Freedom of BLEEP

Increased Energy Prices

Cap and Trade will require utility companies to supply 20 percent of their power from renewable energy sources by 2020. The Senate was unable to pass a smaller mandate in 2007, mainly because favored sources of renewable energy just don’t work in certain regions of the country. This standard will force utilities to increasingly rely on expensive sources of energy like wind and solar – expensive because they must be located far away from urban areas, necessitating long transmission lines. The associated costs will find their way into your monthly utility bills.

Forthcoming Obama Tariffs

The Cap and Trade Bill will give the Obama administration broad new powers to enact tariffs on imports from countries that have not imposed similar offset limits. All of the inexpensive goods we enjoy from the East will become more of a luxury. Additionally, the Obama Tariffs will inevitably lead to other countries placing tariffs on our goods and our economy will suffer even more. According to the New York Times:

A House committee working on sweeping energy legislation seems determined to make sure that the United States will tax China and other carbon polluters, potentially disrupting an already-sensitive climate change debate in Congress. The Ways and Means Committee’s proposed bill language would virtually require that the president impose an import tariff on any country that fails to clamp down on greenhouse gas emissions.

Increased Fuel Prices

Relative to other companies in the energy sector, domestic oil refineries will receive a low number of permits. This will rapidly decrease the supply of gasoline. Even if refineries are able to meet offset limits through improved efficiency, the associated cost will still be passed down to consumers. Not only will you be paying more to fill your own tank, but you’ll be paying higher prices for everything you buy that has been transported.

Inefficient Government Expenditures

The projects receiving grants and financing under this legislation will not go to the cheapest bidder or even to the most competent contractor. Instead, companies will be required to implement Davis-Bacon union-wage rules, making it hard for non-union companies to compete. Most often, the grants will be paying inflated union wages.

Handouts for Other Nations

The Cap and Trade Bill will channel billions of dollars into subsidies for “international clean technology deployment for emerging markets.” For some reason, Democrats want to spend huge sums of money trying to impose our regulations on other countries. And remember, we’re talking about money taken from your pockets through cap and trade taxes. The value of the dollar is dropping, interest rates are shooting up, we are under a mountain of debt… But liberals want to give our money away to countries like China and India - countries that are already on track to surpass our GDP.

Increased Appliance Prices

The bill even extends to cover appliances. Washers and dryers, dishwashers, showerheads, televisions, and just about anything else you might want to buy will be subject to strict efficiency regulations. Like everything else, the price for these appliances will go up.

Another $25 Billion for Detroit

It’s part of the Auto Bailout Ad Infinitum Program.

Government Galore

Who do you think will be tracking offsets, micromanaging manufacturers, inspecting factories, inspecting power plants, inspecting farms, inspecting your house, inspecting imports, collecting tariffs, reviewing subsidy applicants, testing appliances, monitoring retailers, managing auctions, calculating costs, awarding grants, writing reports, and organizing data - all in between games of solitaire? Dozens of taxpayer-funded government agencies that run about as efficiently as your local DMV.

CAP AND TRADE IS A TAX ON THE MIDDLE CLASS

Cap and Trade Invites Corruption and Wasteful Spending

1. Politicians Handpick Handout Recipients

Eighty-five percent of the carbon permits will not be auctioned. They will be given to specific (politically connected) companies instead, at the discretion of government officials. Who is already slated to receive handouts? General Electric (with the CEO on Obama’s advisory counsel), AIG, and of course Government Motors. Smaller businesses will be among those fighting for the scraps and having to pay for permits.

2. Funding for Non-existent Programs and Ambiguous Causes

Example: Under the Cap and Trade legislation, US funding will be used to “build capacity to reduce deforestation in developing countries experiencing deforestation, including preparing developing countries to participate in international markets for international offset credits for reduced emissions from deforestation.” Give me a break. International offset markets don’t exist yet, nor do they even appear feasible at this point. How can we prepare developing countries to participate in a market with unknown structure and incomprehensible dynamics? And the “capacity” to reduce deforestation is so ill-defined that huge sums of money will inevitably be spent on nothing at all. Kind of like Obama’s economic stimulus package.

3. Taxpayers Sow, Lobbyists Reap

The farm lobby will be rewarded for practices that do not reduce greenhouse gases, such as no-till planting. One peer reviewed study shows that no-till does nothing to reduce carbon emissions in some soils; another peer reviewed study shows that this method actually increases nitrous oxide emissions, a more harmful greenhouse gas. But it is known that no-till makes weed control much more difficult. This is great news for the lobbyists of Monsanto (manufacturers of RoundUp and other herbicides), who have been especially aggressive throughout the drafting of this bill. In addition, agricultural businesses that are exempt from cap-and-trade regulations will still be given permits to sell. How much do you think Waxman received from the farm lobby to overlook this non sequitur?

4. Freebies for Fraudsters

Corrupt gangs of “community organizers” like ACORN will be eligible to receive billions in funding through cap and trade (despite their long history of fraud). The bill “authorizes the Secretary [of Energy] to make grants to community development organizations to provide financing to businesses and projects that improve energy efficiency.” Such projects will probably enlist overpaid ACORN “consultants” to walk around and ask businesses to turn down their AC.

After 3 AM on the same day it was up for vote, Democrats added 300 pages to the Cap and Trade legislation. Let’s take a close look at yet another bill that was passed by Congresss without even being read.

Section 217 says that the Federal Government will be able to require a homeowner to retrofit their home to meet certain environmental standards before it can be sold. Some homeowners may actually be required to replace their windows, faucets, toilets, water heaters, insulation, and anything else that doesn’t meet government efficiency standards - all before the house can be put on the market. This could easily exceed $20,000 in out-of-pocket expenses. Not to mention the hassle associated with trying to get a government employee to show up at your house for the inspection. It will be worse than waiting for the cable guy.

Section 433 is pretty interesting too: “Protection of Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds.” This section suggests that jobs will probably be lost because of cap and trade. That’s right, Democrats actually realize that this bill will hurt our economy. In a nutshell, administrators of Medicare and Social Security will be able to tap into general revenues of the U.S. Government, if it is determined that the Cap and Trade bill has resulted in a reduction of revenues going into those two trust funds. As if the government doesn’t already tax us enough for Medicare and Social Security.

An equally disturbing matter is that the legislation seems to acknowledge cap and trade will be a tremendous cost to consumers. On page 1193, the bill describes an Energy Refund Program. Basically those making less than $50,000 a year will get checks from the government to compensate them for increased costs caused by cap and trade. If you make more than $50k? Well, you’re screwed. And where do you think money for refunds will come from? Tax payers of course! The same tax payers who will be paying higher prices for everything they buy, all thanks to cap and trade.

Wall Street Journal reported that cap and trade could cost families almost $2000 per year by 2020. That estimate was formulated before the last round of changes.