House of representatives votes to end Iran war funding. Trump ignores them, and uses “wartime powers act” to gift $700 million to the coal industry.

Photo above - "This means war !!" White House uses wartime powers act to give $700 million to the US coal industry . . .

This is what 250 years of byzantine legislation has brought us to. Congress votes to stop the Iran war, and Trump ignores them. Trump then goes on to write a $700 million government check to the coal industry. He claims it's legal under the “wartime powers act”. (see link below)

If you’re like me, it's probably difficult wrap your mind around how a president can launch and continue a war which citizens don’t want, which congress won’t approve, and then use a 5-decade old Nixon era law to lavish money on fossil fuel campaign contributors. Trump actually used the phrase “clean, beautiful coal” as he did this. And promised that these coal handouts would reduce gas pump prices. How's that for a hat trick?

$700 million is only about what we spend in a single day to bomb Iran, so it’s not like coal handouts are going to make the US budget deficit worse all on their own. America is already $1.7 Trillion over budget, and the year isn’t even half over yet.

This might be how economies – and democracies - fail. Political muscle is used to create winners and losers in the marketplace. Subsidies for wind and solar are cancelled. Subsidies for coal and oil are launched. Corporate campaign contributions are redirected to the political party in power, and away from the party which was running things yesterday.

In the meantime, democrats are suing Trump for holding a televised UFC fight on the White House lawn. Because, you know, the opposition party can’t figure out any more relevant way to show their moxie to the American people.

If I found $700 million between the White House sofa cushions, I would have used it to build 5,000 affordable homes. This would immediately create thousands of “winners” in America, but not necessarily pad the bank accounts of the fossil fuel industry.

I’m just sayin’ . . .

Trump invokes wartime powers to direct $700M to coal plants

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/trump-invokes-wartime-powers-to-direct-700m-to-coal-plants/ss-AA252VC5?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=6a269080caeb4e6fb81a970095b948e6&ei=226

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Baremine · 70-79, C

I want trump to Finish the war.

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SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@dale74 i'm all for afffordable rooftop solar. just not for paying for with $39 trillion in national debt

dale74 · M

@SusanInFlorida if it's such a good deal, then local utilities should pay customers that have plenty of room for it.By giving them free electricity, if they're allowed to use that roof space for collecting solar power

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@dale74 in many places for profit utilities ARE legally required to subsidize rooftop solar. there a laws in some places requiring the local electric company to purchase your "excess" solar energy at peak rates.

the problem with this is that there's already too much electricity available when the sun is overhead. Electric companies don't need supplemental supply then. they need it at night, during blizzards, etc.

SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

So he has shifted subsidies from renewables to coal. Meanwhile, energy costs have risen by 18% since the start of the Iran war. But as Trump admits, he does not spend time worrying about such mundane matters. His mind is on higher things.

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@SunshineGirl we need better candidates running in presidential primaries. 2024 might have been a new low in american politics

dale74 · M

Here is another way to look at it how much of solar and wind has been subsidies by coal and oil i know over the past years coal has been taxed to death by other administrations. Better than the billions Obama gave Iran without congressional approval.

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Waveney · M

@dale74 that’s insane! 😂😂

You’re desperately redefining “subsidy” because the facts are inconvenient.

When governments create special tax breaks, royalty relief, exploration incentives and preferential treatment for a specific industry, economists and policymakers routinely classify those as subsidies unless your argument requires pretending otherwise.

You can’t sscream that renewable-energy tax credits are subsidies and then suddenly claim fossil-fuel tax breaks don’t count 😂😂

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@dale74 this is what happens when politicians hijack the tax system to push their social agendas.

they inevitably use taxes to favor their campaign contributors, and kneecap the people supporting the opposition party.

taxes should exist SOLEY for covering government expenses. we don't need 2,000 pages of carve outs, set asides, tax credits, subsidies, and alternative depreciation schedules which only high priced corporate accountants can decipher.

dale74 · M

@SusanInFlorida they have rolling brown outs in summer in tx ca and they had it here a few years in a row.

Waveney · M

Yet you have railed against renewables and EV in the past saying it's all a con.

Just sayin'

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Waveney · M

@SusanInFlorida there’s no cure for stupid, yet you’re still here .

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