Wednesday, a prominent Democrat who has frequently criticized his party and the Biden administration’s rapid push to impose their “green energy” agenda blasted the president following the announcement that the government would loan Ford Motor Co. billions to build three battery plants for electric vehicles.
Thursday’s Washington Examiner reported that the U.S. Department of Energy is loaning Ford and its partner $9.2 billion to build three electric vehicle (EV) assembly facilities in Tennessee and Kentucky. According to the report, the intention is to produce batteries domestically to compete with China.
Ford announced in March that its “Ford Model e” electric vehicle division is hemorrhaging billions of dollars and is anticipated to lose more money this year.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.), chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, stated in April that China will only benefit from Biden’s agenda regarding electric vehicles.
“The EPA is lying to Americans with false claims about how their manipulation of the market to boost EVs will help American energy security. In reality, this is a Trojan horse,” he said at the time.
“To meet these timelines will mean strengthening our reliance on minerals and technologies controlled by the Chinese. Taken in concert with the clear violation of the IRA [Inflation Reduction Act] to undermine provisions that would actually secure these supply chains, this Administration is taking steps that will only result in a more energy-secure and powerful China,” he added.
“I don’t believe that making progress on climate change should come at the expense of our national and energy security. I fully support Congress overturning these dangerous EPA regulations,” he noted further.
The Examiner reported that Ford’s loan is the largest federal loan to an American automaker “since the 2009 financial crisis and subsequent bailout of the auto industry.”
The report continued:
In an effort to compete with China and achieve its objective of having 50 percent of all new cars sold in the United States be electric vehicles by 2030, the Biden administration has rushed to develop the electric vehicle and battery manufacturing supply chain. Currently, approximately 7% of all automobiles sold in the United States are electric vehicles.
The Inflation Reduction Act tasked the Loan Programs Office with supervising the distribution of approximately $400 billion in new loans.
Nonetheless, according to a May survey, being a moderate Democrat and a former governor in deep-red West Virginia is unlikely to propel Manchin to victory next year if he decides to run for reelection.
Despite it being early in the election cycle, the poll shows Manchin trailing current Gov. Jim Justice, a former Democrat who switched to the Republican Party during the 2016 election cycle, much to the delight of then-GOP candidate Donald Trump, who went on to win the state handily in 2016 and 2020.
More on this story via Conservative Brief:
In fact, during the previous presidential election cycle, Trump actually won every single West Virginia county. CONTINUE READING…
