Hi all, This morning is the last chance we may have to make our voices heard. It's critical to call your rep and let them know how you feel about cap and trade. If it passes, it will affect all Americans, even those with the least. The best estimates show that the average electric bill will double. An electric bill that is today $90, will be around $180. Cap and trade will affect almost every facet of our lives, and in an economy where people are already struggling, the affect of it may push many over the edge.
It will affect the cost of food, electricity, business - everything you can think of. The bill, if enacted, may also be the cause of a number of businesses, that are currently struggling, to finally go out of business, due to the increased costs brought about by cap and trade. the Wall STreet Journal said the bill "*will impose crushing costs on their home-district businesses and consumers. The leadership's solution to this problem is to simply claim the bill defies the laws of economics.* " While the Congressional Budget Office analysis of what has come to be known as the Waxman-Markey bill, showed the legislation would only cost the average household $175 a year by 2020, "*it's analysis is practically useless because their estimate is a one-year snapshot of taxes that will extend to infinity."* . And, the CBO analysis looked only at "the day-to-day costs of operating a trading program, rather than the wider consequences energy restriction would have on the economy. The CBO acknowledges this in a footnote: "*The resource cost does not indicate the potential decrease in gross domestic product (GDP) that could result from the cap.*" ' "The hit to GDP is the real threat in this bill. *The whole point of cap and trade is to hike the price of electricity and gas so that Americans will use less.* *These higher prices will show up not just in electricity bills or at the gas station but in every manufactured good, from food to cars. Consumers will cut back on spending, which in turn will cut back on production, which results in fewer jobs created or higher unemployment. Some companies will instead move their operations overseas, with the same result.* " (WSJ) The Heritage Foundation's analysis of the bill compared the economy with and without the carbon tax. Under the more comprehensive scenario, it discovered Waxman-Markey would *cost the economy $161 billion in 2020*, *which is $1,870 for a family of four*. As the bill's restrictions kick in, *that number rises to $6,800 for a family of four by 2035*. Additionally, the CBO analysis is an average for the country as a whole. It doesn't take into account the fact that "certain regions and populations will be more severely hit than others -- manufacturing states more than service states; coal producing states more than states that rely on hydro or natural gas.* Low-income Americans, who devote more of their disposable income to energy, have more to lose than high-income families." *Even though the Dems promised that the legislation wouldn't significantly affect people, "*they've acknowledged the energy price tsunami that is coming*. [sure sounds like an effect to me] During the brief few days in which the bill was debated in the House Energy Committee, Republicans offered three amendments: one to suspend the program if gas hit $5 a gallon; one to suspend the program if electricity prices rose 10% over 2009; and one to suspend the program if unemployment rates hit 15%. *Democrats defeated all of them.* " (WSJ) The WSJ wrote, "*Americans should know that those Members who vote for this climate bill are voting for what is likely to be the biggest tax in American history. Even Democrats can't repeal that reality*. " Is this the time to be raising taxes? Raising costs? Negatively impacting businesses? The bill has already passed the House, now its up to the Sentate. Because there is little time, I won't go into all the details, which most of you are aware of anyway. All I really want to say, is please call your representative, even if he or she is against it. Hopefully, numbers will count. Hopefully, those of you who have Democrat representatives, will be able to make them see how many of their constituents are against it. Your call may be the tipping point. If, like me, you have become discouraged, and feel we have no voice,. that bills get rammed through anyway, give it another shot. This is too important not to. Obama has been pushing major bills through as fast as he can. And, amazingly, as important as Cap and TRade is, little has been heard about it. Instread, the focus has been on health care. Some feel this has been deliberate. The more exposure cap and trade has, the worse it looks. (actually, the same thing with most of the bills that have been passed. Some have postulated that's why Obama is adamant about doing them so quickly) The longer it takes for these bills to be accepted, the more Americans realize how bad they are for our country - and for us personally. So please, take a few minutes this morning and call this morning. the number is *202-225-3121*. Even if you're not sure if it's good thing - call. Perhaps with enough people who have called, they will at least wait and have more debate on the issue. There has been precious little. Like all the other bills which were so "urgent," and just HAD to be passed right away, our representatives have *NOT READ the bill. *From the Heritage Foundation, one of the preeminent research organizations in the US (with no ax to grind, one way or the other): The Heritage Foundation<http://www.heritage.org/Research/EnergyandEnvironment/wm2504.cfm>has come out with a new state by state analysis of the cost of the Waxman-Markey cap and trade global warming tax bill which will be voted on in the House tomorrow. (article from the Heritage Foundation on Cap and TRade) http://blog.heritage.org/2009/06/22/cbo-grossly-underestimates-costs-of-cap-and-trade/ and http://www.heritage.org/Research/EnergyandEnvironment/wm2503.cfm Heres an overall look at the big-picture impact to our country: An analysis of the Waxman-Markey bill (as reported out of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce) by The Heritage Foundation found thatunemployment will *increase *by nearly *2 million in 2012*, the first year of the program, and *reach nearly 2.5 million in 2035*, the last year of the analysis. *Total GDP loss by 2035 would be $9.4 trillion*. *The national debt would balloon as the economy slowed, saddling a family of four with $114,915 of additional national debt. Families would also suffer, as the bill would slap the equivalent of a $4,609 tax on a family of four by 2035 * Thats a heck of a price tag just to cut temperatures 9/100ths<http://www.dakotavoice.com/2009/05/climate-bill-2-trillion-to-reduce-temp-by-9100th-of-a-degree/>of a degree in the next 40 years! The report also has a breakdown<http://www.heritage.org/research/energyandenvironment/upload/wm2504_table1.pdf>by congressional district. Here in South Dakota, we only have one district, served by Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin. (this article is from a South Dakota paper - my computer crashed before I got the link or the name of the paper - sorry) *GSP Loss in 2012 (in Millions) **GSP Loss in 2012 (in Millions)=$389.98 **Average GSP Loss,20122035 (in Millions)=$776.42 **Personal Income Loss in 2012 (in Millions)=$508.49 **Average Personal Income Loss, 2012 2035 (in Millions)=$294.50 **Non-Farm Job Loss in 2012=4,489 **Average Non-Farm Job Loss, 20122035=2,718 * Are you willing to take this kind of economic damage and pay this kind of personal cost, just to indulge global warming <http://www.dakotavoice.com/tag/global-warming/>fantasiesindulging a problem that doesn't even exist? And, most importantly, are you willing to take the chance that you will be able to survive the costs this bill will add to tall the other increases we will see due to Obama's bills? Or, if you will survive, will others, whom you care about? The projected job and business loss is staggering. But, the dems and Obama assure us that the "green jobs" and businesses will replace those that have been been lost. So, please take a few minutes out of your busy morning and call. It may the most important call you make all week. With fingers crossed, Lynn [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ ForumWebSiteAt http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Libertarian Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Libertarian/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Libertarian/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[email protected] mailto:[email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
