(DCWatchdog.com) – In a laughable, unforeseen turn of events, the electric-vehicle tax credits from the so-called Inflation Reduction Act, a central element of the Democrat Party’s agenda in recent years, have unexpectedly benefited former president Donald Trump’s 2024 election campaign.
These tax credits were intended to boost environmentally friendly transportation, yet they are now playing a role in a political context that the progressivist left did not anticipate, National Review stresses in a report.
In August 2022, Vice President Kamala Harris cast the decisive vote for the Inflation Reduction Act, thereby instituting an extensive array of climate-centric policies, which include substantial financial incentives for electric-vehicle production.
Specifically, the Inflation Reduction Act provides a tax credit of up to $7,500 for purchasers of eligible electric vehicles.
Vice President Harris has spearheaded much of the current administration’s initiatives concerning electric vehicles, including a notable visit to Detroit where she announced a significant $100-million initiative aimed at expanding electric-vehicle manufacturing capabilities.
Her colleague, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, has been a steadfast proponent of similar incentives.
In 2021, he proposed a scheme to promote electric vehicle purchases and introduced a comparable tax incentive in 2023.
By the spring of 2024, his state had launched a rebate program for electric vehicle purchasers, allocating $10.6 million for fiscal year 2024 and $5.2 million for fiscal year 2025.
Tesla, the leading electric vehicle manufacturer according to July data from Kelly Blue Book, has emerged as one of the major beneficiaries of these tax credits.
The company sold 198,030 Model Ys by mid-2024 and 232,700 Model 3s in 2023 alone.
The majority of Tesla’s clientele since 2019 has been Democrats, who might not fully support how some of their financial contributions are utilized.
In early August, Tesla’s shareholders sanctioned a remarkable $46 billion compensation package for CEO Elon Musk, a portion of which may support Donald Trump’s campaign for a presidential comeback.
Musk disclosed last month his intention to form a pro-Trump super PAC after already contributing at least $5.8 million to voter mobilization efforts.
Beyond his personal contributions, the PAC has raised an additional $8.8 million and Musk is involved in weekly hour-long meetings with PAC staff, focusing on increasing voter turnout for Trump in key battleground states.
Should Trump secure victories in states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, the pivotal support Harris provided for the Inflation Reduction Act through her tie-breaking vote could be seen as inadvertently contributing to her own political misfortune.
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