The case against proposed cap-and-trade bills–they are expensive, would cost jobs, slow economic growth, and wouldn’t do little to stop global warming, if global warming alarmists are correct–have been made time and again. It’s hard to think of new ways to point out the obvious futility of adopting these economy-crushing measures.
Yet the Denver Post’s David Harsanyi manages to put together an analysis of the new climate change bill that’s both on point and a very fun read. He writes:
Praising the legislation, President Barack Obama made his customary case, twinning the fictitious economic benefits of statism with freshman-class utopianism, claiming that “we will put Americans to work in new jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced — jobs building solar panels and wind turbines; constructing fuel-efficient cars and buildings; and developing the new energy technologies that will lead to even more jobs, more savings and a cleaner, safer planet in the bargain.”
Like most parents, I, too, hope my children one day toil in a nonproductive factory assembling taxpayer-subsidized wind turbines rather than turn to imported Canadian fossil fuels and constructive high-income professions. Unlike profits, you see, dreams never can be outsourced.
We are only in the “discussion draft” phase of the bill — entailing tons of discussions on how to entice Western Democrats and circumvent Republicans — which would make efficient energy more expensive, put non-energies on the dole and slap a layer of crony capitalism on the entire energy industry.
And seeing as we never waste a crisis, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has given cap-and-trade supporters another hammer to add to the debate. Though, as Newsweek summed it up, “considering that the Kerry-Lieberman bill contains a little something for everyone, it’s likely to pass.”
A little something for everyone except you, that is. The fabricated cap-and-trade “market” is a well-documented concoction of rent-seeking corporations that will work diligently with Washington to ensure taxpayers always foot the bill. As the legislation stands now, oil companies would also have to pay emissions allowances — outside the cap-and-trade market — which are nothing more than another gas tax.
Well put. Newsweek may say that “it’s likely to pass,” but if the American public is fully informed about the economic consequences of this job-killing legislation, our elected Representatives are going to have a lot of pressure coming from the other side. We’ve seen with health care reform that many Members are happy to ignore the wishes of their constituents. The question is, will they do it again so close to the election?