It is no secret that Biden has declared war on fossil fuels.
In that context, many can see the irony in Biden using a Cold War-era law to use taxpayer dollars to fund the manufacturing of electric heat pumps.
During his campaign, Biden made it quite clear that the fossil fuel industry was being put on notice.
After taking office, Biden started to carry out his plan to decrease oil production in this country and move the United States more toward renewable energy.
The drastic change in the energy plan played a significant role in inflation soaring out of control simply because the cost of gasoline and diesel impacts the entire supply chain.
Gasoline prices were up 48% from Biden's inauguration day to the day that Russia invaded Ukraine, even though the White House tried to push the narrative that Putin's war was responsible for the rising costs.
Diesel prices were up by 49%, which impacted transportation costs.
By June 2022, gasoline prices were above $5 per gallon on average, which was 20 years ahead of the 2020 Annual Energy Outlook plan.
Biden recently invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA), announcing the government would offer $169 million in taxpayer money to fund nine projects across 15 locations.
The administration is invoking this Cold War-era law to boost the production of domestic electric heat pumps as an alternative to gas-powered residential furnaces.
Rest assured, this is not in the spirit of the law, and I fully expect to see some legal challenges levied against Biden on this front, but it does show the lengths to which Biden is prepared to go in order to push his renewable energy agenda.
In announcing what many would consider to be a massive abuse of power, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm stated:
"Getting more American-made electric heat pumps on the market will help families and businesses save money with efficient heating and cooling technology.
"These investments will create thousands of high-quality, good-paying manufacturing jobs and strengthen America's energy supply chain, while creating healthier indoor spaces through home-grown clean energy technologies."
White House adviser for clean energy, John Podesta, also chimed in:
"Today's Defense Production Act funds for heat pump manufacturing show that President Biden is treating climate change as the crisis it is.
"These awards will grow domestic manufacturing, create good-paying jobs, and boost American competitiveness in industries of the future."
To many, this is just a blatant abuse of power by Joe Biden.
For instance, Ben Lieberman, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, stated:
"This is absolutely shameful corporate welfare. But we're to believe that, because it's for the sake of climate change, all is well. I think that's ridiculous.
"Of all the Biden administration's claimed climate emergency declarations, this may be the craziest of them all. There is no shortage of heat pumps — it's just that not every homeowner wants them. Consumers ought to decide for themselves. The government has no role in tilting the balance in favor of one energy source over another. That's clearly what's happening here."
This resembles Biden dipping into our strategic oil reserves to offset high gasoline prices.
Simply put, Biden is using national security legislation and measures to push a liberal agenda, and the American people are paying attention.
American Gas Association President and CEO Karen Harbert touched on this recently, stating:
"Energy security is a top priority for AGA. We are deeply disappointed to see the Defense Production Act, which is intended as a vital tool for advancing national security against serious outside threats, being used as an instrument to advance a policy agenda contradictory to our nation's strong energy position.
"Increased use of natural gas has been responsible for sixty percent of the electrical grid's CO2 emissions reductions. This vital tool for emissions reductions and energy system resilience should not be unfairly undermined through misuse of the Defense Production Act."
The GOP is already considering impeaching Biden, and abuses of power such as this will surely be taken into account as this impeachment inquiry continues to play out.
