Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Cap and trade is a license to cheat and steal

William O’Keefe
The SF Examiner
Wednesday, May 20, 2009

One of James Bond’s first movies captured attention with the title “License to Kill.” Today, Washington, D.C., is setting the stage to compete with Hollywood in the sensational headlines market. Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee are in the process of scripting climate change legislation worthy of being titled “License to Cheat and Steal.”

This cap-and-trade bill — actually called the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, or the Waxman-Markey bill — would mandate severe reductions in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Since emissions are mostly generated by energy use (heating your home, cooling your groceries, driving to work, etc.), these targets would effectively mandate energy rationing. Since these targets are not based on economic or technological realities, there can only be one outcome: much higher energy prices.

Severe limitations on emissions could easily turn well-intentioned policy into an opportunity for shady moneymaking schemes at the expense of the environment and American households.

Research indicates that implementation of a U.S. emissions market could drive up energy costs for Americans anywhere from $324 to a whopping $3,100 per year. And because low-income families spend a greater percentage of their earnings on energy, this burden would fall heaviest on those least able to afford it.

In contrast, the financial benefits would be enjoyed by Wall Street opportunists and special-interest groups. The government-regulated trade of carbon dioxide opens the door to the creation of risky financial tools like the derivatives, hedges and credit default swaps that led to our recent economic crisis and the scandals associated with it.

Full article here

No comments:

Post a Comment

Sheeple



The Black Sheep tries to warn its friends with the truth it has seen, unfortunately herd mentality kicks in for the Sheeple, and they run in fear from the black sheep and keep to the safety of their flock.

Having tried to no avail to awaken his peers, the Black Sheep have no other choice but to unite with each other and escape the impending doom.

What color Sheep are you?

.





100627