The American Spectator

The Spectacle Blog

A few minutes ago, just after the House narrowly approved a massive new federal energy tax, there was a nasty hail storm over Washington, D.C.

Could it be a sign from above that the cap and trade bill that just barely passed the House (219 to 212) is a terrible idea?

Tim Phillips of Americans for Prosperity suggests the fact that the vote was so close is significant given the Democrats' overwhelming majority in the House:

While cap-and-trade passed the House, it's a testament to the power of free market activists that it was a difficult, down-to-the-wire, tough fight. This bill, Speaker Pelosi's top priority, was supposed to sail through. Instead it crawled through and barely made it past the finish line in the House-and it took all the efforts of the White House to do it when the bill stalled a couple of days ago.

The bipartisan opposition to this bill shows just how broadly it will negatively impact the country. While some members' votes were won with backroom deals and special interest carve outs it is instructive to see that some commonsense Democrats crossed the aisle to vote with most Republicans, and they deserve our thanks. On the other hand, we are committed to holding the members of Congress who sided with Al Gore, Nancy Pelosi instead off hard-working taxpayers accountable.

Cap-and-trade is a massive new tax on American families and American businesses. It's especially crazy to pass such a huge new tax burden at a time when many families already face economic hardship.

Fortunately, we have always believed the place to kill this bill is the U.S. Senate. We will do everything we can to educate the public about the danger that this legislation poses for their family budgets and their economic freedom to help the voices of millions of grassroots activists be heard on this issue.

If the American people understand what this bill does, it will die in the Senate.

Meanwhile, here are the names of the eight Republican lawmakers who betrayed their party and their country by voting for this extremist legislation:

Mary Bono-Mack (California), Mike Castle (Delaware), Mark Kirk (Illinois), Leonard Lance (New Jersey), Frank LoBiondo (New Jersey), John McHugh (New York), Dave Reichert (Washington), and Chris Smith (New Jersey). (Why so many sellouts from New Jersey?)

Club for Growth: you know what to do.

P.S. I concur with my learned friend Jim Antle that this legislation is political death for Democrats.

Updated 12:45 a.m. Saturday: Michelle Malkin created linked to a cute "wanted" poster for the eight Republican sellouts (created by The LCA Broadside). Here it is: