.~Javier Plumey~.|Fatih, Technology, Politics, Whatever.

I just got an email response to my letter to the office of Senator Mel Martinez. It looks like another canned response, but here it is anyway. This was in response to my previous letter:

My letter to Senator Mel Martinez (FL)

Thank you for contacting me regarding America’s Climate Security Act. I appreciate hearing  from you and would like to take this opportunity to respond to your concerns.

On October 18, 2007, Senator Lieberman introduced America’s Climate Security Act of 2007 (S. 2191). This bill would create an absolute cap on total emissions from all covered entities including the electric power,
transportation, industry, and commercial sectors with the goal of reducing
greenhouse gases. This cap would be lowered over time through 2050, and a market would be created to sell and trade emission allowances. On December 5, 2007, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works reported out a revised version of S. 2191, and further action is expected on the legislation in the 110th Congress.

I believe that the threat of climate change is real, and I am working with my
colleagues in the Senate to regulate and reduce greenhouse emissions. As we consider climate change legislation, we need to ensure that the laws we pass will in fact reduce carbon emissions and lessen the threat of catastrophic climate change. Additionally, we need to consider and attempt to mitigate any negative effects the new laws would have on our economy, energy prices, and Americans living on fixed incomes.

The United States cannot solve this problem alone, and similar efforts in China and India are critical to combating this threat. However, our country can provide needed leadership and technological innovation for the international community, and, as one of the world’s largest energy consumers, it is time for the United States to accept this responsibility. The choices we make now in dealing with climate change may be some of the most significant environmental and economic decisions of our generation. I assure you that I am committed to passing legislation to counter the threat posed by global climate change, and I will keep your thoughts in mind as the Senate considers S. 2191 or similar legislation.

I think I am going to load up S. 2191 and take a look at these carbon emission allowances. I’ll report my findings later tommorow.

This is a fantastic graphic indicating the regulatory apparatus that would have to be implemented to cover the regulatory requirements as set forth in the Lieberman-Warner global warming legislation. Anyone who blindly accepts that we should approve this bill, without amendment and discussion needs to have their head examined. Courtesy of www.heritage.org:

Here’s a quick summary of why this legislature is a bad idea, courtesy of GOPUSA:

This legislation will create an unprecedented tax on industry that will profoundly change every area of the American economy.

Under
a system of cap and trade the government would set a limit on emissions
that declines every year. The goal of Warner-Lieberman is to return to
2005 levels by 2012, and to further reduce that number by 30% by 2030.
Companies affected will be awarded emission credits, which can be
bought, sold and traded to other companies.

Cap and trade is an indirect tax that will hamper the economy and will be passed on to consumers through price increases.

This
new tax gives politicians unprecedented control over business with the
ability to favor one group over others. It will create an opportunity
for corruption and fraud to run rampant.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce put together a great chart
on the regulatory apparatus that would be needed to implement the
economy-killing Lieberman-Warner global warming legislation. Not only
would this be a massive expansion of government, but it would also have
a devastating impact on states.

I’ll try and cover the points, if and when this ever comes up again. It’s not likely to be approved, at least not in this Congress. But since both McCain and Obama have made it a priority to help “clean up the environment’, I’m sure this thing will rear its ugly head again in the near future.