings. The aviation industry could spend $1m to fund various shrills and add $100B to the cost.

Yucca Mountain was a no-brainer when we started looking into it and it's a no-brainer now. Those that oppose it are either (1) useful idiots, (2) financially interested in competing energy generation methods, or (3) actively and purposefully attempting to weaken or destroy the US.

1. How Native American lands in Florida were used without permission to
2. Help elites leave the planet to create a poor-free utopia while
3. Destroying the environment as they leave.

Won't SOMEONE think of the children!!

There's a victim narrative to set up. No time to lose!

Totally agree. Version 2.0 of the story will look totally different and 3.0 will be unrecognizable.

Version 1.0 looks more like a liberal reporter's wish-list (Texas racists! Misidentified muslim! Poor innocent student!) than a legitimate story.

If Clockboy taught us anything it's to suspend judgement about this type of story.

Luddites gonna ludd

This misses one of the biggest upsides of car autonomy. The manufacturer assumes all liability, resulting in a much much more efficient auto insurance market and a big headache removed from consumers.

Volkswagen already did said they'd assume it.

3/5 trolling. looks like some suckers took the bait.

In 30 years? more like in 3 years. And these regulations will still exist, holding back innovation for no reason.

As for the truck drivers, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tjZchYXMmA

In a few years when there are a number of solutions not in testing, these regs will really bite.

Even today, what problem does the "licensed driver" rule solve? How may people have been injured, how much property has been destroyed, by automated cars not having a driver?

Beware when a government thinks it's innovating. They aren't do-ers, they're don't-ers. When there exists no actual problem, mandating a solution is lunacy.

Mankind is on the verge of its greatest accomplishment, to be executed by the bravest and most hardworking of us. Those that go will be miserable, scraping by on unending work and luck. If they get a foothold on the first thru tenth attempt (pre-foothold colonies will be likely wiped out, every inhabitant dead), a solution may emerge for economic transit and eventually tourism. Going early won't be pleasant--that will take decades. Once it's pleasant, it will become affordable to the middle class a few years later.

Instead of celebrating these people, these children lash out, in a fit of short-sightedness, envy, and the weight of their personal failures.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/66d1d3ec-2f19-11e0-88ec-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3uLdcGolO

FTFA:
In a statement...Toyota added: “It is not our proudest piece of product placement. But it shows the Taliban are looking for the same qualities as any other truck buyer: quality and durability.”

That's a bold pivot to a positive message. Maybe the plumber can lean in and tell customers if he can put up with ISIS's shit, he can put up with theirs.

Yikes that did get Trumpy.

I would very much like Obama to shrug, say "you can't please everybody," and do one of those legally fuzzy executive orders to just push the thing through. The net good it does for humanity is a slam dunk.

What a shitty false equivalence.

2 Billion adherents have 1000+ year old temples covering one hill so they call it off limits.

vs

~5 million adherents calling every empty hill off limits.