Help The Rich, Help The Rich, Help The Rich Republican Policy 101 – CleanTechnica
Published on January 21st, 2017 | by Zachary Shahan
January 21st, 2017 by Zachary Shahan
The rich are an unfortunate bunch nobody wants to give them a helping hand, nobody wants to give them some charity. Except the Republican Party, that is.
Sadly, Americans are a bit prejudiced we typically think its good to give charity to poor people, but not to rich people. Not a very equitable system, eh? Luckily, those disadvantaged rich folk havea powerful bunch of heroes at their back the most elite members of the Grand Old Party.
Republican Party congresspeople and governorshave made it their #1 priority (often their only real priority) to tilt the scales back in favor of the rich 99% of the time, instead of a completely unequitable 90% of the time. Via tremendous tax breaks formultimillionaires and billionaires (like nothing an annoying middle class bum should hope for), via corporate tax breaksthat might allow the richest companiesin the world to skip out on paying the United States of America a dime, via subsidies for putting more pollution into our lungs and minds, via altruisticsupport to abuse and underpay workers, these Republican Party leaders do their job protecting the super rich fromunfair requirements to contribute to society. They do their jobpermitting corporations tosubtly murder millions of Americans.
Thank goodness for the GOP!
In all seriousness, please do pay attention to what a Republican Congress and Republican president doin the coming weeks and months. Play close attention. Dont just get swept away in the talking points. Pay attention to who is genuinely set to benefit fromuncontrolled emissions, nearly unregulated health care, loosening of labor laws, and a blank check for Wall Street. Pay close attention to the laws Congress prioritizes andhow much they benefit the common Joe versus the billionaire and multimillionaire classthat already lives at the top of the world (but, you know, thathas been unfairly demonized for years and deserves a little more cash in their Cayman Islands bank accounts).
Pay close attention.
Doesletting corporations pay less, pollute more,play risky with the American economy, and treat the underclass like indentured servants really benefit you? Well find out soon enough, as that has been the focus of the Republican Party for decades and it is now able to implement, implement, implement. Itll surely take some time for the results to trickle down, but dont worry,itll be as obvious over time as Obamas policies have been.
Why would the GOP really fight climate action and popular cleantech industries like the solar industry, the wind industry, and clean electric transport? These industries provide hundreds of thousands of jobs, healthier and safer lives for Americans, and often cheaper energy. The GOPwouldnt fight these industries without good reason.
The GOP has a good reason.The GOPis just trying to protect some of the wealthiest industries in the history of the world oil, gas, and coal, for example from having to shrink a bit andmake way for a betterfuture.In the case of energy, the GOP is just trying to prevent change a transition to cleaner, safer, better, cheaper renewable energy and electric transport technologies.
It is because of the broad goodwill of the Republican Partys most elite members that oil tycoons and coal barons are notdiscriminated against are protected and subsidized, even! Who else would look out for these guys? (They are basically all guys, and white, 100% naturally.) The insensitive working class does not view or treat them fairly. All they care about is their own health and well-being, and that of their children and grandchildren.
No, it is only the Republicans who will now run Congress and the White House who have sympathy for the David Kochs, Harold Hamms, and Robert Murrays of the world. No one else seems to have the heart to subsidize white billionaire men. No one else seems to have the heart to say, Yes, you can pollute more. Its only fair that you be allowed to cause as many cancers and heart attacks as you wish. Free markets for the win!Murder isnt murder if you commitit viaextra smoke in the lungs and extra poison in the water. Murder is not murder when the super rich do it to squeeze more money out of the American economy. Thats simply the pursuit of happiness and wealth, which theevil government shouldnt interfere with!
Why would the Republican Partys top politicians routinely deny clear scientific findings? Its because the right to pollute, the right to abuse, and the right to hoard cash is more important thanscientific evidence, the laws of nature, and the future of human society.
The problem was never crony capitalism (because, you know, the solar industry and electric vehicle industry really didntdo much at all forObama or other Democrats). If crony capitalism was a bad thing, the GOP wouldnt mindfighting fossil fuels. (Note that the fossil fuel pollution industries have contributed almost 100% to Republican candidates). Theres no better way to show how much you hate crony capitalism than to stop subsidizing some of the richest companies in the history of the world. No, if crony capitalism is what concerned the GOP, wed get a strong sign since wed have a carbon price in place next week. Fabricated problems with supposed crony capitalism was just a tool Republican talking heads used in order to protect the unfairly hated billionaire class in the fossil fuel industry.
Instead of an attack on crony capitalism now that Republicans are in power, well get a loosening of regulations to protect human health American citizen health and life.These pollution industries will be allowed to pollute more. The air will get dirtier, the water more poisoned, and the bank accounts of oil & gas companies more obese. The Republican Party ruling class will demonstrate thatit will chuck concern about crony capitalism out the window in order to provide Koch Industries, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Alliance Coal,and others exactly what they lobby for. Because its not about crony capitalism that was an excuse the GOP used in order to attack the immoral cleantech companies thatare trying to steal the oil, gas, and coal industries God-given right to rape the air and water.
Count me as a skeptic, but Im thinking the GOP will not stand up to crony capitalism, will not work for the American people, and will simply shuffle more money into the wallets of thebillionaire class. Thiswill of coursebe at the expense of common citizens who will have to breathe in more pollution, many of whom will end up with cancer and not have affordable health care to treat and survive it.
But that is the price that must be paid to give the corporate ruling elitethe freedom they deserve. After all, if billionaire polluters and bankers cant do whatever they want, what has the United States of America come to?
Republican Party leadership hardly makes its priorities a secret. Heck, the Republican Party Platform couldnt have been more clear if it wastitled Corporate Welfare, Permission To Pollute & Abuse, & Tax Cuts For The Super Rich Since They Dont Get Enough Love. But now that we are set for a Republican Policy 101 coursein experiential education, please, pay close attention.
Images by DonkeyHotey(CC BY),DonkeyHotey(CC BY), Obamas White House, Open Secrets
Buy a cool T-shirt or mug in the CleanTechnica store! Keep up to date with all the hottest cleantech news by subscribing to our (free) cleantech newsletter, or keep an eye on sector-specific news by getting our (also free) solar energy newsletter, electric vehicle newsletter, or wind energy newsletter.
Tags: Alliance Coal, Chevron, Congress, Donald Trump, ExxonMobil, Koch Industries, Republicans
Zachary Shahan is tryin' to help society help itself (and other species) with the power of the typed word. He spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as its director and chief editor, but he's also the president of Important Media and the director/founder of EV Obsession, Solar Love, and Bikocity. Zach is recognized globally as a solar energy, electric car, and energy storage expert. Zach has long-term investments in TSLA, FSLR, SPWR, SEDG, & ABB after years of covering solar and EVs, he simply has a lot of faith in these particular companies and feels like they are good cleantech companies to invest in.
The rest is here:
Help The Rich, Help The Rich, Help The Rich Republican Policy 101 - CleanTechnica
- No One Loves the Bill (Almost) Every Republican Voted For - The Atlantic - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Truth to Power: A Republican Senator Stands Up for Medicaid and His Constituents; Then Announces Retirement - Georgetown University - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- 9 Questions About the Republican Megabill, Answered - The New York Times - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- This Pennsylvania Republican withstood pressure on the megabill. Heres why. - Politico - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Wisconsin Republican Deletes Post That Appeared To Celebrate Millions Of People Losing Health Insurance - Yahoo - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Republican Bill Puts Nation on New, More Perilous Fiscal Path - The New York Times - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Trump says the Republican mega bill will eliminate taxes on Social Security. It does not - PBS - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Republican Bill Will Raise Costs, Poverty, and Hunger, Take Health Coverage Away From Millions - Center on Budget and Policy Priorities - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Republican voters on Trumps sweeping tax-and-spend legislation: This bill is a no-brainer! - The Guardian - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- These are the Republican votes to watch on the Trump megabill - The Hill - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Trump Meets With House Republican Holdouts to Press for Policy Bill - The New York Times - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- How the Republican spending bill super-charges immigration enforcement - Reuters - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- House Should Reject Senate Republican Bill That Is Even Worse Than Already Harmful House Version in Important Ways - Center on Budget and Policy... - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Trump Tax Bill Hits Republican Resistance in House Ahead of Vote - Bloomberg - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- The Republican senators who voted against Trump's "big, beautiful bill" - Axios - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- By the Numbers: Senate Republican Leaderships Reconciliation Bill Takes Food Assistance Away From Millions of People - Center on Budget and Policy... - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Which Republican senators voted against Trump's agenda bill and why - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- State of Colorado says Republican budget bill will cut billions in federal funding for Medicaid in the state - CBS News - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Republican Senator Tells House Not To Vote on Bill She Just Voted For - Newsweek - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Here Are the Republican Senators Who May Revolt on Trumps Bill - The New York Times - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Opinion | The Republican Policy Bill Will Cripple Obamacare - The New York Times - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- House Republican files amendment to revert Trump-endorsed 'big, beautiful bill' back to initial House version - Fox News - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Republican budget leaders moving forward a plan to close the aging Green Bay prison - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- RFK Jr. is bringing psychedelics to the Republican Party - Politico - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Republican Sen. Thom Tillis will not seek reelection next year after Trump attacks - NPR - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Following Trump attacks, Republican Senator Tillis bows out of 2026 reelection race - Reuters - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Republican North Carolina Sen. Tillis wont seek reelection after opposing Trumps bill - PBS - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina wont run in 2026 after opposing Trumps bill - AP News - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Sanders Leads Republican Governors to Call on Congress to Remove AI Regulatory Moratorium from One, Big, Beautiful Bill - Arkansas Governor - Sarah... - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- House Republican Don Bacon, a Trump critic, will not seek reelection - media - Reuters - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Exclusive | One NY Republican opens massive lead in possible primary to face Gov. Kathy Hochul: poll - New York Post - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina won't seek reelection after opposing Trump's bill - WCCB Charlotte - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Nebraska Republican Don Bacon will not seek re-election to Congress - NBC News - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Democratic and Republican Parties Hold Nominating Events This Week for Sept. 9 Special Election - Fairfax County (.gov) - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Vulgar and threatening graffiti painted on Huntsville business ahead of Republican congresswomans visit - WAFF - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Centrist Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska won't seek reelection - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- A Running List of Policies Rejected From the Republican Megabill - The New York Times - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Trumps Bill Slashes the Safety Net That Many Republican Voters Rely on - The New York Times - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Republican plans to overhaul Medicaid are already shaking up the 2026 midterms - CNN - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- The Senate Republican Tax Plan: Officially Worse than the House Republican Tax Plan - Senate Committee on Finance (.gov) - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Texas Republican State Representative discusses why he opposed the THC ban, criticizes the state bud - CBS News - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Republican Says 'Most' of Iran's Uranium Is Still There - Newsweek - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Fewer Democrats Are Taking the Bait on Republican Immigration Votes - NOTUS - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- US Republican senators push back on Trump cuts to foreign aid and public media - Reuters - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Republican introduces amendment to end birthright citizenship once and for all - Fox News - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Centrist Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska won't seek reelection - Yahoo - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Scoop: New Republican Senate candidate in Kentucky to team up with top Trump ally - Fox News - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- The Republican foreign policy debate, President Trump, and the transatlantic alliance - Brookings - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- A Republican plan to sell off millions of acres of public lands is no more for now - Los Angeles Times - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- By the Numbers: Senate Republican Leaderships Health Agenda Takes Health Coverage Away From Millions of People and Raises Families Costs - Center on... - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Sweeping GOP budget bill illuminates the central fault line in the modern Republican coalition - CNN - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Lisa Murkowskis commitment to the Trump-era Republican Party appears increasingly shaky - MSNBC News - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Republican plans to cap student borrowing could shatter an everyday profession - Politico - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Republican Lisa Murkowski on Trumps America and the intensity on the security of our democracy - The Guardian - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Republican Party split over whether Trump should involve US in Israel-Iran conflict - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- California Republican Kevin Kiley opposes sale of public land near Tahoe, Yosemite - KCRA - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Republican lawmaker with ectopic pregnancy nearly died amid new Florida abortion laws but blames the left - Yahoo - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Republican congressman says it would be great for Qatar to strike back against Iran - The Independent - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Critics warn Republican budget would worsen health disparities for Black mothers - NBC Connecticut - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Republican Rep. Max Miller says he was 'run off the road' by pro-Palestinian protester - Fox News - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Republican nominees Winsome Earle-Sears and John Reid speak to each other for the first time in eight weeks - WRIC ABC 8News - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Opinion | The Alabama Republican Party is heading down a familiar path - Alabama Political Reporter - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Legislative Republican proposal would change how Wisconsin pays for voucher schools - WPR - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Republican Calls Out Trump Admin Cutting Suicide Hotline: 'This is Wrong' - Newsweek - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- House Republican, Democrat move to limit Trump from entering Iran war - Axios - June 18th, 2025 [June 18th, 2025]
- Republican voters oust 3 incumbents in primaries for boards of supervisors across the region - Cardinal News - June 18th, 2025 [June 18th, 2025]
- Opinion | The Republican budget bill benefits from being ignored - The Washington Post - June 18th, 2025 [June 18th, 2025]
- Gorham wins Republican nomination in the 21st House District | Headlines - InsideNoVa.com - June 18th, 2025 [June 18th, 2025]
- Republican hawks vs Maga isolationists: the internal war that could decide Trumps Iran response - The Guardian - June 18th, 2025 [June 18th, 2025]
- Trump's approach to Africa lauded by top Republican as recent airstrikes show 'outside the box' thinking - Fox News - June 18th, 2025 [June 18th, 2025]
- The Republican Budget Bill: Take from the Poor, Give to the Rich - cepr.net - June 18th, 2025 [June 18th, 2025]
- Republican in South Carolina arrested over distribution of child sexual abuse material - The Guardian - June 16th, 2025 [June 16th, 2025]
- What Will Happen to the Republican Party Post-Trump? (w/ Chris Vance, Barbara Comstock & Charlie Dent) - The Bulwark - June 16th, 2025 [June 16th, 2025]
- I was a Republican the party I believed in no longer exists | Paolina Milana - The Guardian - June 16th, 2025 [June 16th, 2025]
- Texas Republican Jeff Leach highlights legislative wins including teachers bill of rights and judici - CBS News - June 16th, 2025 [June 16th, 2025]
- Rich Gain and Poor Lose in Republican Policy Bill, Budget Office Finds - The New York Times - June 16th, 2025 [June 16th, 2025]
- Bentz defends Republican tax and spending bill, despite costs and cuts impacting his district - Oregon Capital Chronicle - June 16th, 2025 [June 16th, 2025]
- The Senate Republican Budget Bill Adds Broadband Funding That Favors Musks Starlink and Bans State AI Laws - Center for American Progress - June 16th, 2025 [June 16th, 2025]
- Exclusive / Republican senators mystified by $1 billion added to their megabill - Semafor - June 16th, 2025 [June 16th, 2025]
- Letter: Switching to clean energy will create jobs. The Republican budget bill must include IRA-type incentives. - The Salt Lake Tribune - June 16th, 2025 [June 16th, 2025]