What’s up with that? Somewhat confused by Roger Baker

Here I go again, if you have ever bought your child a car you might understand my state of confusion. It all starts with the somewhat well thought out request: “Dad, if I save up half the money for a car will you pay for the other half?” (Have you ever found yourself fielding such a pleading? I have on more than one occasion. I find this to be a great teaching moment.)
My response to this simple question has always been, “Sounds like a plan to me”. “Now how are you going to pay for the gas, insurance, taxes, license fees and maintenance?” Is my follow up query. Where in my child asks: “What’s that cost?” “More than you can ever imagine.” I quickly retort.
This brings me to my confusion of today. Our federal government is pulling the same well thought out plan of attack on both you and me that our children see as logical. Namely, we ought to be happy to contribute financially towards someone else’s transportation needs. It is our duty as citizens to help cover part of the cost of a vehicle that we will never drive in the name of being a Good Old Taxpayer. Let me explain.
My interest was peaked as I sat in my car in full view of a 10 vehicle electric charging station. There right before my eyes were four vehicles with their umbilical cords plugged into an electric feeding station.
Why were these electric vehicles so popular? What was the inducement that persuaded individuals to purchase them? Was I missing out? These and many more questions were forming in my mind one right after another. I knew I would get no rest until my mind could come up with some logical explanations. Of course I did.
Come to find out the average MSRP for an electric vehicle is somewhere between 30 and 45 thousand dollars. Not too pricey I thought in today’s vehicle market.
There must be more to this story, I reasoned. And I was right. That’s when I found out about the kick backs or rebates the new electric vehicle owners receive at the Good Old Taxpayers expense.
Now here is where the inducements or kickbacks start. After purchasing an electric vehicle most purchasers receive a $7,500 Tax Rebate and a $2,500 Clean Air incentive is also included. That means that you and I (The Good Old Tax Payers) just paid for a third of someone else’s vehicle.
Sound like a good deal for them, but that’s not all their good news. Since they don’t buy fuel at the gas station, they won’t pay the 30 or so cents per gallon of road taxes that we do. On an average of a 20 gallon fill up its somewhere around $6 we pay.
But then again, maybe they won’t drive their electric vehicles on the roads and highways or use the bridges that are maintained by the road taxes we pay. Fat Chance of that being the case! Right?
My confusion is simply: If these cars are so desirable, why does the Federal Government need to create incentives for people to buy them? Why weren’t we asked to contribute to or check the box on our Federal tax returns to donate to the poor electric vehicle owners fund?
In fact, I am in favor of progress and improvements, but don’t force me to contribute or penalize me for not jumping on your bandwagon. So what’s up with electric vehicles? Please help me to understand the Government’s logic. As always Somewhat Confused!