As Congress prepares to extend Trump’s historic 2017 tax cuts, one question is how Republicans should approach energy tax credits. While our lawmakers must repeal Biden’s Green New Scam, the best way to create an America First energy plan is to retain energy tax credits for domestic manufacturing while ending Biden’s tax cuts for China.
New polling from the Rainey Center illustrates that voters support keeping domestic energy tax credits or limiting them to only US companies rather than eliminating them. Voters, including Republicans, oppose fully repealing domestic manufacturing credits. This unity underscores the shared commitment to policies prioritizing American manufacturing and economic security.
President Trump has rightfully noted how other countries have taken advantage of America under past Presidents. Nowhere is this clearer than in clean energy, where China has dumped solar panels made with slave labor onto the American market in the hopes of destroying American manufacturing. In his first term, Trump fought back, tariffing Chinese solar to protect American manufacturing.
While incentives for domestic manufacturing are vital, the core of Biden’s “Green New Scam” was to tie necessary domestic manufacturing credits to a massive giveaway to anti-Israel radicals and allow Chinese companies to benefit from American taxpayer money. The solution is simple: end the giveaways and keep the domestic incentives–companies that build American factories should.
Consider the success story of First Solar, which has led the American domestic solar manufacturing boom catalyzed by these vital tax credits. With a $4 billion investment in American manufacturing in Ohio, Alabama, and Louisiana, they have created 30,000 American jobs. Let’s not undo this progress by ripping away these incentives away– which would only ensure that the solar industry is again dominated by Chinese companies exploiting slave labor.
Imagine the potential of an American manufacturing renaissance. By focusing tax credits on American companies, we can save taxpayer money while ensuring a bright future for our manufacturing sector. Our polling shows that the path forward with clean energy tax credits is by improving, not eliminating them. Let’s seize this opportunity and build a stronger, more resilient America.
A majority (59%) of voters, including a significant 60% of Republicans, support keeping domestic manufacturing tax credits for American companies. This bipartisan support underscores our shared commitment to American manufacturing and support security, and it’s a testament to the strength of our common goal.
Tax credits for domestic clean energy technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries garnered substantial support, with 61% of voters favoring either unchanged incentives or restrictions for U.S. firms only.
However, electric vehicle subsidies face pronounced opposition, particularly from Republicans, with only 17% supporting continuation even if limited to vehicles produced by US companies.
Domestic manufacturing is a conservative goal. Fifty-three percent of Republican voters would consider Trump’s promise to end Biden’s “Green New Scam” to be kept if tax credits were limited to US companies.
Biden’s Green New Scam sent taxpayer money to left-wing NGOs. In contrast, Trump’s ‘Made in America’ energy agenda will bolster American energy manufacturing, creating jobs and strengthening our national security.
Sarah Hunt is the President of Rainey Center.
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