Just ask Mr. Lincoln.

So you end up doing your best to "make it work" – and are grateful for whatever small occasional concessions you can manage.

They are better than nothing, as the saying goes.

And yes – it could have been worse. For instance:

Our Worser Half was going to force us to buy nothing but hybrids and electric cars – by jacking up the price – via fines – of any new car that didn't average at least 46.7 MPG – which is every car that isn't a hybrid or an EV – by the 2026 model year.

This would have had a seismic effect on not just the cost of cars but also the choice of cars available come 2026. Less "efficient" models would become more scarce as well as more expensive – the one inevitably resulting in the other.

Instead, the arm-twisting will apparently be relaxed – somewhat. New cars will "only" be required to average 37 MPG by 2026. Those that don't – which is almost all of them except hybrids – will still cost more.