The war on plastic is a hidden tax on Americans

The rising cost of diesel is punishing millions of Americans — especially rural households. Every time a farmer fills his combine, a small businessman tops off his box truck, or a family fuels up the pickup, they feel the cost.

Prices have stayed stubbornly elevated compared with the pre-pandemic baseline. Because trucks move roughly 70% of America’s freight tonnage, every extra dime at the pump ripples outward to grocery bills, hardware stores, and the operating margins of the mom-and-pop businesses that keep small towns alive.

Plastic is increasingly displacing steel, iron, and other heavy metals that would otherwise add hundreds of pounds per vehicle.

There are many familiar culprits policymakers can and have identified. These range from refinery closures and global supply chain disruptions to international sanctions and