For conservatives who would like to think the whole government should be handed over to the liberals for a few years until the Reagan wing of the Republican Party can get its act together, a quick look at a monstrosity under consideration by Congress is in order. Liberal Democrats and "green" Republicans are proposing a massive reorganization of the American economy to fight so-called global warming. Worse yet, proponents of this bill are attempting to sell this eco-socialism as a "market-based" policy, and their allies in the national media are going along with the charade.
For decades now, the media have shoved down our throats the idea that Planet Earth is in grave peril of catastrophic global warming. Now that Washington’s elites feel confident that everyone from McCain to Obama agrees that doom is imminent, it’s time to push something they call "cap and trade." Put an emphasis on the "cap." That means that the federal government is aspiring to dictate for every individual and business in America the absolutely perfect level of carbon-dioxide emissions. Once the government mandates how much emission will be allowed, then it will allow the public to "trade" on the rights that remain.
The sponsors on this power grab are independent Sen. Joe Lieberman and the walking poster child for term limits, so-called Republican John Warner.
Remember the Hillary Clinton health-care plan of 1993? It’s deja-vu time. The media will sell this bill as an important solution that absolutely everyone who considers himself a responsible citizen will support. Virtually absent from the discussion will be the cost, both financial and in the loss of freedom. If either of these prices are covered, they will be vastly underestimated.
A Heritage Foundation analysis is sobering. If you think Katrina was an expensive proposition, consider that according to Heritage, the economic damage of the bill would equal the cost of "660 hurricanes – 35 per year – for two decades." Don’t expect that statement to make it on the evening news. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) says Lieberman-Warner would effectively raise taxes on Americans by more than $1 trillion over the next 10 years. That won’t be a headline in USA Today, either.
Making assumptions that are not at all guaranteed (like a 150 percent increase in nuclear-power generation by 2050), the Environmental Protection Agency concluded that the Lieberman-Warner bill would result in annual reductions of U.S. gross domestic product ranging from $238 billion to $983 billion in 2030, and from roughly $1 trillion to more than $2.8 trillion in 2050. Gas prices would grow by $0.53 per gallon in 2030 to $1.40 per gallon in 2050; and electricity prices are projected to increase 44 percent in 2030 and 26 percent in 2050. You won’t find reports on CNN explaining this.
No, numbers like this won’t flow easily from liberal-media outlets because they undermine the argument. Instead there will be fluff, fluff and more fluff. On PBS’s NewsHour on June 2, anchorman Ray Suarez interviewed Sen. Lieberman and Sen. Lamar Alexander. He began with a giddy sentence: "The most significant legislative effort so far to tackle climate change began winding its way through Congress today."
Suarez asked Lieberman an opening softball: "How would your bill achieve near-term reductions in emissions and drastic cuts over the long haul?" Lieberman answered, predictably, that it would happen through a "market-based system." Suarez then turned to the Republican senator and applied pressure: "The words ‘market’ and ‘marketplace’ are usually music to Republicans’ ears. Do you think it will work?"
Alexander threw EPA numbers at the PBS anchor: "The first problem is, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, which has analyzed it, it's a 53-cent gas tax increase per gallon on top of the nearly $4 we're paying today. Second problem with it is the 53 percent gas tax increase per gallon, according to the EPA, isn't enough of an increase to make much difference. And so it wouldn't reduce carbon. So it wouldn't reduce what it's said it would do." For his part, Lieberman laughably replied: "This Climate Security Act is probably the one best way to reduce the cost of gasoline or other energy in the years ahead."
Suarez, like most anchors, presumed this monstrous bill needs to be passed, by next year, if not this year. But Alexander underlined the crucial question the media will try to ignore: if created, how much will this massive government bureaucracy reduce the average global temperature?
Climatologist Patrick Michaels thinks it would have virtually no effect on the climate, an additional 0.013 degrees (Celsius) of "prevented" warming. That’s another little bitty fact that will never see the light of day on most press reports. Instead what we’ll get is the usual hot air, except this time it has the price tag of 660 hurricanes.
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how can these people
June 3, 2008 - 17:42 ET by red_dragon311how can these people do this with a stright face????
A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.
-Gerald Ford
Exactly how
June 3, 2008 - 17:47 ET by 10ksnookerDoes a massive tax increase, that gets used to fund socialsim, solve the global warming problem? Couldn't AGW be solved by just doing something simple, like building nulcear power plants?
Inquiring minds want to know.
AGW == Tax and Spend.
Yea you must have
June 3, 2008 - 17:52 ET by red_dragon311Yea you must have never seen "The China Syndrome" or watched "The Simpsons"
do YOU want three eyed fish in your rivers....GOD!!!!
A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.
-Gerald Ford
Red Dragon... To your
June 3, 2008 - 18:02 ET by Clear thinkerRed Dragon...
To your question about the fish...yes!
"Abstain from McCain"
Cap N Trade
June 3, 2008 - 17:47 ET by kilrod++Action Item #1--Alert Your Friends
Forward this message to 25-35 friends urging them to
take immediate action with you by signing our petition
opposing this radical Al Gore-led climate agenda and
the proposed Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act.
Click here to sign:
http://www.grassfire.net/r.asp?u=7899&PID=16204065
(GRINS) kilrod
Remeber, only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American Soldier
It will be time to start
June 3, 2008 - 17:53 ET by bigtimerIt will be time to start calling/emailing your representatives again...although I heard Pres. Bush would veto this, the House won't be taking this up for now... these congress-critters need to hear our voices, plus I wished people wold pay more attention to who they cast their votes for.
I fear this in the next congress....one of the biggest rip-offs in our life-times if it happens.
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill
We Did It!
June 3, 2008 - 17:57 ET by bradbenj5952The AGW evangelists (a.k.a. eco-fanatics) are desperate to get some legislation in place before the Sun cools off so that they can make the claim they did something and saved the planet. In their small minds this will forever make them the saviors of the earth and secure their power and fortunes for many years to come.
"Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive." - C.S. Lewis
If this cap-and-trade insanity ever does get passed...
June 3, 2008 - 18:00 ET by R D Helm...you can kiss this country good-bye, and in very short order, too.
This idiocy is not being promoted to save the planet, but to destroy the economy of the United States.
There is no England anymore.
"For conservatives who
June 3, 2008 - 18:31 ET by Gothampc"For conservatives who would like to think the whole government should be handed over to the liberals for a few years until the Reagan wing of the Republican Party can get its act together, a quick look at a monstrosity under consideration by Congress is in order."
What does that have to do with anything? The choices are Obama who will obviously ruin the country and McCain who never met a liberal he couldn't capitulate to.
It's not that we want to hand over to liberals, it's that we have no choice.
What does that have to do
June 3, 2008 - 18:57 ET by NewsbusterbrownWhat does that have to do with anything? The choices are Obama who will obviously ruin the country and McCain who never met a liberal he couldn't capitulate to.
Except at his worst (and he stinks as a GOP standard bearer), McCain votes for conservative issues 60% of the time, while Obama is close to 0%. Whatever you think of McCain, he's not close to being Obama.
“There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” - Ronald Reagan (1964 Republican Convention)
"Except at his worst (and
June 3, 2008 - 21:38 ET by Gothampc"Except at his worst (and he stinks as a GOP standard bearer), McCain votes for conservative issues 60% of the time"
Can you name one POTUS that became more conservative while in office? Most drift to the liberal side. McCain's 60% in 4 years will be 25%.
Poor Souls
June 3, 2008 - 19:55 ET by dboClimate catastrophe for Washington State.
http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?bfdf2938-0f3d-4c06-949c-b1837a5cced9
Got any liberal friends?
June 3, 2008 - 20:04 ET by jdhawkGot any liberal friends? Fess up, you know you do!
Well, here is bill that they can all get behind! It is a bill that was introduced by Rep. John Campbell (R-Calif.). This bill will allow individuals who think they don’t pay enough in taxes to easily pay more, The bill is H.R. 5783. There are 44 sponsors so far. Is your Congressman or Congresswoman one of them? Let’s hope the “Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Act” is signed into law by April 15, 2009.
Yeah, now we don't need a "cap and trade" bill. Anytime a liberal mouths off that we aren't paying enough in taxes - he will be able to make a contribution right up to and including where he had just stuck his foot!
Ha that's awesome!
June 3, 2008 - 20:27 ET by ApacheHa that's awesome!
"For conservatives who
June 3, 2008 - 20:25 ET by Apache"For conservatives who would like to think the whole government should be handed over to the liberals for a few years until the Reagan wing of the Republican Party can get its act together"
Well the other choice is McCain, a complete idiot about the science and a stubborn idiot at that. He's "seen the icebergs melt". Give me a break. At least when Obama ruins the country we won't get the blame. The public will hold an even lower view of the national media and the conservative voices will be heard over them because nobody will trust a lib anymore. Its starting to happen in England but look how far they drifted because of slow acclimation. McCain is just a slow acclimation. I truly believe these people even know they are full of it and want to quickly pass something so that when the cooling cycle starts they can point to it and say "see, we did that". If not, they will all be forced to admit how foolish they are. This AGW nonsense just amazes me. The science isn't behind it, the people are not behind it, but the politicians and media run to it like lemmings and nothing can slow them down. I just wish someone could figure out a way to sue Charlie Gibson, 60 minutes, and the other alarmist hacks for yelling fire in a crowded theater when any idiot can see no fire exists.
Apache... You touched on
June 3, 2008 - 20:40 ET by Clear thinkerApache...
You touched on a few reasons why I as a conservative will not vote for McCain. However, my number one reason is... the Dems will end up with a super majority in the house and senate if things continue as we see today. This means that whatever McCain vetoes, the Dems will over-ride. So after 4 years of hell and the country becoming an absolute mess, the media and the general population will blame Republicans and McCain. If this country is going to go to hell over the next 4 years I want the responsibility to hang completely around the necks of the Dems and their president.
Besides, do you really think McCain will fight against his Democrat buddies? I don't.
"Abstain from McCain"
There is only one light I
June 3, 2008 - 20:42 ET by Kenny BunkportThere is only one light I see for true conservatives. Thus far, Obama has shown himself to be the "Return of Jimmy Carter". If elected, his presidency will be no less a train wreck than peanut head's. If we survive five years of disaster, perhaps we'll have another 25 years of prosperity to follow, when the "Son of Reagan" gets elected.
Jimmy Carter was just stupid
June 3, 2008 - 21:48 ET by GothampcI don't equate the two. While Jimmy Carter was the worst POTUS to date, I believe a lot of his term in office was just stupidity and being stubborn. At least Carter had experience as a governor. Obama has zero experience, a socialist/anti-America agenda and 20 years of being indoctrinated by a racist. He is dangerous. At the first sign of trouble, he will do a Ray Nagin and dive for cover leaving the US exposed. When the smoke clears, he will reappear and act like he is the messiah.
Weirdest Presidential Election Ever?
June 3, 2008 - 20:50 ET by Jack BauerWeirdest Presidential Election Ever?
The Libertarian Party candidate is a REPUBLICAN
The Republican Party candidate is a DEMOCRAT
The Democratic Party candidate is a SOCIALIST
The republican party just
June 3, 2008 - 21:16 ET by ApacheThe republican party just takes us for granted. Maybe we should just take this voting block over to the Libertarians so four years latter the republicans might actually try fighting for our vote. We'll need to have legalized pot to endure obama and pelosi anyway. Neal Boortz is a libertarian. How bad could they be?
You guys forget, this is Government OF / For / By the People
June 3, 2008 - 21:55 ET by JayTeeAs Americans, we can control these Idiots in DC....it does Require some Personal Time, Expense, Marching on DC, it requires E-Mails, it requires Phone calls ....like the Calls that shut down the Congressional switchboard and the Immigration Bill.
We Elect a Representative, and we just can't go away for a few years and Leave them Alone.
You join Organizations like Free Republic, G.O.E., Etc..or Build your OWN NB site, you Visit your Congressman's Web Site, you Visit his Office, you send them Mail, you act like A Citizen who wants his Government to be Responsive, and you Give Money to those you Support your Beliefs.
Ditto Heads Unite ...there's 20 Million of you...and you can make one Hell of a March on DC.
When Gen. Petraeus was Reporting on the Surge, G.O.E. and other organizations sent a contingent to DC in Early April, and we Visited/Lobbied 437 Congressional Offices in ONE DAY, and the Organizations supported the very Few that made the Trip, organized/Planned the "attack", and others donated their Time / Effort / Expense and walked the Halls of Congress handing out position papers and making ourselves and our Support very Clear. We signed the Registers and had Conversations with Congressional Staff. WE didn't sit at home and Yell at the TV.
It takes an Organization, and very Few volunteers, but Americans are the People, and we control the Votes of the People, and we the People control the Congress ...and NOT just when we Vote. We control the Elected Official the whole time he / she is in Office.
The majority Can/Should Rule, but you have to Take 5 $ out of your Pocket, and put it in the Hands of the "Right" Organizations.
When Obama has 3,000 Supporters Show up at his Speeches, we need 30.000 Ditto Heads to show up Angry in DC....
Repeat process until Desired Results are Obtained...The Beatings should continue until Congress changes their Attititudes.