Staff Reports
When it comes to heat, there’s no denying that the American South has got it worse than the rest of the country. The temperature and humidity combo is like getting smacked in the face every time you step outside. Meanwhile, people in the American Southwest may complain about their scorching 100-degree days, but we down here in the South just laugh it off. So when those folks up north start telling us how to regulate our air conditioning, we definitely pay attention.
And wouldn’t you know it, the Biden administration is at it again, making life more expensive for everyone. They’ve issued rules that will drive up the cost of HVAC repairs. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is cutting production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are used in refrigerants. And let me tell you, the price of these HFCs has already tripled due to a modest 10% production cut. So you can just imagine how expensive it’s going to get next summer when stricter quotas kick in. It’s going to hit homeowners hard in the wallet when they need to fix their air conditioners. Thanks, Biden.
But let’s not forget, this isn’t just about money. It’s about people’s lives. Just take a look at Europe, where air conditioning isn’t as common as it is in the U.S. Last summer, a heatwave killed over 61,000 people in Europe, mostly women. Heatwaves are deadly, especially for vulnerable and marginalized groups. So why is the Biden administration following Europe’s lead? By making HVAC repairs more expensive, they’re making it harder for people to cool their homes during the sweltering summers. It’s a short-sighted decision that ignores the real-life consequences of their top-down policies.
And speaking of consequences, let’s talk about the thermostat. The Biden administration is recommending that we keep our homes at a toasty 78 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. But guess what? OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, says that the ideal workplace temperature should be between 68 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. So who do we listen to? The people who actually know something about safety and health, or the environmentalists who think 78 degrees is just a starting point? It’s clear that no one is talking to each other, and it’s ordinary Americans who will suffer the consequences.
Congress needs to step up.Americans didn't vote for EPA control
The Environmental Protect Agency (EPA) just announced a 40% production cut in 2024 for hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), the widely used class of refrigerants being targeted for their claimed contribution to climate change.— Lisa Moore (@LisaMoo03890245) August 5, 2023
Here’s an idea: if the Biden administration really believes in this 78-degree rule, let’s see them lead by example. Let’s crank up the thermostats in the White House, Congress, and all government buildings. If they believe it’s good enough for us, then it should be good enough for them. And while we’re at it, let’s hold the press accountable too. If we start seeing more reports of heat exhaustion and deaths because people can’t afford HVAC repairs, let’s be honest about the cause. It’s not just climate change, it’s the burden of expensive repair costs too.
Down here in the South, we know the importance of staying cool during the summer. We’ve seen it all, from helping out our elderly neighbors when their air conditioner breaks down to enduring the blistering heat ourselves. It’s a matter of survival. Yet the Biden administration seems to think they know better than we do. They want to make our lives more expensive, while they continue to enjoy the comforts of cool air in their air-conditioned ivory towers. We’ve seen this before with previous Democrat leaders, and I won’t hold my breath for anything different this time.
