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Simple Arrogance

By Paul Chesser on 6.26.09 @ 4:54PM

That's what's driving everyone who is pushing the passage of the cap-and-trade bill, from Henry Waxman and Ed Markey, to Al Gore, to Nancy Pelosi, to the president.

That's what's driving everyone who is pushing the passage of the cap-and-trade bill, from Henry Waxman and Ed Markey, to Al Gore, to Nancy Pelosi, to the president. Witness this from Myron Ebell, of the Competitive Enterprise Institute:

For those not able to watch the circus on the House, the last fifteen minutes have been priceless. Rep. Louie Gohmert made a parliamentary enquiry about where he could find a copy of the 309 pages that were added to the bill at 2:49 AM. The chairman hemmed and hawed and finally said that she didn’t know. Then Rep. Joe Barton made a parliamentary enquiry about whether there was a rule of the House that a copy of the bill on the floor had to be available. The chairman said that she was not aware of such a rule.

Then after some more attempts to make enquiries about where a copy of the 309 pages could be consulted, Rep. Edward Markey disdainfully explained to his inferiors that a copy was in plain sight at the Clerk’s desk and was available on the web site. Then Rep. Barton pointed out that the copy available at the desk was the 1201 pages and a separate pile with the 309 pages of which the clerk was trying to insert the various pieces into their correct places in the 1201 pages. He inquired whether this was an official copy. The chair said that yes “in effect” it was. Hundreds of members rushed to the Clerk’s desk to read the 309 pages.

No, I made that up. Vote first, find out what you’ve voted on later.

And in a report today by the Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer, there's this from Obama's Energy Secretary, Steven Chu:

Everyone agrees this cap-and-trade concept will lead to higher electric bills and gasoline prices. How much varies by source.

Chu said recent studies by two agencies - the Congressional Budget Office and the Environmental Protection Agency - equated the extra cost to about $240 a year for the typical family.

"This is not a lot of money," he said.

These estimates are widely challenged, but even if they are right, I wonder if -- since $240 isn't a lot of money -- the secretary wouldn't mind covering my vehicle fuel next month?

topics:
Global Warming, Steven Chu

View all comments (4) | Leave a comment

Oldefate| 6.27.09 @ 1:10PM

When Americans are hit with 200% increases in their monthly power bills, along with their 300% increase in all forms of taxes; hopefully they'll wake up to Obama's/Demicrats' chinanigans!!!!

owenzio| 6.27.09 @ 9:04PM

Folks,

All this hotair, churning, and foolish talk about reducing global warming. Are ya kidding with India and China and South America, they are not gonna do squat in this area. We are pis__ng in the wind.

The only technologically sound answer to our energy dependence on foriegn countries is one that is within our grasp if we only had the will>>>its NUCLEAR POWER.

Nuclear Power is the only safe, clean , available 24/7, source of power all possible within the good ol' USA. Nothing else meets those criteria. Not solar, not wind, not hydro, not natural gas. Yea sorry Natural gas is not safe - handling and storing it kills and maims many people each year. Nuclear power has not accounted for one fatality in 30-plus years of 100-plus 1000-Megawatt plants. And don't let anybody tell you the used fuel ("nuclear waste") has hurt anybody, it has not. The volume of the used fuel for all the nuclear power plants is less than 2 football fields stacked about 20 feet high. the volume is very very very small compared to the waste from coal plants which we dump into the atmosphere and get to breathe in (causing 20,000 or more excess lung cancer deaths each year in the US).

Let's get on with building 100 or more new nuclear power plants and start converting to electric and natural gas powered transportation (cars, buses, trains). It justs takes the will of Congress to make this happen. Ask them to do this now.

Your Majesty| 6.28.09 @ 11:23AM

Markey-Waxman = Wacky Marxist.

klink| 1.12.10 @ 4:22AM

Let's get on with building 100 or more new nuclear powernike outlet plants and start converting to electric and n all star shoesatural gas powered transportation (cars, buses, trains). It justs takes the will of Congress to make this happen. Ask them to do this now.