Cap and Trade…....Again
I called Congressman Earl Pomeroy’s office in Washington last Thursday. Usually I would write or e-mail my congressman, but considering the time sensitivity of the issue, I chose to call. The subject was H.R. 2454 euphemistically called the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 otherwise known as Cap and Trade legislation. The House of Representatives had scheduled a vote for sometime Friday. There was no time to waste and I wished to pitch my two-cents worth.
News stories reported that Pomeroy would not support the Cap and Trade legislation. That’s what I wanted to hear and I wished to encourage him.
The receptionist taking my call was pleasant enough when I identified myself as a Stanley resident. I asked to speak to the congressman knowing I had a snowball’s chance in you-know-where of actually talking to him.
The lady on the phone informed he was not available and would I like to leave a message? Yes, I would. My message: Thank you for voting against the Cap and Trade legislation. It takes guts, as a Democrat, to stand in opposition to President Obama and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
Friday morning’s news indicated that the Democrats had introduced a three-hundred page amendment to H.R. 2454 at three in the morning in an effort to corral the few votes needed to ensure passage. Would Pomeroy switch his vote?
At 8:00 a.m. Friday I called Pomeroy’s office a second time. I was told he had not changed his position and was still voting “No” on the measure. Again, I expressed my appreciation for his courage in standing against the pressure of his party and in support of his North Dakota constituents.
Cap and Trade legislation has been one of President Obama’s initiatives. He believes that America should adopt the Spanish model for “alternative energy.” No matter that Spain’s unemployment rate of 18.1% is directly attributable to government spending on “green energy” jobs. Spanish economists have calculated that every “green job” created is subsidized to the tune of $750k to $800k. Government subsidized jobs created in the wind energy sector cost even more -- $1.4 million per job. (See http://tinyurl.com/d7z9ye). In a word, Spain’s experience is the inefficient political allocation of capital, money that must be raised through taxes. And this is the model Obama wants the United States to follow!
Although H.R. 2454 passed 219-212 on June 26, Pomeroy was correct in his assessment. He believes the emission limitation targets are unrealistic because the technology to meet those targets hasn’t even been invented yet.
Furthermore, over time the so-called “consensus” for manmade global warming in the scientific community around the world has shrunk and the urgency for legislation to control climate change has diminished as well.
In truth, H.R. 2454, also known as the Waxman-Markey climate change legislation, is little more than a thinly disguised energy tax increase. Slated to go into effect in 2012, the legislation would incrementally increase electric bills by 90%, natural gas by 55% and heating oil by 56% by 2035. Job losses over the 2012-2035 timeline would reach 2.5 million. Particularly hard hit sectors would include manufacturing, agriculture, construction, transportation, chemicals, plastics and rubber to name a few.
Now it’s on to the Senate where the fate of the Cap and Trade bill is less certain -- as are the votes of Senators Conrad and Dorgan. It’s understandable that they might wish to reserve judgment until they have read the bill. Of course, not reading bills has not stopped them from voting on major legislation in the past. To their credit, they have refused to support previous carbon emissions bills. Will they continue to stand on principle, or will their votes be bought with enticing amendments?
Protecting Planet Earth from the fiction of manmade climate change becomes surreal. Belief in government’s magical solutions to any presumed problems was identified by the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan as “the leakage of reality from American life.” A rather eloquent, if not biting, observation on life in our time.
Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at P. O. Box 337, Stanley, ND 58784 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
News stories reported that Pomeroy would not support the Cap and Trade legislation. That’s what I wanted to hear and I wished to encourage him.
The receptionist taking my call was pleasant enough when I identified myself as a Stanley resident. I asked to speak to the congressman knowing I had a snowball’s chance in you-know-where of actually talking to him.
The lady on the phone informed he was not available and would I like to leave a message? Yes, I would. My message: Thank you for voting against the Cap and Trade legislation. It takes guts, as a Democrat, to stand in opposition to President Obama and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
Friday morning’s news indicated that the Democrats had introduced a three-hundred page amendment to H.R. 2454 at three in the morning in an effort to corral the few votes needed to ensure passage. Would Pomeroy switch his vote?
At 8:00 a.m. Friday I called Pomeroy’s office a second time. I was told he had not changed his position and was still voting “No” on the measure. Again, I expressed my appreciation for his courage in standing against the pressure of his party and in support of his North Dakota constituents.
Cap and Trade legislation has been one of President Obama’s initiatives. He believes that America should adopt the Spanish model for “alternative energy.” No matter that Spain’s unemployment rate of 18.1% is directly attributable to government spending on “green energy” jobs. Spanish economists have calculated that every “green job” created is subsidized to the tune of $750k to $800k. Government subsidized jobs created in the wind energy sector cost even more -- $1.4 million per job. (See http://tinyurl.com/d7z9ye). In a word, Spain’s experience is the inefficient political allocation of capital, money that must be raised through taxes. And this is the model Obama wants the United States to follow!
Although H.R. 2454 passed 219-212 on June 26, Pomeroy was correct in his assessment. He believes the emission limitation targets are unrealistic because the technology to meet those targets hasn’t even been invented yet.
Furthermore, over time the so-called “consensus” for manmade global warming in the scientific community around the world has shrunk and the urgency for legislation to control climate change has diminished as well.
In truth, H.R. 2454, also known as the Waxman-Markey climate change legislation, is little more than a thinly disguised energy tax increase. Slated to go into effect in 2012, the legislation would incrementally increase electric bills by 90%, natural gas by 55% and heating oil by 56% by 2035. Job losses over the 2012-2035 timeline would reach 2.5 million. Particularly hard hit sectors would include manufacturing, agriculture, construction, transportation, chemicals, plastics and rubber to name a few.
Now it’s on to the Senate where the fate of the Cap and Trade bill is less certain -- as are the votes of Senators Conrad and Dorgan. It’s understandable that they might wish to reserve judgment until they have read the bill. Of course, not reading bills has not stopped them from voting on major legislation in the past. To their credit, they have refused to support previous carbon emissions bills. Will they continue to stand on principle, or will their votes be bought with enticing amendments?
Protecting Planet Earth from the fiction of manmade climate change becomes surreal. Belief in government’s magical solutions to any presumed problems was identified by the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan as “the leakage of reality from American life.” A rather eloquent, if not biting, observation on life in our time.
Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at P. O. Box 337, Stanley, ND 58784 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
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