Frank wrote on Dec 12
th, 2024 at 1:55pm:
November 2024
The Biden administration will double tariffs on certain solar panel components that are made in China, it announced Wednesday.
Starting in January, imports of Chinese solar wafers and polysilicon will carry a 50 percent tariff, up from the current levy of 25 percent. Polysilicon is a type of silicon that is used to make solar panels, while wafers are the semiconductors used in the panels.
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5035684-biden-administration-incre...So Biden makes renewable energy more expensive for Americans? Is that the carefully calibrated aim here?
Mais non! Climate action and jobs, as the press release breathlessly claims.
There’s quite a lot to unpack here, Frank. First and foremost, it appears that, once again, you’re skimming headlines in search of a mic-drop moment, without realising that what you’ve shared actually reinforces my argument.
From your own post:
Frank wrote on Dec 12
th, 2024 at 1:55pm:
The Biden administration will double tariffs on certain solar panel components that are made in China
Right off the bat, these are not indiscriminate tariffs akin to those imposed by 45, but rather targeted measures focusing on specific solar panel components. So already the risks of 45's plan including raising inflation, interest rates and a push closer to a recession do not apply.
Delving into the rationale behind this decision reveals a comprehensive strategy by his administration. This approach encompasses protective measures, investment incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act and other sources, and efforts to expand the domestic industry, all aligning with his broader agenda to foster the growth of Green jobs.
Quote:Your concern about higher costs for imported components, ultimately passed on to the consumer, is entirely valid.
But mate, that's precisely been my point about 45. Consumers will be incentivised to purchase domestically produced goods from industries that the Biden administration has spent years cultivating as part of his vision for a Green economy.
But what happens if there are no local alternatives? Consumers would indeed face higher costs, which is why this policy was meticulously focused on specific components rather than indiscriminate blanket tariffs.
Quote:When you bozos talk of Trump tarriffs, it is ALWAYS ONLY about consumer price. When Biden does it, it's everything else but price increase.
Surely, by now, the distinction is glaring.
45’s tariffs are not targeted at particular sectors or industries. Instead, if his rhetoric is to be believed, they’re intended as sweeping measures imposed on all imports from China, Mexico, and Canada.
This approach would affect an enormous range of goods for which local alternatives don’t exist or rely heavily on tariffed components in their supply chains.
Furthermore, there’s no evidence of a strategic, long-term plan to build robust local industries over several years in preparation for such tariffs. Instead, 45 has declared his intent to implement them immediately upon taking office.
And what does he plan to do with the revenue generated?
Will it be reinvested into programs to alleviate the burden on consumers facing an already crushing global cost-of-living crisis?
Of course not.
He’ll perpetuate the lie that China is footing the bill, mischaracterising tariffs as a "tax on China," and divert the funds towards tax cuts for the wealthy.
Again, that’s assuming he’s not simply lying, which, given his track record, is a generous assumption.
Do you finally grasp the distinction between these two approaches? Can you see the difference yet?