Cap and Trade is a Costly Experiment (Average family to pay $3100 more a year in energy cost)

American Chronicle ^ | 5/19/2009 | Tom Cole

[tobyhill]

Most Americans agree that our country must do more to achieve energy independence and to produce cleaner sources of energy. There are steps we need to implement over time to change the way we use energy and reduce our use of some types of carbon-based fuels. But if a radical proposal being organized by the President and liberals in Congress becomes law, American families and businesses will see tax hikes, skyrocketing energy costs and fewer jobs.

Under the guise of creating environmentally responsible "green" jobs, the Obama Administration has proposed a policy known as "cap and trade." Under such a system, American companies would be required to limit the amount of carbon dioxide their operations emit. Any company that exceeds their dictated emission limit will have to purchase or trade credits with other companies that have excess credits available. While this might sound good on the surface, the reality is that this proposal will result in a $624 billion energy tax that will most certainly be passed along to the consumer.

[Beagle8U]

“How much will it cost just to recharge those car batteries?”

I have been asking myself that same question from the beginning.’

Run your cloths dryer for about 4 hours a day for a month and see what it does to your electric bill. ( make sure you are setting down when you open it)

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I read last week they are going to start off “small” and go after something like 13,000 businesses. Of course, we all know government programs can be contained and they never escape their leashes and grow into monsters. So I’m comfortable with government assurances that they’ll never reach more than those original 13,000 businesses. Aren’t you?

[RebelTXRose]

The car batteries that cost almost as much as the car to replace? They aren’t “your father’s car battery”!

[krogers58]

We need to call and write our representatives, immediately and repetitively, to let them know that this will cost them their jobs in the next election. It's currently, our most effective chance of stopping this fiasco.

[Jacquerie]

Ya think that fact that it settles has anything to do with its temperature?

[Jabba the Nutt]

"Most Americans agree that our country must do more to achieve energy independence and to produce cleaner sources of energy. There are steps we need to implement over time to change the way we use energy and reduce our use of some types of carbon-based fuels."

The author here is conflating two things, becoming more energy independent and reducing "some type of carbon-based fuels" (whatever that means). Carbon-based fuels are clean. There is NO PROBLEM with carbon dioxide. It's junk science.

There is no need for a government Energy Policy. Since government has gotten involved, energy supplies have become more expensive, less reliable, more out-sourced. Get out of the d*mn way, government. There is no shortage of fossil fuels. There's an ideology to send America back to the stone age. The advocates are called 'environmentalists' and they support the Democrats and are joined by some self-hating Republicans (Bush, McCain just to name two).

[blessedtexan]

So also take the time to “splain” it to some of you liberal acquaintances. I know Congress doesn’t listen unless there is a huge roar, and we need that roar now.

I agree, we need to be making a loud noise. But this is a serious question - how does one “splain” this to liberal acquaintances? Most of the liberal folks I know are either not interested, too busy for politics, too dumb to understand, don’t really care, or they believe in the mythical climate change beast and the great savior Obama.