GOP Power Grab
The Republican Party likes to pretend it favors “free market” competition and opposes “big government” regulations and fees that keep private businesses from thriving. Those Republicans, however, are lying. They are more than happy to put government’s thumb on the scale to crush competition from businesses that threaten the bottom line of their biggest campaign contributors.
Progressives and right-wing Tea Partiers may not agree on much, but they do agree on residential solar energy. Those on the left like it because it decreases dangerous greenhouse gas emissions from dirty, coal-fired power plants. Those on the Libertarian right like residential solar energy because it allows them to self-sufficiently “get off the grid” and ditch big utility companies. In Georgia, for example, the Sierra Club and Tea Party—unlikely bedfellows— have formed the Green Tea Coalition to advocate for clean, renewable solar energy.
Between 2000 and 2013, installed solargenerating capacity in the U.S. increased 79,100%as prices plummeted for photovoltaic solar panels; incentives also made solar affordable for homeowners. Competition among resi – dential solar companies increased exponentially, and the industry continues to boom nationwide.
Homeowners save money on power bills and can even generate income selling unused energy to their power company, which—in turn—benefits from reduced output.
