Opinion editor Dion Lefler argues that the availability of mini-pickup trucks in the US is hindered by “profits and politics,” citing an antiquated trade policy and car manufacturers’ preference for jumbo trucks.
Dion Lefler, opinion editor for The Wichita Eagle, wrote an opinion piece expressing his desire to own a mini-pickup truck similar to those used by the Taliban and ISIS, but without the attached machine gun. He claims that “profits and politics” are to blame for the unavailability of such trucks to the average American consumer. Lefler argues that car manufacturers make more profits selling jumbo trucks, while an antiquated trade policy levies a 25% tariff on imported light trucks. This policy was enacted as retaliation for a European tariff on U.S. chicken in 1963 and has been circumvented by many automakers since then. Lefler suggests that ditching this tariff might break the big-truck stranglehold on the market, leading to competition among domestic manufacturers and giving Americans more options.
