Reply #2: It has little to nothing to do with environmental regulation.

[kristopher]

In spite of what Republicans would have us believe, the environmental costs are inconsequential in the overall pricing structure. The big item is $41 billion in low interest loans the government made available that fund the building of new factories. Part of the reason they put the money out there was to clean up the industry by putting older, dirtier operations out of business.

The simple fact is we've been pounding on China to do something about climate change - and they did. Now we are slapping tariffs on them for their trouble.

I know there is are real inequities by the situation but the better solution in the big picture would be to throw as much money at the industry here as China has there. The only real winners here are the entrenched energy interests.