Fact Check on Boxer's Climate Tax Bill Claims

Inhofe EPW Press Blog ^ | June 11, 2008 | Marc Morano

[EPW Comm Team]

June 11, 2008

Fact Check on Boxer's Climate Tax Bill Claims

Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) made several assertions during her June 10 floor speech on the failed climate tax bill and energy issues.

Below is a sampling of some of Boxer’s claims, followed by fact checks:

Boxer Claim: “We had 46 Democrats for dealing with global warming.”

Fact: Over 20% of Senate Democrats opposed the Climate Tax Bill. Boxer had at most only 35 Democratic Senators willing to vote "yes" on final passage. A letter signed on June 6 by ten Democratic Senators explicitly stated they “cannot support final passage” of the Climate Tax Bill (Lieberman-Warner global warming cap-and-trade bill). Boxer would apparently only have had at most 45 total votes last week to support final passage of the bill. (Democrat Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, who was absent for last week's vote, had previously voted against bringing the bill to the floor on June 2.) (LINK)

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Boxer Claim: “89% of the American people believe global warming must be addressed because it’s a moral issue.”

Fact: A Gallup Poll released on Earth Day 2008 shows the American public’s concern about man-made global warming is unchanged from 1989. The number of Americans who “worry a great deal” about man-made global warming remains practically unchanged from 1989 (35% in 1989 vs. 37% in 2008). According to Gallup, “Despite the enormous attention paid to global warming over the past several years, the average American is in some ways no more worried about it than in years past.” (LINK) & (LINK) The lack of concern about climate change is so widespread that an April 18, 2008, ABC News Poll found ZERO respondents felt global warming was “the single most important issue” in their choice for president. (LINK)

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Boxer Claim: “The window is closing for action. With global warming, if you don’t act you lose valuable time.”

Fact: The Climate Tax Bill would not have resulted in any “action.” The bill would not have had a detectable impact on the climate: according to the Environmental Protection Agency's own analysis, by 2050 Lieberman-Warner would only lower global CO2 concentrations by less than 1.4% without additional international action. In fact, this bill, often touted as an "insurance policy" against global warming, is instead all economic pain for no climate gain. (LINK)

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Boxer Claim: The Climate Tax Bill would have created “green jobs.”

Fact: The federal Energy Information Administration says the bill would result in a 9.5% drop in manufacturing output and higher energy costs. The failed Climate Tax Bill would also have hindered U.S. competitiveness by transferring American jobs overseas to places where environmental regulations are much more lenient. Instead of working to eliminate trade barriers on clean energy and lower emitting technologies, the bill imposes a "green," tariff-style tax on imported goods. (LINK)

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Boxer Claim: “Since George Bush got into office…[gas prices saw a ] 250% increase."

Fact: The day Democrats took control of Congress, January 4, 2007, gas prices averaged $2.33 per gallon, according to AAA. Today, the national average is $4.04 – a whopping $1.71 increase per gallon in less than a year and a half.

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Related Links:

Cap and Burn: Democrats achieve historic collapse on cap and trade bill - Wall Street Journal

Inhofe: We Don't Need a Climate Tax on the Poor

Letter Reveals 10 Democratic Senators Opposed Climate Tax Bill

‘Global Warming Mad House’ – ‘Agenda in Collapse’ – ‘Foibles and Follies’ Exposed

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[LtKerst]

Boxer is a Commie Rat scumbag

it is time for her to Go!!

[lardog]

Boxer is a Commie Rat scumbag

it is time for her to Go!!

I agree it’s long past time for her to go. But how can we get rid of her when the majority of voters in CA. are commie rat scumbags?

[jrd]

vote Calif. out of the Union!

[steelyourfaith]

 

Beam me to Planet Gore !