Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade bill stuffed full of unpleasant surprises [You won't believe this]

washingtonexaminer.com ^ | May 22, 2009

[upchuck]

Note that this article was originally published on May 29, 2009

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Congress is considering the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade legislation and guess what? It’s  stuffed full of unpleasant surprises for the unwary. But thank goodness for the eagle-eyed folks at the American Energy Alliance, who spotted this little gem on page 781 of the mammoth 946-page bill:

 

“Title IV, Subtitle B, Part 2, Section 426, of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 states: ‘An eligible worker (specifically, workers who lose their jobs as a result of this measure) may receive a climate change adjustment allowance under this subsection for a period of not longer than 156 weeks…80 percent of the monthly premium of any health insurance coverage…up to a maximum payment of $1,500 in relocation allowance…and job search expenses not exceed[ing] $1,500.’”

If cap-and-trade is an energy and global warming bill, why is a three-year package of unemployment benefits, job training and relocation expenses buried deep within its fine print? And why is a federally subsidized “job bank” needed if laid-off workers would quickly be rehired for higher-paying “green” jobs? The fact that generous unemployment benefits are buried in the bill means that “green jobs are bunk,” the conservative Heritage Foundation’s Ben Lieberman told The Examiner.

 

 A Heritage analysis also found that Waxman-Markey is the largest, most intrusive energy tax increase in American history. It would reduce the nation’s GDP by $7.4 trillion, raise electricity rates 90 percent and gasoline prices 74 percent. Apparently, the authors of this legislation were unaware that a recent poll found six out of 10 Americans oppose energy policies that raise their electricity bill by even one cent, much less practically double it. And the final kicker is that the bill’s effect on greenhouse gases emissions would be just barely measurable.

 

It stands to reason that forcing companies and individuals to switch from using relatively cheap, abundant energy sources like oil, coal and natural gas to more expensive “alternative” sources will be a huge drag on the nation’s economy, especially during a deep recession. There’s no getting around it: Higher energy costs will inevitably lead to higher consumer prices and fewer jobs. And any new “green” jobs created will likely be lower-paid manual labor and service jobs, not higher-paid manufacturing positions. Any way you look at it, throwing millions of Americans out of work is an unacceptably high price to pay for a paltry two-tenths of a degree difference in temperature by the end of the century.

[upchuck]

And the final kicker is that the bill’s effect on greenhouse gases emissions would be just barely measurable.

Let us hope that ALL the pubbies and a few forward minded RATS in the Senate will stop this monstrosity.

[Lurker]

Let us hope that ALL the pubbies

You mean Snowe and Collins? Fat chance of that.

[NTHockey]

At this point, I have more faith in winning the lottery.

[a fool in paradise]

Waxman Malarkey -

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Malarkey%20

Malarkey –noun Informal.
speech or writing designed to obscure, mislead, or impress; bunkum: The claims were just a lot of malarkey.

Origin:
1925–30, Americanism; orig. uncert.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.

[GiovannaNicoletta]

bookmark

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

The goal is to reduce the USA to the status of a third-world country. Libs can’t stand the thought that the USA could actually be more prosperous than third-rate countries.

What they deliberately refuse to admit is that the USA is prosperous because (most of us) work hard, don’t whine, and take care of ourselves and our own.

Also, the liberal elite will never give up their special privileges.

[rbg81]

Wonderful. This bill kills real jobs and companies. And in its place it puts people on the dole. Or offers them retraining for imaginary (or Government financed) “green” jobs. Stupid is as stupid does, I guess.

[prophetic]

I have my pitchfork & torch ready for my idiotic congress critter who voted for that bill, plus a bag of chicken feathers for his good tarring as well!!

[Buckeye McFrog]

sorry, I suspended all disbelief sometime late last year

[massgopguy]

There is a Stretch HUMMER Limo parked in front of Ed Markey’s house at 24 Townsend Street Malden, MA. I know it’s not his, but the irony is delicious.

[a fool in paradise]

Isn’t a stretch Hummer really just another variation of a short bus?

[True Republican Patriot]

This Bill is Absolute Insanity!!!
AMERICANS must tell Washington NFW!

[stefanbatory]

you’d think those two would WANT global warming for their home state...

[smokingfrog]

Some people are calling it the TAXMAN-MALARKEY bill.
... Describes it perfectly.

[lonerepubinma]

There is a Stretch HUMMER Limo parked in front of Ed Markey’s house at 24 Townsend Street Malden, MA. I know it’s not his, but the irony is delicious.

I thought it was his parents house ? Are they still alive ?

[animal172]

The cold reality is that we have no one to blame but ourselves. We constantly talk about running these folks out of office, but then what happens? The faces never change. I really don't think you can blame it on the money the incumbents have. If they are worthless, vote them out. Money will not buy my vote. Vote everyone of these traitorous politicians out of office no matter the letter after their name. We, the people, are in control. We just decide not to excercise it.

[wita]

to more expensive “alternative” sources

What more expensive alternative sources?

The word viable seems to be missing from the sentence.

And Amen to its stoppage in the Senate.

[Domandred]

Too bad that wasn’t captured on street view.

[OrioleFan]

Does the relocation allowance cover overseas moves with the job?

[RebelTXRose]

Ya know - Kirsten Gillibrand (NY-D)’s office is in my office building. I think I will personlly print the EPA report that has been held back and HAND DELIVER it to her office.