Biden’s Easing of Tariffs on Solar Panels Won’t Erase All the Obstacles to Solar Expansion in the U.S.
Observer (NY)Nov 25, 2022
The Facts
The US Senate on Wednesday voted 56-41 to reinstate tariffs that Pres. Joe Biden last year paused on solar panels from several Southeast Asian countries, with nine Democrats voting in favor and only one Republican against the measure.
Biden is expected to veto the measure, which passed the House last week, and it's unlikely to garner enough support to override that veto.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
Biden and the legislators who voted against lifting the moratorium are proving again that they’re bought and sold by China. The administration has rushed to provide subsidies for green energy while China — taking advantage of the suspension — dominates the solar market. Instead of penalizing Beijing for cheating, the president continues to reward it while the US plays catch-up.
Pro-establishment narrative
In order to prevent environmental catastrophe, the US must rapidly move toward renewable energy sources. Since it’ll take time for domestic production of clean energy technologies to get up to speed, this moratorium makes sure that there’s plenty of material available for the renewables industry in the interim.
