Conservative groups to Trump: just say no to solar tariffs
CONSERVATIVE GROUPS TO TRUMP: JUST SAY NO TO SOLAR TARIFFS: A group of limited government, free-market conservative groups is telling Trump that putting tariffs on solar product imports might do more harm to U.S. jobs. The ITC will hold a final vote next week on the remedies it recommends to the president as part of a rarely invoked “global safeguard investigation” requested by solar manufacturers Suniva Inc. and supported by SolarWorld Americas. Both companies argue that a flood of cheap Chinese imports is putting them out of business. Opponents of the action say tariffs could cripple the much larger downstream solar industry.
“The petitioning companies made bad business decisions and have resorted to seeking protectionist measures that would hurt their competitors,” the groups write in a lettertoday. “While granting these companies import relief may preserve a minimal amount of jobs in their companies, tariffs or other trade restrictions would no doubt jeopardize far more domestic jobs than could possibly be saved. In fact, it is questionable whether the petitioners’ requested relief would revive their companies at all.”
