It's the government telling the people they can't burn an endless amount of fossil energy.

Sure. That’s part of it. But the US has some truely insane housing policies. Where I work, many employees are forced to drive 40+ miles one way to work on super clogged 5 lane highways. You’d think there would be buildings everywhere right? Nope on either side of the highway are endless mostly empty fields with an occasional cow. The cows commute is like 2 min and I’m sure those farms aren’t paying their fair share of property taxes. Voters couldn’t care less.