The Loophole You Can Drive A Truck Through
The Climate Denier's Playbook
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Patriotism and the Allure of Massive Vehicles
This chapter delves into automakers' patriotic-themed commercials and their depiction of oversized vehicles. The speakers discuss public fascination with these large cars, while raising environmental concerns and skepticism about their popularity.
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Transcript
Transcript
Episode notes
But I need my truck to drive to my job at JPMorgan.
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DISCLAIMER: Some media clips have been edited for length and clarity.
CREDITS
- Created by: Rollie Williams, Nicole Conlan & Ben Boult
- Hosts: Rollie Williams & Nicole Conlan
- Executive Producer: Ben Boult
- Editor: Paul Ramsdell & Laura Conte
- Producers: Daniella Philipson, Irene Plagianos
- Archival Producer: Margaux Sax
- Additional Research and Fact Checking: Carly Rizzuto & Canute Haroldson
- Music: Tony Domenick
- Art: Jordan Doll
- Special Thanks: The Civil Liberties Defense Center
SOURCES
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- F.E.A PROPOSING FREER REIN ON OIL. Cowan, E. (1975, May 16). The New York Times.
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- Nader, R. (1965). Unsafe at any speed: the designed-in dangers of the American automobile. Knightsbridge Pub. Co.
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- The Chicken Tax Explained. Norman, K. (2020, August 3).
- 1976 Jeep J10 Pickup Commercial - First Date. OsbornTramain. (2016, July 15).
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- Ram | Never Stop Being American | Nothing Stops Ram. Ram Trucks. (2025, June 14).
- 50 Years of Progress. South Coast AQMD. (2016).
- CAFE Standards Could Mean Bigger Cars, Not Smaller Ones – Mechanical Engineering. Stewart, B. (2011, December 9).
- Subaru “I Survived” Stories. Subaru. (2015, April 17).
- Oil Crisis | Stock market Crash | OPEC | This Week| 1973. ThamesTv. (2017).
- The Chicken War of ’63 Was a Tale Of Anger, Laughter and Portent. (1964, January 10). The New York Times.
- Volkswagen Beetle commercial - VW “Dome.”. Tricoastal71. (2009, August 24).
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- Personal Transportation Factsheet. University of Michigan. (2023).
- Volkswagen Type 2. (2025). Classic Cars Wiki; Fandom, Inc.
- The reckless policies that helped fill our streets with ridiculously large cars. Zipper, D. (2024, April 28). Vox.
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