Friday, July 15, 2011

Light Bulbs? Or something more sinister.

By: Ben Howe. His commentary on EPA misdeeds; from redstate.com

There’s been a lot of talk these days about light bulbs. The Hill is reporting on how it’s shedding light on the “new Republican party,” one that is so “out of touch with the mainstream” because it only listens to it’s “extremist elements.” The New York Times has declared victory for the green movement, while some in the blogosphere have taken to referring to the bulb issue as a “fatal conceit,” referring to the White House’s fulfillment of Hayek’s description.
The issue has taken hold in the press as to be about light bulbs, which of course reasonable people know is an unfair characterization of a complicated issue. The real issue is obviously freedom. Freedom to make choices, no matter how insignificant they may seem. The light bulb situation is an example of that debate, but I’m starting to believe it is becoming a distraction. You don’t even have to travel far from the realm of light bulbs to see that our overly regulated lives are about to be far more restricted and the impact will be devestating.
Recently, the EPA released it’s Clean Air Transit Rule (CATR) under the name “The Cross Air Pollution Rule.” This essentially requires states that have power plants to reduce emissions they produce which are carried downwind to neighboring states. CATR is widely expected to result in massive closures or temporary shutdowns of electric plants
The House is working on a stop to this with an appropriations bill that would cut EPA funding and delay the implementation of these rules, but of course there is an effort by the Congressional Democrats to dismantle the bill citing “environmental concerns.”
But CATR is far from the only concern to find it’s way out of the EPA. The NAT GAS Act (New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions) would give loopholes subsidies tax credits to natural gas vehicle producers and consumers. It’s the old adage from Ronald Reagan: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it. I’m sure that no harm could possibly come from yet more subsidization of methods of energy that can’t compete directly against oil. After all, it’s worked out so well in the past.
If you think the EPA is done finding ways beyond your light bulb to mess up the economy and infringe on your freedom, you are mistaken. In it’s never ending quest to destroy all market based affordable fuel sources, the EPA is following the commands of the Commander in Chief in an attempt to bankrupt the coal industry.
And just in case one might claim that my documented doubts about climate change, and my penchant for disliking anything this president does, are having an effect on my objectivity, a new independent study just released last month proves that proposed acts like CATR and MACT will absolutely cost American jobs. The common response from Democrats is “yes but it will create green jobs!!” Yes, Democrat predictions of job creation has worked out so well so far.
Besides, the effects are already rearing their ugly heads.
While there are some reasons to be optimistic that the good fight is still being had, one thing has become abundantly clear: this administration and it’s green dreams are not interested in our little light bulb tiff. For them, it’s just a distraction from what’s really going on. And what’s really going on is that the EPA is back-dooring cap-n-trade. The administration is bypassing the Congress. Our economy, our jobs, our way of lives are truly under attack.
The EPA must be stopped. ~Lordhawke

I'm going to mess with Lordhawke's posting here and try to post a pertinent video that came out when the original bill was passed of Ted Poe's argument against it on the floor of Congress.  I love watching ole Ted Poe in action.  Tom Tancredo, sitting behind Poe, evidently enjoys listening to Poe also.  And that's just the way it is... ~ Faye

1 comment:

Lordhawke said...

Thanks, Faye; sometimes I get ahead of myself and miss something important.