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
- Key polling released for Republican midterm primaries and President Trump's approval | TRENDING - The Hill - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- Republican drops bid for governor, citing GOPs retribution on Minnesota - The Washington Post - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- Republican Governors Are Starting to Understand the Assignment - Bloomberg.com - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- Extended interview: hear from the Republican running in the Tarrant County special election - nbcdfw.com - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- How Mormon women fought a Republican-led redistricting initiative in Utah and won - The Guardian - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- Trump endorses Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in Wisconsins open race for governor - wausaupilotandreview.com - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- Republican who passed Texas concealed handgun law says ICE is out of control - Spectrum News - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- Cass County ICE agreement is 'null and void'; Republican Madel drops out of governor race - KAXE - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- Minnesota Republican drops out of governor's race, citing GOP's handling of immigration enforcement - NBC News - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- Trump endorses Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in Wisconsin's open race for governor - clickorlando.com - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- No recommendation in the Republican primary for Tarrant County Judge - dallasnews.com - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- Republican calls are growing for a deeper investigation into the fatal Minneapolis shooting - AP News - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- Republican calls for investigation into Alex Pretti shooting in Minneapolis increase - NBC News - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- Republican Tim Pawlenty: Alex Prettis death is an inflection point for Republicans - CNN - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- Republican National Committee Boosts Spending for Hair and Makeup - NOTUS News of the United States - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- President Trump endorses Republican candidate Tom Tiffany in election for Wisconsin governor - badgerherald.com - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- Republican Blames Ilhan Omar For Own Assault After She Was Attacked At Town Hall - Yahoo - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- Republican, Democrat pitch plan for new fund to help solve violent crime in Utah - KSL.com - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- Trump endorses Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in Wisconsin's open race for governor - lufkindailynews.com - January 28th, 2026 [January 28th, 2026]
- The House Republican Majority Is Down to Almost Nothing - The New York Times - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- House Republican Smith paralyzed last year, returns to WV Capitol in wheelchair for my district - West Virginia Watch - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Republican sentiment about the economy has become more positive since the fall - YouGov - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- House Republican Absences This Week Complicate Funding Progress - Bloomberg Government News - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Trump Comments Directly on Antisemites in the Republican Party: I Think We Dont Like Them - Baltimore Jewish Times - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Opinion | The Rare Republican Who Brawls With Trump and Is Ready for More - The New York Times - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Hear from Candidates: Mohave Republican Forum Set for Tomorrow in Kingman - thebee.news - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Can Michele Morrow repeat her 2024 upset in this years Republican Senate primary? - Charlotte Observer - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Former Republican chair says US institutions yielded to Trump, the bully - The Guardian - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- Republican candidates in Mass. are bankrolling their campaigns amid little support from state party - The Boston Globe - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- House fails to override Trump's vetoes of two Republican bills - NBC News - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- Sorry, would-be moderate Republicans, but there is only one Republican Party - New Hampshire Bulletin - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- This Republican Thinks His Party Is Gaslighting on Venezuela - The New York Times - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- Why Many Republican Voters Support Trumps Use of Force in Venezuela - The New York Times - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- Frustrations in the Republican stronghold of Social Circle, Georgia, over a proposed ICE detention center reflect the confusion and unease in many of... - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- Springfield loses a champion of family roots (Letters to The Republican) - MassLive - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- Republican leaders push back on Trump's openness to using the military to take Greenland - NBC News - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- Maduro arrest is seen as good news in Venezuela (Letters to The Republican) - MassLive - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- Dont let the official whitewash of Jan. 6 treachery gain an inch of traction (The Republican Editorials) - MassLive - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- E&E News: Republican introduces bill to study only negative effects of geoengineering - POLITICO Pro - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- Republican Warns Trumps Takeover Plan Is Already Backfiring - Yahoo News Canada - January 11th, 2026 [January 11th, 2026]
- What The Future of Hawaiis Republican Party Looks Like - Honolulu Civil Beat - January 4th, 2026 [January 4th, 2026]
- Ones a Democrat and the others a Republican and theyre twins. Heres how they bridge the divide - CNN - January 4th, 2026 [January 4th, 2026]
- Republican primary for Arkansas Senate District 26 seat will be first to bar Democrats from voting - The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - January 4th, 2026 [January 4th, 2026]
- Democrat and Republican lawmakers react to US strikes on Venezuela and arrest of Maduro - LiveNOW from FOX - January 4th, 2026 [January 4th, 2026]
- INDEPENDENT STREAK: Nonprofit seeks more competitive elections in Indiana by looking beyond Republican and Democratic candidates - the indiana citizen - January 4th, 2026 [January 4th, 2026]
- Republican S.L. County Council member embroiled in day care fight isnt seeking reelection - The Salt Lake Tribune - January 4th, 2026 [January 4th, 2026]
- 'Dollar, oil, and Israel' US Republican lawmakers slam Trump's threat to Iran - TRT World - January 4th, 2026 [January 4th, 2026]
- Trump clashes with another Republican congresswoman - Australian Broadcasting Corporation - January 2nd, 2026 [January 2nd, 2026]
- He was the conscience of the Republican Party Opinion Year in Review - Detroit Free Press - January 2nd, 2026 [January 2nd, 2026]
- Republican and Democratic strategists on challenges ahead for NYC Mayor Mamdani - CBS News - January 2nd, 2026 [January 2nd, 2026]
- Best of 2025: New Republican majority on the NC elections board replaces the executive director - NC Newsline - January 2nd, 2026 [January 2nd, 2026]
- Trump cuts shredding the safety net in WMass (The Republican Editorials) - MassLive.com - January 2nd, 2026 [January 2nd, 2026]
- Marjorie Taylor Greene bets the Republican troll era is over - Salon.com - January 2nd, 2026 [January 2nd, 2026]
- These 2026 Primaries Could Define the Democratic and Republican Parties Futures - NOTUS News of the United States - January 2nd, 2026 [January 2nd, 2026]
- Republican Property Tax Split Presses on, Months After the Party Divided Votes on Tax Reform at the Legislative Session - Flathead Beacon - January 2nd, 2026 [January 2nd, 2026]
- Elkhart County Republican Party holding caucus to fill two vacancies - 95.3 MNC - January 2nd, 2026 [January 2nd, 2026]
- Republican split on Israel widens amid conservative infighting, war in Gaza - Baltimore Sun - January 2nd, 2026 [January 2nd, 2026]
- Trump kicks off New Years Eve celebrations by telling fellow Republican to rot in hell - Yahoo - January 2nd, 2026 [January 2nd, 2026]
- Who thinks Republicans will suffer in the 2026 midterms? Republican members of Congress - Columbia Missourian - January 2nd, 2026 [January 2nd, 2026]
- Republican strategist talks about what the future holds for the GOP - NPR - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- Who thinks Republicans will suffer in the 2026 midterms? Republican members of Congress - The Conversation - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- Republican defense hawks broke with Trump repeatedly in 2025 - Roll Call - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- No Republican has won a competitive federal race in NV since Trump seized control of the party - Nevada Current - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- Republican behind Epstein files act responds to Trump lowlife taunt - The Guardian - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- Marler: Reflecting on a year of Republican control | Opinion - Springfield News-Leader - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- Ben Sasse, ex-Republican senator, says he has terminal pancreatic cancer - The Guardian - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- Republican strategist talks about the current state of the party - NPR - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- Seeking re-election as staunch Republican, a defiant Shelley Vance is 'still willing to fight' - Bozeman Daily Chronicle - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- Purelight Power lays off 84 Medford workers, citing Republican rollback of solar credits as it shuts down - Oregon Public Broadcasting - OPB - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- Where are the Democratic and Republican parties going next? Watch these primaries to find out - Bitacora.com.uy - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- Republican former senator Ben Sasse says he has terminal cancer - The Washington Post - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- New data reveals the most and least Republican industries in U.S. - Deseret News - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- OPINION: A Republican reflection as the New Year begins - Coeur d'Alene Press - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- PREMIUM Who thinks Republicans will suffer in the 2026 midterms? Republican members of Congress - Brooklyn Eagle - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- Inside Turning Points effort to take over Arizonas Republican Party - Politico - December 22nd, 2025 [December 22nd, 2025]
- Tamara Keith and Amy Walter on a fractured Republican Party - PBS - December 22nd, 2025 [December 22nd, 2025]
- Turning Point USA's conference exposes underlying rifts in the Republican Party - NPR - December 22nd, 2025 [December 22nd, 2025]
- Column | Republican women shrinking their ranks in Congress - The Washington Post - December 22nd, 2025 [December 22nd, 2025]
- Sex offenders who are homeless would have to wear GPS monitors under Republican bill - WPR - December 22nd, 2025 [December 22nd, 2025]
- Republican critics fear incomplete disclosure of Epstein files will loom over midterms - Reuters - December 22nd, 2025 [December 22nd, 2025]