I’m not a big fan of political grandstanding. I’m an architectural historian. I talk about eschatology and column capitals and HVAC.
But today’s vote in the House is big.
We’ve all be inundated by the Michael Jackson story , so its been hidden in the news. But the government is voting on an energy bill widely known as “cap and trade.” This means that the federal government will decide to sell the right to “pollute” with carbon dioxide. This might not sound so bad, but that means every factory, power plant, and car driver will have to buy the right to use fuel and the money will go to the federal government. Selling the rights alone is supposed to bring in a TRILLION dollars to the federal government. And it all gets passed on the the consumer. The largest tax in American history. They are predicting the doubling of electric bills. $5.00 per gallon gas. A surtax on all products made that use fuel. Forget building (or heating) churches with their high ceilings and large spaces.
All to control our behavior by making fuel so expensive that we use less. Other countries without the regulations will be allowed to “pollute” more. Some are calling it the India and China stimulus package.
Amendments added to the bill to limit its enforcement if gas reaches $5.00 per gallon or if unemployment goes to 20% were vote down by the majority party.
And here’s the biggest issue: the government can then decide who to sell these rights to. Government control of our lives will take a huge leap.
Nancy Pelosi claims she has the votes to pass it.
Do something today. The votes is scheduled for TODAY, Friday June 26th.
Click here if you don’t know who your congressperson is: who is my representative.
June 26, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Called, yelled. Left my name and my phone number.
Here's a modest proposal. No votes on Any Damn bill that no one's read. How is this not taxation without representation? How is this not political negligence?
How is it that we read terrorists Miranda rights but we have legislators who vote to take our money, but don't bother to read the bill or make available with suitable time for the constituency to consider the consequences.
How can such votes be anything but political popularity and grab bag posturing? And why the rush? Why is this an emergency? Is the world going to end tonight if we don't? Or are they (The Dems) sensing that the country is losing interest in maxing out every credit card in their wallets for the purposes of equity with the world in terms of living conditions?
June 26, 2009 at 5:12 pm
I wonder that they aren't looking to their political future. Anyone who is perceived by his constituents as voting for something which led to 5 buck a gallon gas will be out on his ear in the next election.
This sounds so bad that it was hard to take the rumors of it seriously.
Susan Peterson
June 26, 2009 at 5:25 pm
The select your representative picked the wrong one for me. From looking at the district maps it appears that NYS has been gerrymandered by the democrats. My little Republican rural county has been split so that each half of it is associated with a much more liberal urban area. Anyway, the site told me Accuri, but his site identified me as out of his district, whereas Hinchey's site accepted my email.
June 26, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Sorry,
You are wrong if you think that the up and coming generation of voters has enough brains to put two and two together. We saw the first of this with the election of BO, a man with domestic terrorist ties.
The New Voter can't even name parties. The NV only sees that the world is currently not his idea of perfect. He ties this to some media generated straw man or straw idea. He then votes to the political whore that gives him the most ear candy. Although all of the promises of the PH's campaign may fall through the NV will still vote for him and support him unconditionally because the PH created an utopian god-like image which lives beyond the actual man.
You have to realize that my generation and the generations to follow have no ability to think beyond the surface because everything that we value is superficial: porn, modern music, advertising, television, instant gratification.
We live in a world without prayer or fasting. Therefore, evil has triumphed (at least in this world, not overall).
Along side all of this I do see good. I think that mass suffering, bad in itself, will lead to a spiritual cleansing for our nation and perhaps the world. Not having all of the food to eat that you want my induce a involuntary fasting. This may lead to prayer.
I don't want to sound like some sort of nutso, but, you have to admit that humanity has a long history of turning away from God, being "purified," and then turning back to Him in some way.
Honestly though, I really think that we are at the end of the "easy street" that you baby boomers have walked down all of your life. In a way I am glad, not because I want to see people suffer, but because I know that suffering turn people back to God.
Just one more jab: my father would say: "My generation is the one that was given everyting, the whole world, and what did we give the world but the likes of John Lennon. We are going to have a lot to answer to in the end."
I can see that he is right in saying this too. Not that all blame falls on that generation but that all of these modern crisis root from pride, there is not real secular solution. Only a return to Christ will heal things.
God Bless American- because we need it.
June 26, 2009 at 8:46 pm
I can only quote from SpaceBalls: Oh, sh*t, there goes the planet.
June 26, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Patrick,
"Heaven & Earth: Global Warming – The Missing Science"
This is a new book to be released in the U.S. on July 1 by a prominent Australian earth scientist, Ian Plimer. This book has thrown a big monkey wrench into efforts in Australia to pass “cap & trade” legislation. In its 493 pages and 2,311 footnotes it handily debunks the arguments about CO2 being harmful to the environment.
Here are links to Australian columnists who have reviewed the book, one of whom was a former global warming believer until this book.
“Sceptic Spells Doom for Alarmists”
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25348644-5013596,00.html
“Planet Doomsayers Need a Cold Shower”
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/planet-doomsayers-need-a-cold-shower-20090417-aa4s.html?page=2
“Beware the Climate of Conformity”
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/beware-the-climate-of-conformity-20090412-a3ya.html?page=-1
June 27, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Hugh Hewitt's website has a list of blue dog Democrats who might be persuaded to vote no on cap and trade. Don't just write to your own rep, write to all of them. If the links don't work (over half of them don't if you're not in their district, just cut and paste to your email and get through that way. And call their offices on the phone. It's now too late for the House vote, but maybe it can be blocked in the Senate. The more people who do this, the better. Matthew is right. This is huge. Kit
June 29, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Didn't they do this in Spain a couple of years ago? And didn't the unemployment rate explode from 4.5% to 17% within a couple of years.