Just the other day, Axios published a big story about big trucks. Don’t get us wrong — the graphics are pretty nifty, and it’s fascinating to see the evolution of the pickup from the early F-150 and its single-cab, eight-foot-bed configuration to today’s four-door “super crew” people hauler.

But the purpose of the article was to call into question the whole idea of owning a pickup.

The authors begin with the obvious fact that pickups are immensely popular. “America has a love affair with pickup trucks,” they write.
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Any red-blooded American can do just about anything with a pickup truck. Tow big trailers and RVs, haul wood for a DIY project, embark on an off-road adventure, or simply tote the kids to school.

The problem, huffs the Axios team, is that people don’t typically use these behemoths for towing and hauling. Thus, trucks have “transitioned from workhorses to luxury family vehicles,” and body style and size have changed accordingly. “If most people are using their trucks primarily for errands and transportation, why not buy a minivan or SUV instead?” Axios wonders. “The answer may lie in consumers’ self-image.” And again, “Two words set F-150 owners apart: ‘powerful’ and ‘rugged.’”

Tell us you’re complaining about “toxic masculinity” without using the words “toxic masculinity.”
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That’s because government intervention is the goal of the activists Axios is listening to. Those activists want, for example, “a weight-based tax to discourage people from driving cars that are too big and too dangerous for our streets.” Why does the Left always want to tell us what to do?

This author has owned four F-150s going back more than 20 years. Yes, towing and hauling are part of the duties performed, not that it’s anyone’s business. And sure, “powerful” and “rugged” are words we’d use. So are “capable,” “practical,” and “fun as all get-out.” Also, “back off” because, last we checked, this is America.