As the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party kicks off in primetime, they have no shortage of topics on their to-do list ranging from spy balloons to lab leaks. But here’s one more worthy of consideration not getting as much attention: Apple.
For years, the phrase “Designed by Apple in California” was as familiar to the iPhone as that default ringtone or that swoosh indicating a sent email. However, Apple dropped any mention of “California” in recent years for one reason: they didn’t want to offend China.
The Cupertino-based juggernaut willingly blocked tools for organizing protests and proactively censored apps the Chinese government doesn’t like, including those about the Dalai Lama. They have their reasons, and they’re all green.
According to one report, nearly every iPhone, iPad and Mac computer is assembled by Chinese workers. Apple takes in a whopping $55 billion a year from the country, more than any other company. CEO Tim Cook has said he often disagrees with China’s laws, but the world is better off with Apple working in China. The Uyghur slaves reportedly forced to be a part of Apple’s supply chain were unavailable to comment.
The concessions by Apple to appease the Chinese government seem to be never ending yet, they recently added another one, and it’s a different shade of green.
iPhone users who updated to the latest version of the phone’s software are forced into what Apple calls “Clean Energy Charging.” Depending on location, the device knows the best time to capture that wind and solar all in the name of lowering your carbon footprint. Putting aside the creepiness of an iPhone tracking movements so it can charge differently based on location, this new option is automatically turned on. Attempts to disable the feature result in a shaming pop-up window with bold print asking you if you want to just turn it off for a day, like a good human being or if you want to nuke the Earth by disabling it permanently.
Sure, some iPhone users notice their phone now charges slower, but that’s a small price to pay to make the Greta Thunbergs and John Kerrys of the world happy. However, Apple’s friends at the Communist Chinese Party (CCP) in Beijing may be smiling as well.
Any passing glance at a solar panel would reveal the words “Made in China.” According to the pro-renewable International Energy Agency (IEA), China’s share in the solar supply chain is more than 80 percent and is expected to climb to 95% in the near future. From the rare earth minerals to the components and labor, China enjoys a near-monopoly on the solar market. If Apple is hoping users juice up their iPhones using wind, that’s also helping out their friends. Chinese companies make up 7 out of the 10 top wind turbine manufacturers in the world.
Of course, supporters will say the $369 billion in the Inflation Reduction Act propping up green energy will level the playing field, but that didn’t work well for ill-fated boondoggles like Solyndra.
The time to raise the question about our energy future and security is now. Our country is blessed with an abundant supply of resources right below our feet that can power our nation on our terms. We are just missing the political will to do so.
As a private company, Apple has decided to work with communists by promoting their climate agenda. That doesn’t mean our political leaders should take the same route and surrender our energy future to them as well. We deserve energy that says “Made in the USA,” no matter who it offends.
Larry Behrens is the Communications Director for Power The Future and has appeared on Fox News, Newsmax and One America News. You can find him on Twitter at @larrybehrens 6or email at larry@powerthefuture.com.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller.