Posted on 06/28/2009 6:17:47 AM PDT by Delacon
Washington -
"My priorities, as I represent Delaware in the U.S. House of Representatives today, begin with the economic opportunities and security for all who live here. We are facing serious challenges in both areas. With state budget shortfalls, rising unemployment and stagnant growth in many of the industries on which we typically rely-- new ideas and bold strategies for the future are required. Simultaneously, our nation's military is spread thin across the world in an effort to confront those who seek to do us harm. One major threat to our security and theirs is the current reliance we have on foreign energy sources.
"Nations around the world are surging ahead with emission reductions and developing new energy technologies. The United States should be on equal footing, if not leading this effort to remain competitive.
"The recent vote in the U.S. House on the American Clean Energy and Security Act was on whether to pursue these new strategies, or hold on to the status quo. I supported the legislation because it is my belief that we cannot turn away from the opportunity to create new jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy. With offshore wind, fuel cells, and solar energy initiatives, Delaware is poised to lead such innovation and create new jobs in these important areas while protecting the tourism industry and our very own coastline. We must live in the present but look to the future, and focus on strengthening the economy by driving advancements in industry and new business growth in Delaware. Such a market-driven solution, according to the Center for American Progress, is estimated to bring a net increase of about $460 million in investment revenue and 6,000 jobs to our state.
"The real struggle I faced in whether to support this legislation is the cost of implementing new energy policies and addressing greenhouse gas pollution. I worry about the estimates that utility costs for all of us may increase, but I also agonize about the cost of doing nothing. One estimate, done by M.J. Bradley & Associates, using the Energy Information Agency, and EPA analysis, reflects that the average monthly bill in Delaware would increase by $3.00. To prevent increases in energy costs, a portion of the allowances will flow directly back to low- and moderate-income families through tax credits, direct payments, and electronic benefit payments.
"Clearly, any rate hike is going to hurt and I continue to work to ensure that we have measures in place to mitigate the impact on all income levels. Several colleagues and I worked to include an amendment to expand the financial tax credit relief for middle-income families, but such an amendment was blocked from consideration. I plan to pursue this change in negotiations with the Senate. I also believe that so many new energy efficiency measures will simultaneously reduce our energy usage and lower the cost of our utility bills. Under this legislation, revenues will be reinvested from the market back to consumers, energy research and development, and job-creation measures.
"The legislation establishes a system where greenhouse gas emissions are limited, and where emissions allowances are auctioned by the EPA and bought or sold among polluters. Delaware is already participating in a regional cap-and-trade program called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). This bill will return revenue to all states, and in fact, will bring more to the state than RGGI, in order to promote the same types of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.
"The legislation also requires that 20% of energy produced by electric utilities come from renewable resources and energy savings by 2020, still below Delaware's own standard. A robust renewable electricity standard is the most important policy tool we have to make sure new energy projects utilize American-made components manufactured by American workers, and I believe we should strive to strengthen the national standard.
"The coal resource of the U.S. is abundant and the bill creates new programs designed to promote carbon capture and sequestration, and sets new emissions standards for coal-fired power plants. This bill also supports modernizing of electricity infrastructure, including smart grid technologies. And, to aid the US auto manufacturers, the bill aims to assist in the development of improved battery technology and plug-in electric vehicles.
"Major technological advancements and tax incentives are already positively influencing the advancement of the wind, solar, fuel cell, and biomass industries right here in Delaware. Green jobs, which could be those involved with electricity generated by wind, those that produce energy-efficient goods and services like mass transit, or those that install energy-conserving products like retrofitting buildings with thermal-pane windows, fuel cells, and solar -- are key to the success of a new energy economy. Much work has been done voluntarily over the last several years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and I was glad to see that the bill takes steps to recognize these early, voluntary actions by industry leaders.
"In speaking with Governor Markell, we agree that this legislation will strengthen our domestic economy through innovative and sustainable job creation. I have also heard from leading Delaware businesses who believe in the opportunity of transforming to a clean energy economy. Ion Power said: this bill "will make a real difference for America, and my business." Eclipse Solar has said: "...we also know that clean energy is a great way to make money; supporting solar energy and other renewables will boost our economy and help create more jobs." Delaware Technical and Community College offered: "...the College is developing an Applied Energy Education Center that will connect Delawareans to new "green" jobs by developing Delaware's green workforce and enabling citizens and businesses to reduce their energy costs through increased energy efficiency, conservation, integration, and management." Bluewater Wind wrote: "By taking bold, concrete steps to address climate change and creating a new national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES), passage of the Waxman-Markey bill will spur hundreds of thousands of new jobs in America's growing renewable energy industry."
"The agriculture sector plays a vital role in Delaware's economy. I was pleased to support U.S. House Agriculture Chairman Peterson's work to ensure that the interests of the agriculture community were represented in the legislation, including that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be in charge of working with farmers on the portion of the offset program that involves generating offset credits from US farms and forests.
"Complex and detailed proposals must always be weighed thoughtfully and carefully. Ultimately, challenging economic times demand that we look to the future, not cling to the past. Leading experts differ on the economic impact that this legislation will have on each of us and I will remain closely engaged in efforts to reduce any cost increase passed through utility bills. This may not be a silver bullet for turning our economy around over night. However, I am confident that we must drive innovation, research and market-based strategies to strengthen our immediate economic outlook and instill optimism for tomorrow."
###
I have voted for Castle everytime (holding my nose ) But that has come to an end.
One wonders what amount of cash they gave him or what kind of guarantee the Dems gave him to vote yes. Surely it can only be corruption that led to this mammoth destruction bill passing.
When Castle loses re-election to a Democrat next year, I wonder if he realizes it is because he voted for crap like this. What is the point of even bothering to vote GOP if they act like Democrats?
Agree.
I’m sorry for you folks in Delaware, but when it comes to climate change this guy is an idiot. In your small state would you seriously like to have virtual forests of windmills yet have constant blackout and brownouts when the wind doesn’t blow? In these economic conditions I am certain the good people of Delaware would not want to see massive increases in their electric bills or jobs moving overseas to countries with both cheap labor and cheap energy.
I only voted for him last time because he was up against a liberal abortion hack and there was no way I was going to vote for her, and he voted to ban partial-birth abortion. Now I have no good reason to vote for him. The Dems in this State need to vote out the liberal trash in the primaries and the general election next year.
Kick this bastard out of office. A nicely written statement that full of crap and mistakes.Global Warming is all bull and that the bottom line. All else in this statement is irrelevant.
Domestic oil and nuclear power.....done!
Funny, neither one was mentioned.
It's G-d d@mn politics and nothing more to these self promoting b@ss turds in Washington.
I would hope Delaware and the GOP can find someone else to challenge Castle in the primary.
When they start getting phone calls from his district that they will vote democrat I’m sure they will find someone in his district to challenge him.
Good luck to those who can defeat Castle with a republican replacement.
Castle - STFU RINO SOB!!!
...and Communist-Marxist traitor!
I won’t waste my time parsing this bs press release. I’ve posted numerous articles on FR that do that. What’s done is done as far as his vote is concerned. Now we need to focus on a primary challenge and stopping this bill in the senate. I’ve read that the tr8ors actually were given a pass by the GOP leadership to vote for this bill so a worse case scenario is that we should stay home next election and send a message that RINOs wont be tollerated.
BTW before you tell us what the bill will cost I want if you read and studied the bill and analyzed its effects? Well congressman did you study the bill? Did you analyze the bill? Did you even read it sir? Since Waxman hasn’t read the bill and he developed it I'd bet you haven't either. Since you haven't read the bill all that bluster you sent out must be based upon ignorance or deceit. I'd bet deceit designed to CYA.
Also congressman,why do we want emulate the loosers of Europe?
When I first heard him excusing his vote for Crap and Tax, I had to chuckle at his ‘math.’ $1.6 trillion dollars to get 6,000 jobs in Delaware. I can’t even calculate that, because I don’t know how many zeros to put in a trillion, but that seems a bit ‘much’, don’t you think? Also, he completely overlooks the fact that it will probably COST Delaware at least a few thousand jobs, so he’s really only looking at a net of 3 or 4 thousand. And now, the price tag per job is really high.
want=wonder
So he votes to destroy jobs and increase our lack of security.
In Virginia our gubernatorial candidate has made drilling for oil offshore his number one issue, which will increase job opportunities and increase national security while Castle across the border has just voted against both.
I agree and I’ll add to your statement. Our politicians that voted for this thing need to realize that we have a whole generation that can’t wait for 10-20 years for new job creation. They need jobs now, today. Along with that, the world does not revolve around green energy. The guy working in the ditches could care less, the lady working in a law office, could care less. The guy working for the phone company, could care less.
The other thing they don’t talk about is that our country is closing down oil rigs in just about every state. I don’t believe Colorado produces oil any longer. That means buying more and more oil from other countries. These people are nuts. I want to know who is behind the shutting down of our country and why.
DelMarVa PING
(I lost my list in a computer meltdown and am trying to rebuild it -— please let me know if you wish to be added. Thanks)
I do believe I only voted for Castle once — his first term for Governor. It is possible I voted for him for Congress at some point, but if so it was definitely while holding my nose.
What a trillion dollars looks like.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=12754
(Scroll down)
Nor do I, and neither I nor any of my family will vote for him again.
Castle is a DEMOCRAT. He’s a RAT just like the rest of them.
And just exactly how much does this bill—which of course you didn’t read—mean to you in terms of power and personal wealth, pal? The future? Hell, you don’t know what’s in the bill! Except the extraordinary increase in the power of thug Washington politicians over the American public. That is standard stuff in any bill you would support, ain’t it!
This is like a McDonald's franchisee voting to outlaw cattle. You may be a hero with PETA, but that's where it ends.
Wonder what’s going to happen when this turkey realizes that each attempt at producing both wind and solar farms, are met with litigation from the ENVIRONMENTAL NUTS? And I mean the nanosecond the permits are requested.
Just as they have done here, out west. (S. Utah and S. California).
People do not understand that this bunch wants to return our civilization to that of about 1200 A.C. Which will then return us to a life expectancy of about 35 years old.
Which is their ultimate goal.
He doesn’t speak for Delaware. He speaks for the United Nations and the global corporations who want to see the United Nations in control.
The cap and trade bill indicates that the secretary of state and the secretary of energy who will control the ‘global warming’ purse strings ripped from American taxpayers and who will create legislation to force United Nations policies on Americans are to report directly to the United Nations and United Nations subsidiary councils at least 22 times.
It could not be emphasized more that this bill effectively assigns the executive branch of the government over to controls by the United Nations.
The other thing they don’t talk about is the supremacy of the United Nations in all the policy making the excutive branch will force on the American people.
That works out to $266,667 Million per job. It does seem a bit pricey.
Governor, Representative, and now he wants more? He is a professional politician who by now likely doesn’t realize it when he is spouting balderdash. Jeez, isn’t it time for some new blood?
At least two major lies in two paragraphs. Even though I am not a constituent, this man’s vote has a real and detrimental effect on my life, and I’m quite sure he doesn’t give a damn.
You and me both. No amount of nose holding will suffice now. If the DEGOP can’t field a decent candidate, I might even run myself, just so some folks at least have a choice.
I really began to question Castle several years ago, when I ran into him at the State Fair, and thanked him for supporting Bush and our Troops after a recent vote (it was 2003 or 2004). He ended up going off on a left leaning rant that made it clear where he REALLY stood, in spite of his vote. I was literally in shock at his response. It was like he was a closet member of Moveon.org...
Verbose bastage, isn’t he?
Yes, the newest idea and boldest strategy is call Freedom. The old idea of government control has failed every time it's been tried. I guess Rep Castle is trying to save his butt with cliches.
"Simultaneously, our nation's military is spread thin across the world in an effort to confront those who seek to do us harm. One major threat to our security and theirs is the current reliance we have on foreign energy sources."
OK, what this bill does is forcibly reduce the use of energy from all sources by Americans. Arguably, you can say the bill reduces the dependence on foreign sources of oil, but only by reducing the use of oil. Otherwise, this gun is a gun to the head of the American economy that's been fired. How does that increase our national security.
Conclusion: Castle is a fool, a knave or totally corrupt bought off politician. He must be 'primaried'. He must be removed from office.
Delaware FReepers, I've seen on another website, that congressmen have 3 days to change their votes. Contact him and ask him to change his vote or he's serving his last term as a congressman.
Click on his website and send him a message .. goes to Stephanie. I’m sick of these people ... SICK OF THEM!!!! He MUST be outed next time around.
Here is the link ...
Contact: Stephanie Fitzpatrick 202-225-4165
Stephanie.fitzpatrick@mail.house.gov
He still needs to be harassed and punished.
“In setting carbon dioxide equivalent values, for purposes of this section or section 711, the Administrator shall take into account publications by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or a successor organization under the auspices of the United Nations Environmental Programme and the World Meteorological Organization.”
From the bill. No more self government, it’s all global government all the way.
And I've tried to contact some of the Cap'n Tr8tors, but they refuse messages from non-constituents.
Does anyone have links to active email addresses or better, telephone numbers to their local offices?
1.6 trillion is 1.6 followed by 12 zeros. Divided by 6,000 = $267 million/job.
Heck, it ain’t his money. Why should he care?
He wants this so bad; let him pay for it. I REFUSE!
Of course he is, as prior to being Governor he was Lt. Governor and had served in at least one, if not both, chambers of the Legislature.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.