“”Cap and trade” is first a massive indirect tax on the American people and hence another source of revenue for Congress. More importantly “cap and trade” is just about the most effective tool for controlling most economic activity short of openly declaring ourselves a communist nation and it's a radical environmentalist's dream come true.”
This is EXACTLY what is happening and it is EXACTLY as it was planned by the early socialists in England.
The goal of the communists and socialists has always been the same: the elimination of the middle class by driving down the majority of those in the middle class to the lower class and the rising of the elite. They want a two-class system, the rulers and the ruled.
Both ideologies seek their end by first implementing an all-powerful STATE. After the STATE is established, they then drive the wedge to return society to the feudal state that existed before the industrial revolution and before that thorn-in-the-side-of-tyranny called America unleashed productivity and prosperity by adding to the industrial revolution FREEDOM and PRIVATE PROPERTY.
The English socialists decided that the slower, non-violent means was the best means. They claimed they didn't want to “OWN” companies and property, like the communists. They just wanted to “REGULATION INDUSTRY.”
If they can “REGULATE” the major industries (energy, transportation, food, communication, and currency) they effectively OWN and CONTROL everyone and everything.
As Vaclav Klaus has said repeatedly, the extreme “environmentalists” are no better than old-school communists. Their goal is the same. They just have a slightly new approach.
That's why I call them Eco-commies.
"If they can “REGULATE” the major industries (energy, transportation, food, communication, and currency) they effectively OWN and CONTROL everyone and everything."
I always include education in that list. Partly because of its use in corrupting young minds into favoring the leftists' reasoning. But also because of its costs. At the state level it is often the number one budget item. And the recent trend is toward federal mandates which even eliminate lower level freedoms to be both penny wise and intellectually honest.