Hearts and minds….
Think Progress has an article up that examines the recent blow to Nevada’s solar industry initiated by the GOP-controlled Public Utility Commission. A large number of Nevada solar workers have lost or will be losing their jobs as solar manufacturers flee the state:
a December decision by the Nevada Public Utility Commission (PUC) changed everything. With the stroke of a pen, the three-person, Republican-appointed commission hiked up fees for rooftop solar customers and slashed rebates, making it significantly more expensive for people to buy, install, and maintain panels on their homes and businesses.
The article does an excellent job of comparing Bernie and Hillary’s positions on promoting solar power in the US. Hillary’s focus is on a top down approach:
Instead of appealing to voters individually, she is broadly advocating for the passage of federal law.
Specifically, she cited an amendment to The Energy Policy Modernization Act (EPMA), which would limit the ability of state agencies and utilities — like the PUC and NV Energy — to retroactively change rates and fees for existing customers. The amendment was proposed by Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) in response to Nevada’s struggles.
While Bernie focuses on a voter-level approach: Empower workers to act:
Remind voters that a fossil-fuel funded billionaire caused the problem, and empower them to take action themselves.
How did a billionaire cause the problem? In a nutshell, the new solar fees were requested by NV Energy, the state’s energy utility, which is owned by billionaire Warren Buffett. NV Energy argued that solar customers needed to be on equal footing with other sources like fossil fuels, and should not be getting comparatively low fees and high incentives from the state.
It’s a great article and I recommended reading it in full. Think Progress cites their source, the Reno Gazette-Journal, which provides a looking into the surging popularity of Sanders, and his willingness to meet with workers, no matter how small the group;
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders played to a smaller crowd than usual Saturday when he met with a group of 25 solar workers and their families in Nevada.
The senator met with solar workers for about 15 minutes before attending a short rally for a few hundred supporters. He said the Public Utilities Commission's decision to approve cutting the rate NVEnergy pays to customers who use solar panels and generate excess power into the grid - which lead to statewide layoffs - was “exactly the wrong decision.”
It is exactly this kind of one-on-one approach that is working so well for Bernie. The Hillary campaign was invited by the same group to meet with them, but they declined:
While Clinton’s solution may be more tangible, Sanders’ may have an advantage in that he actually met with the laid-off workers. According to the Reno-Gazette Journal, the group that organized the meeting with Sanders reached out to Clinton’s campaign as well, but received no response. And at the meeting, at least one of the workers was starting to sound a bit like Sanders.
“We’re the little guys, and large corporate interests are being put in front of average Nevadans producing their own solar power,” said Eli Smith, one of the attendees. “We don’t think that’s right.”
And now I’m late for work, will check back in later.
Vote Bernie!
