States forge ahead with Inflation Reduction Act energy rebates — so far, South Dakota is the only one to opt out. The IRA rebate programs are respectively worth up to $8,000 and $14,000 for consumers. “South Dakota will have no part in facilitating the Green New Deal.”

It’s free money, so only a fool would pass it up, right? Well if you read the Inflation Reduction Act, it’s not quite so simple in fact. The IRA is 274 pages long for starters. The majority of it is loans for large businesses that come with a long list of requirements in order to actually get any of the money. The energy rebates are similar situation:

“The two programs have varying rules that determine which consumers are eligible and how much money they can access. In some cases, rebates will depend on household income and a home’s overall energy reduction.”

“Nearly every state has indicated it will launch a rebate program for residents, according to a U.S. Department of Energy spokesperson.”

(From the article at hand)

In most cases these are tax rebates. That means they automatically exclude anyone who doesn’t file taxes which would be anyone with a low income.

The IRA is a bandaid that is supposed to stop the bleeding from the tariffs on solar and EVs that drive up their prices to astronomical levels in the US benefitting the oil industry and American automakers who refuse to go electric. The problem with this band aid approach of the IRA is that the US has allowed its oil obsession to fester to the point that it’s got sepsis and a band aid is not going to fix the problem because the problem is not a scratch on the surface, it’s an infection deep within and even with painful and expensive surgery this internal disease may be terminal already.