Climate Bill Is New Tax On Every American Family

[real6]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0609/24232.html



With a vote on sweeping climate change legislation just hours away, Democrats are scrambling for support – and feeling confident that they’ll have enough to pass the bill.

"We're getting there," House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said Friday morning. "We're at first and goal."

As debate began, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the bill’s sponsors were working the floor furiously, twisting arms to squeeze some last-minute yes votes out of undecided members.

Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson – who may have paved the way for passage when he struck a deal with House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman — said that more than 20 of the Democrats on his committee have decided to back the bill. These would be key pick-ups for the Democratic leadership; rural members have serious concerns about the bill’s impact on farmers and agribusiness.

As Democrats wrangled votes, Republican leaders tried to hold the line on defections – and to pave the way to use the bill against vulnerable Democrats.

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Friday morning that the bill will be "one of the defining votes of this Congress,” and he described it as a “new tax” that will have an impact on “every single American.”

Republicans have taken to calling the measure – formally known as the “American Clean Energy and Security Act” – a “national energy tax.”

On Friday, Michigan Republican Rep. Fred Upton took note of the force with which Democratic leaders were whipping their members, telling California Democratic Rep. Ellen Tauscher: “Congratulations on your confirmation to head up Arms Control at the State Department. You have your work cut out for you because at the end of the day today, you are going to need to repair a lot of arms on your side of the aisle.”

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) told AFP Friday the Democrats will have the 218 votes they need for passage. But party leaders are looking for more, hoping to build a big enough margin so that vulnerable Democrats can be freed to vote against the bill.

At the White House on Thursday, President Barack Obama declared: “Now is the time to act.” Former Vice President Al Gore, who had planned to rally Democrats en masse in Washington, stayed home in Tennessee so he could press members one by one via telephone.

Pelosi plied undecided members with chocolate-covered Dove bars in a series of small group meetings. White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel worked the phones, and administration officials whipped members at a White House luau Thursday night.

Democratic sources said their leaders aimed to lock in 230 yes votes — and leaning on key Blue Dogs such as Reps. Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota and South Dakota’s Stephanie Herseth Sandlin so that more vulnerable members such as Reps. Eric Massa of New York and Maryland’s Frank Kratovil can vote no.

Asked Thursday if she was confident of prevailing, Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), the chief deputy whip, said: “I’m not confident about anything. But I will say we are closing in on the numbers. We feel good about the way things are going today.”

Much of the support for the legislation is a testament to the work of the bill’s main sponsors, Waxman and Massachusetts Rep. Ed Markey, who spent months negotiating the details of the legislation to satisfy lawmakers from across the country. The final 1,201-page bill includes compromises for Michigan auto interests, Rust Belt manufacturers, Texas oil refineries, Midwestern farmers and Southeastern coal companies.

Obama highlighted those compromises on Thursday, calling the legislation “balanced” and “sensible” in a brief public statement designed to nudge undecided Democrats into the yes column.

“I urge every member of Congress, Democrat and Republican, to come together and support this legislation,” he said during a brief Rose Garden event. “I know this is going to be a close vote.”

Undecided members were leveraging their votes to lobby for additional changes to be made to the bill.

“Everyone is concerned that their region is going to get hit harder than others,” Michigan Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak said Thursday. “We still have a long ways to go with this bill.”

Behind the scenes, the administration worked furiously to help the Democratic leadership garner support for the legislation. Obama, Energy Secretary Steven Chu and other administration officials have been calling skeptical lawmakers from both parties for weeks. Energy adviser Carol Browner met with several on-the-fence lawmakers Thursday.

Emanuel met Wednesday with Kratovil and a group of other Democratic freshmen: Reps. Bobby Bright of Alabama, Jim Himes of Connecticut, Larry Kissell of North Carolina, Betsy Markey of Colorado and Mark Schauer of Michigan. Minnesota Democrat Tim Walz was invited for a Thursday meeting.

White House adviser David Axelrod explained the importance of the legislation in a morning meeting with the entire Democratic Caucus, telling the assembled lawmakers that the bill is a priority for the president. He also highlighted the legislation’s importance to independent voters and said voters would reward Democrats at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue “for governing,” according to one attendee.

During Thursday afternoon’s votes, Pelosi cruised the floor, talking to member after member. The day before, Ed Markey and a key staffer held a long conversation with Ohio Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan.

Ryan, who said he plans to vote for the bill, had some concerns about manufacturing interests in Ohio.

“This green revolution is supposed to benefit the Midwest and places like Ohio, not just California, New York and New England,” he said. “And I think they get that.”

Waxman and Markey held a series of meetings with fence-sitters late Wednesday night, calling together moderate Republicans, upstate New Yorkers, Democrats from the Ways and Means Committee and farm-state Democrats.

Members of the Democrats’ whip team hit the floor Thursday with district-by-district statistics showing that the legislation would save money for members’ constituents.

During the last votes of the day, Markey, Texas Rep. Gene Green — a very reluctant supporter — and Caucus Chairman John Larson leaned over Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar in a heated discussion until Cuellar finally shook Markey’s hand and the huddle broke up. That scene played out again and again throughout the day as Democrats felt the full weight of the White House and its leadership bear down on them.

One holdout, Pomeroy, said Thursday that he was a pretty hard “no” and seemed resistant to any external pressure.

“I’m here to represent North Dakota, and we only have one guy: me,” the senior Ways and Means Committee member said. “I know how badly the speaker wants this bill, but I have a job to do. On this one, I don’t feel any pressure at all.”

“I’d hate to be a wavering member on this one,” Pomeroy said.

Reichert, who’s getting heavy pressure on both sides of the aisle, said he’s “still in the investigative stage,” with a wry grin that suggested his vote was still in play.

As of Thursday night, Democratic leadership aides expected five to 10 Republicans to vote for the bill, including California Rep. Mary Bono Mack, who supported it in the Energy and Commerce Committee. Other Republicans that Democrats hoped would cross over include Mike Castle of Delaware, Vernon Ehlers of Michigan, Mark Kirk of Illinois and Dave Reichert of Washington.

Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and his team are working hard to hold as many moderates as possible in order to force more centrist Democrats to back the legislation. Those efforts focused on some of the same members being targeted by Democrats, like Castle and Kirk, but also other lawmakers from environmentally friendly corners of the country, such as Wisconsin Rep. Tom Petri.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0609/24232_Page2.html#ixzz0JYYYKQlm&D

[lizzy]

yes, real6,.....whilst the hollywood hupla is happening this 840B, tax theft going to the UN gansters is going down.......and again the politicians have'nt read the bill.

edit......i think the 840b is just on one bill, this one is the final nail in the coffin.

[largejack]

Yes, this is what people should be focusing on, not MJ

[real6]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/assets/fy2010_new_era/Jumpstarting_The_Economy.pdf


There are no quick and easy fixes to the recession
plaguing our economy. This crisis has been
many years in the making, and it is likely to get
worse before it gets better. There is no doubt
that our Nation has the creativity, capability,
and industriousness to lift ourselves out of this
downturn and begin the process of transforming
our economy for the 21st Century. As we do
this, we need to remember that throughout our
history, the United States has grown and prospered
when all Americans have shared in the
opportunities created by our economy. While our
economy has made the transition from an agrarian
economy to an industrial one and on to an
information-age economy, this essential truth
has not changed: America thrives when all our
people have the chance to succeed.
The past eight years have discredited once and
for all the philosophy of trickle-down economics—
that tax breaks, income gains, and wealth
creation among the wealthy eventually will work
their way down to the middle class. In its place,
we need economic opportunity to trickle up. We
need policies that will strengthen the middle
class and create the conditions to spur innovation
and sustainable economic growth. Some
may say that in this current environment this
is aiming too high. Settling never has been the
American way, and now is no time to lower our
sights. While we have inherited unprecedented
budget deficits and a weakened economy, now
is precisely the time for the country to make
the long overdue investments that will fundamentally
transform our economy so that we can
compete and thrive in the decades ahead. As we
jumpstart our economy out of this recession, the
American people expect and demand that their
Government does so with unprecedented transparency
and accountability so that they know
where their tax dollars are going and how these
funds are being spent.
immeDiAte relieF AnD economic stimulus
As the year started, it became clear there was
a wide and growing shortfall between what the
economy could produce and what it was producing.
If we kept on this course, economists predicted
that the economy would shed millions of
additional jobs, the unemployment rate could exceed
10 percent, and over the next two years, the
country would lose roughly $2 trillion in income.
With traditional monetary policy levers largely
exhausted, the Congress passed and the President
signed into law the American recovery and
reinvestment Act of 2009 (the “recovery Act”),
a nationwide effort to create jobs and transform
our economy to compete in the 21st Century.
Because speed is of the essence when it comes
to acting to save our economy and millions of
jobs, approximately three-quarters of the funds
in this package will be spent out over the next
18 months. Many of the long-term investments
will stimulate the economy too as these elements
of the package are simultaneously designed to
spark economic growth, save or create 3 to 4 million
jobs, and help families through these tough
times. To provide immediate relief and get the
economy moving again, the Administration will:
Make Permanent the $800 “Making Work
Pay” Tax Cut for Workers and Their families.
The recovery Act created the Making Work
Pay tax credit, a refundable income tax credit,
which will offset the payroll tax on up to the
first $6,450 of earnings for about 95 percent of
all American workers while still preserving the
JuMPSTARTiNG ThE ECONOMy ANd
iNvESTiNG fOR ThE fuTuRE
18 A NEW ErA OF rESPONSIBILITy
important principle of a dedicated revenue source
for Social Security. This helps small business owners
struggling to meet expenses. And with families
squeezed, this tax cut will put needed money
in their pockets for them to make ends meet and
cover the costs of necessities. This is the firststage
of a middle-class tax cut promised during
the presidential campaign. The Budget will make
Making Work Pay permanent.
Continue to Cut Taxes for the families
of Millions of Children Through an Expansion
of the Child Tax Credit. By expanding
the Child Tax Credit, the recovery Act provided
a new tax cut and increased the generosity of the
existing credit to millions of children—fulfilling
the promise that a family that works hard and
plays by the rules will be able to raise their children
above the poverty line. The Budget makes
this tax cut permanent.
increase food Stamp Benefits for Over 30
Million Americans. Even in tough times, our
Nation is a nation of plenty, and no one should
have to go hungry. The recovery Act will spend
nearly $20 billion to increase food stamp benefits
for overstretched families, and provide additional
support for food banks, school lunch programs,
and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program
for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.
Provide Nearly 60 Million Retired and
disabled Americans an immediate $250
Through Temporarily increasing Benefits.
These vulnerable populations are the first ones
to feel an economic downturn. Through the recovery
Act, we will spend almost $15 billion to
provide nearly 60 million retired Americans and
Americans with disabilities an immediate $250
through temporarily increasing Social Security,
Supplemental Security Income, and Veterans
benefits.
Extend, Expand, and Reform unemployment
insurance (ui) Benefits. With unemployment
on the rise and those out of work going
longer without new jobs, we have provided both
a boost to our economy and to these workers’
well-being by extending the Emergency Unemployment
Compensation program through December
2009, increasing weekly UI benefits by
$25, and providing financial incentives for States
to modernize their UI systems to expand coverage.
Beyond this year, the Administration will
update the Nation’s UI system to better address
the challenges and realities of the 21st Century
workforce. The Budget proposes changes to make
the UI program a more responsive and effective
social safety net and economic stabilizer. The Administration
will propose to make the permanent
Extended Benefit program more responsive to
changing economic conditions, making benefits
available more quickly and avoiding the delays
associated with special, temporary extended unemployment
programs. Finally, despite the efforts
of States to reduce improper benefit payments,
over $3.9 billion in UI benefits were erroneously
paid in 2008. The Administration will tackle this
problem by increasing funding for program integrity
and proposing legislative changes that would
have the direct and indirect effect of reducing UI
improper payments by $3.9 billion and reducing
employer tax evasion by almost $300 million over
10 years.
Reform Asset Tests. The Administration
would like to work with the Congress to revisit
asset limits for Federal means-tested programs
in the wake of new and expanded refundable tax
credits. Current asset rules across a variety of
programs are antiquated, inconsistent, and present
obstacles for low-income individuals who aspire
to achieve self-sufficiency. The intersection
of the new credits and outdated asset rules may
disqualify new and current individuals and families
from Federal benefits, including Medicaid
and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(formerly Food Stamps).
creAting Jobs AnD investing in long-term
economic growtH
These tax and benefit provisions of the recovery
plan will provide an immediate stimulative
effect on the economy. The other part of the
stimulus comes from expenditures on projects
that will promote medium-term economic activJUMPSTArTING
THE ECONOMy AND INVESTING FOr THE FUTUrE 19
ity while also providing some lift to the economy
in the near term—as homes are weatherized, and
health records are digitized—to name just a few.
In addition to immediate hiring and expansion
as these projects begin, the American people will
reap benefits from these investments for years to
come because the economic benefits of modern infrastructure,
world-class schools, investments in
research and development, health care reform,
and clean energy will be enjoyed by generations
of Americans. The expenditures in many of these
areas then serve a dual role: to revive the economy
in the short term and to restore its health for
the long term. Through ambitious investments
in clean energy, health care, education and other
key areas, the plan will address long-ignored national
priorities and make a historic down payment
on our Nation’s economic future. The 2010
Budget will support, and in some cases extend as
well as expand the down payments made in the
recovery Act.
Building a 21st Century Infrastructure
A century ago, Theodore roosevelt called together
leaders from business and government
to develop a plan for a 20th Century infrastructure.
More than 50 years ago, republican Dwight
Eisenhower and Democrat Al Gore, Sr. worked
together to launch the Interstate Highway System.
Today, however, too many of our Nation’s
railways, highways, bridges, airports, and neighborhood
streets are aging and congested due to
lack of investment and strategic long-term planning.
In the short term, modernizing our infrastructure
will create new jobs and provide a boost
to the economy. In the longer term, infrastructure
investment will provide our Nation a foundation
for long-term economic growth. The Budget will:
Establish a National infrastructure Bank.
The Budget proposes to expand and enhance existing
Federal infrastructure investments through a
National Infrastructure Bank designed to deliver
financial resources to priority infrastructure projects
of significant national or regional economic
benefit. The mission of this entity will be to not
only provide direct Federal investment but also
to help foster coordination through State, municipal,
and private co-investment in our Nation’s
most challenging infrastructure needs. These
projects will directly and indirectly support jobs
and stimulate substantial long-term economic
growth.
invest in Our Nation’s Roads, Bridges,
and Mass Transit. The President is committed
to instituting accountability for the $35.9 billion
provided in the recovery Act and to responsibly
reauthorizing the Nation’s highway and mass
transit programs. The Administration intends to
work with the Congress to reform surface transportation
programs both to put the system on a
sustainable financing path and to make investments
in a more sustainable future, enhancing
transit options and making our economy more
productive and our communities more livable.
Further, our surface transportation system must
generate the best investments to reduce congestion
and improve safety. To do so, the Administration
will emphasize the use of economic analysis
and performance measurement in transportation
planning. This will ensure that taxpayer dollars
are better targeted and spent.
initiate a New federal Commitment to
high-Speed Rail. To provide Americans a 21st
Century transportation system, the Administration
proposes a $1 billion-a-year high-speed rail
State grant program, in addition to the $8 billion
provided in the recovery Act. This proposal
marks a new Federal commitment to give the
traveling public a practical and environmentally
sustainable alternative to flying or driving. Directed
by the States, this investment will lead to
the creation of several high-speed rail corridors
across the country linking regional population
centers.
improve and Modernize Air Traffic Control.
Because of an outdated air-traffic control
system and over-scheduling at airports already
operating at full capacity, an ordinary trip to a
business meeting or to visit family can become
marred by long delays. The Budget provides $800
million for the Next Generation Air Transportation
System in the Federal Aviation Administration,
a long-term effort to improve the efficiency,
20 A NEW ErA OF rESPONSIBILITy
safety, and capacity of the air traffic control system.
The 2010 Budget supports moving from a
ground-based radar surveillance system to a more
accurate satellite-based surveillance system; development
of more efficient routes through the
airspace; and improvements in aviation weather
information.
Maintain Rural Access to the Aviation
System. The Administration is committed to
maintaining small communities’ access to the
National Airspace System. The Budget provides
a $55 million increase over the 2009 level to fulfill
current program requirements as demand
for subsidized commercial air service increases.
However, the program that delivers this subsidy
is not efficiently designed. Through the budget
process, the Administration intends to work with
the Congress to develop a more sustainable program
model that will fulfill its commitment while
enhancing convenience for travelers and improving
cost effectiveness.
Enhance Security at Over 90 Major Ports,
to improve homeland Security, increase international
Trade and Commerce, and Create
Jobs. This investment will help make our
Nation’s ports a vital and secure link to the global
economy, not a vulnerable entry point for those
who seek to harm us. The Administration is committed
to improving the protection of our critical
port infrastructure. The Budget continues to
provide risk-based funding through the Port Security
Grant Program and builds upon the over
$1.4 billion provided for port security grants over
the past few years. These awards can be used by
grantees to purchase a wide variety of securityenhancing
investments including watercraft for
increased patrolling of facilities, canine, bombsniffing
units, and updating port vulnerability
assessments. Additional funding will be used by
Customs and Border Protection to purchase technology
enhancements, such as non-intrusive inspection
X-ray equipment and radiation portal
monitors to detect nuclear materials.
invest in Clean and Safe drinking Water.
The Budget requests $3.9 billion for the Environmental
Protection Agency’s Clean Water State
revolving Fund and the Drinking Water State
revolving Fund (SrFs), in addition to the $6
billion provided in the recovery Act. With this
historic increase, the programs will fund over
1,000 clean water and nearly 700 drinking water
projects annually based on average project costs.
In addition, the recovery Act will support over
1,300 new wastewater projects and over 700 new
drinking water SrF projects. Through recovery
Act funding for the Department of Agriculture’s
(USDA’s) rural water and wastewater grants and
loans, the Administration will support a $3.8 billion
program level for the repair, upgrade, and
construction of 2,000 rural water and sewer systems,
providing new or improved service to 3 million
people. Together with funding increases for
the SrFs, the Administration will pursue SrF
program reforms that will put resources for these
ongoing needs on a firmer foundation.
Expand Access to Broadband. As a country,
we have made significant public investments so
that, regardless of economic status, Americans
have access to telephone service and electricity. In
this day and age, we must do the same for broadband.
Like any network, the more people who are
a part of it, the stronger we all are. The more communities
that have access to high-speed Internet
connections, the more businesses can grow and
jobs can be created. When that happens, the entire
Nation wins. That is why the recovery Act included
$7.2 billion for broadband expansion and
the 2010 Budget includes $1.3 billion in USDA
loans and grants for the Department of Agriculture
to increase broadband capacity and improve
telecommunication service as well as education
and health opportunities in rural areas.
invest in the Sciences. Investments in science
and technology foster economic growth;
create millions of high-tech, high-wage jobs
that allow American workers to lead the global
economy; improve the quality of life for all Americans;
and strengthen our national security. The
recovery Act included a $5 billion investment
in key science programs, which is by itself an almost
50-percent increase for these programs over
2008 and represents a significant down-payment
toward the President’s plan to double the fundJUMPSTArTING
THE ECONOMy AND INVESTING FOr THE FUTUrE 21
ing for these agencies over 10 years. Under the
President’s doubling plan, the Budget provides a
16-percent increase over 2008 funding levels for
the National Science Foundation and similarly
large increases for the Department of Energy’s Office
of Science and the Department of Commerce’s
National Institute of Standards and Technology.
The Budget also increases support for promising,
but exploratory and high-risk research proposals
that could fundamentally improve our understanding
of climate, revolutionize fields of science,
and lead to radically new technologies. In addition,
the Budget funds cutting-edge, fundamental
research in traditional and emerging disciplines
to help transform the Nation’s air transportation
system and to support future aircraft. The
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) research in aeronautics will focus on how
to increase airspace capacity and mobility, enhance
aviation safety, and improve aircraft performance
while reducing noise, emissions, and
fuel consumption.
Creating a Clean Energy Economy
The high gas prices of last summer only underscored
what we have known for decades: we cannot
afford to depend so heavily on foreign oil and
other fossil fuels to power our economy. While the
national security implications have been clear
for some time, the more we learn about global
warming, the more we see that failure to wean
ourselves off of fossil fuels also jeopardizes our
economy and our entire planet.
Countries and companies around the world recognize
this and are working day and night to develop
clean energy technologies that will change
everything from how we generate our electricity
to how we power our cars and trucks. While the
challenge is great, the promise of the moment is
unparalleled. If we lead the world in the research
and development of clean energy technology, we
can create a whole new industry with high-paying
jobs that cannot be shipped overseas. Some compare
the promise of this sector to information technology.
The difference is that with clean energy we
can bring new jobs to rural areas long left behind
in economic growth. Moreover, if we take the time
now to start transforming our economy, we will
enjoy the benefits of a lower cost and more efficient
energy supply for years to come. As a down
payment on an energy independent, clean energy
economy, in this Budget, the Administration will:
Begin a Comprehensive Approach to
Transform Our Energy Supply and Slow
Global Warming. The Administration is developing
a comprehensive energy and climate change
plan to invest in clean energy, end our addiction
to oil, address the global climate crisis, and create
new American jobs that cannot be outsourced.
After enactment of the Budget, the Administration
will work expeditiously with key stakeholders
and the Congress to develop an economy-wide
emissions reduction program to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions approximately 14 percent
below 2005 levels by 2020, and approximately 83
percent below 2005 levels by 2050. This program
will be implemented through a cap-and-trade
system, a policy approach that dramatically reduced
acid rain at much lower costs than the traditional
government regulations and mandates of
the past. Through a 100 percent auction to ensure
that the biggest polluters do not enjoy windfall
profits, this program will fund vital investments
in a clean energy future totaling $150 billion over
10 years, starting in Fy 2012. The balance of the
auction revenues will be returned to the people,
especially vulnerable families, communities,
and businesses to help the transition to a clean
energy economy.
Provide the Capital to double Renewable
Energy Generating Capacity. renewable power
has grown dramatically over the past several
years. Unfortunately, the current credit crisis has
brought this dynamic progress to a halt. The programs
in the recovery Act will help to revive the
renewable industry, doubling the amount of renewable
energy generated. Collectively, the loan
guarantees provided in the recovery plan and in
this Budget are expected to leverage tens of billions
of dollars in private capital. The recovery
Act also extends the production tax credit (PTC)
to 2012 for wind and 2013 for other renewable
sources of energy. This extension creates three
years of certainty for investors, eliminating the
22 A NEW ErA OF rESPONSIBILITy
delays historically associated with the PTC. The
Act also expands authority for clean renewable
energy bonds and creates new manufacturing tax
credits to spur domestic manufacturing of clean
energy equipment
develop Low-Carbon Emission Technologies.
The recovery Act provides funding to meet
the President’s campaign commitment to build
five commercial scale coal-fired plants with carbon
capture and storage technology through public-
private partnerships. The Energy Department
will also scale up its demonstration projects for
geologic storage for carbon dioxide. Combined,
this funding will set the foundation for significant
efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions
from coal-fired power plants.
Modernize federal Buildings and Slash
the federal Government’s Energy Bill by 25
Percent. The Federal Government is the largest
energy consumer in the world. Making substantial
investments to reduce Federal energy consumption
can spur job creation while delivering
long-term Government savings through lower
energy bills. The Budget will build upon the more
than $11 billion provided for building moderization
in the recovery Act to achieve the President’s
25 percent energy efficiency improvement goal by
2013.
Weatherize Low-income homes, Saving
Working families on Average $350 Per year.
Across the Nation, families spend a significant
portion of their budget running their furnaces
and air conditioners as well as keeping the lights
on. By upgrading a home’s furnace, sealing leaky
ducts, and adding insulation, a homeowner can
cut their energy bills by 20 to 40 percent, and the
substantial savings accrue in summer as well as
winter and for years to come. By adding-energy
efficient appliances and lighting, the savings are
even greater. The Department of Energy’s weatherization
budget of $227 million in 2008 could
only provide benefits for 76,000 U.S. homes. While
the Nation has weatherized about six million lowincome
homes since 1976, more than 28 million
remain eligible. The Budget will build upon the
$5 billion provided in the recovery Act for weatherization
assistance in order to spur development
of an industry that will have the capacity to meet
the President’s goal of weatherizing one million
homes annually.
use Title Xvii Loan Guarantee to Reduce
Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Loan guarantee
volume under Title XVII of the Energy and Policy
Act of 2005 will support innovative and advanced
technologies that avoid, reduce, or sequester anthropogenic
greenhouse gas emissions or air pollutants.
The Budget will support a wide-range of
eligible projects such as renewable energy systems,
electric system transmission projects, and
carbon capture and sequestration projects that
will result in a cleaner environment and potentially,
a transformed energy sector.
help State and Local Governments be
More Energy Efficient. After the Federal Government,
State and local governments are some
of the largest users of energy. Facing budget
shortfalls, many States and local governments
now lack sufficient financial resources to tap the
full potential of clean energy development and
deployment. This situation is exacerbated by private
sector financing drying up as a result of the
recent credit crisis. The Budget will build upon
$6.3 billion provided for clean energy and energy
efficiency grants to state and local governments
in the recovery Act to help support their efforts
to reduce their energy use.
Green Our Nation’s farms. The Budget
increases funding levels over those provided in
previous years for programs, such as the Conservation
Stewardship Program and the Environmental
Quality Incentives Program that provide
incentives for farmers to better conserve their
lands and reduce pollution such as from animal
feeding operations. In addition, USDA intends to
work with farmers to help them take advantage
of opportunities to participate in emerging markets
for carbon credits, alternative energy and
in other environmental services, such as wildlife
habitat, clean water, and clean air.
Modernize the Electric Grid. We know
that the existing electricity grid today is insufJUMPSTArTING
THE ECONOMy AND INVESTING FOr THE FUTUrE 23
ficient and outdated. In order to bring significant
amounts of renewable energy online, tens of
thousands of miles of new, high-voltage national
transmission is necessary. For example, North
Dakota—a State with significant wind energy
potential—cannot carry the energy to the population
centers that need the electricity without
a new transmission superhighway. The Budget
will build on efforts in the recovery Act to create
this new, smarter electric grid for the integration
and use of greater amounts of renewable energy;
increased utilization of innovative efficiency
technologies; and a reduction in the electric congestion
that costs ratepayers billions of dollars
each year. The recovery Act includes funds to
complete additional significant work in improving
the national grid with regional transmission
planning and interconnection based transmission
planning. Included is a $100 million workforce
training program. To make the grid smarter, millions
of Smart Meters—a key first step to a Smart
Grid—will be deployed as well as investments in
a host of other smart grid technologies.
Preparing Our Children for the 21st
Century Economy
America faces few more urgent challenges
than preparing our children to compete in a global
economy. The decisions our leaders make about
education in the coming years will shape our future
for generations to come. The Administration
is committed to meeting this challenge, and its
vision for a 21st Century education begins with
demanding more reform and accountability coupled
with the resources needed to carry out that
reform; asking parents to take responsibility for
their children’s success; and recruiting, retaining,
and rewarding an army of new teachers to
teach at new, successful schools that prepare our
children for success in college and the workforce.
Throughout our history, our Nation’s schools from
the local elementary school to the large university
have been the gateway into the middle class
and a better life for millions. That is why it’s so
important that the investments we make in education
are ones that work—that help children
learn and pursue their dreams. When it comes
to our children’s future, we cannot waste dollars
on methods, programs, and initiatives that are
not effective and efficient. Consequently, in this
Budget, the Administration makes significant
investments in approaches that have proven to
deliver for our children and will reallocate funds
away from and terminate programs that do not.
To restore the promise of America’s public education
and to help America’s children again lead the
world in achievement, creativity, and success, the
Budget will:

[real6]

http://www.americansforprosperity.org/022709-obamas-energy-tax



The 2010 Obama budget reveals the major tax hike that Pelosi, Reid, and Obama are counting on to fund the outrageous bailout and stimulus spending that is propelling federal spending to record levels-27.7 percent of GDP in 2009, an all-time record other than the four peak years of World War II.

The tax hike is a broad-based energy tax that will wallop every American who fills a gas tank, pays an electric bill, or buys any product that has to be grown, shipped, or manufactured.

The mechanism is cap-and-trade, which is like a tax on coal, oil, and natural gas but instead of being set at a specific amount, the total level of use is capped and companies are forced to pay the government for emissions permits-which Wall Street wizards at companies like AIG and Goldman Sachs can in turn trade on sophisticated exchanges and derivative markets.

White House Budget Director Peter Orzcag admitted that decreasing carbon emissions imposes costs on the economy, and "much of those costs will be passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices for energy and energy-intensive goods."

Page 21 of the Obama budget proposal highlights his cap-and-trade proposal:

After enactment of the Budget, the Administration will work expeditiously with key stakeholders and the Congress to develop an economy-wide emissions reduction program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions approximately 14 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, and approximately 83 percent below 2005 levels by 2050.

The economic impact of such a policy would be devastating. Even using the Obama administration's own official numbers, it would amount to a tax hike of $645 billion over the first 8 years, about $80 billion per year--and the White House has since admitted the real tax hike could be two or three times as much. That's just the first 8 years of a program that runs through 2050. As the cap becomes more and more strict over time, those costs would skyrocket into many trillions of dollars.

Obama's proposed 83 percent reduction below 2005 levels by 2050 dwarfs the proposal from last year's Lieberman-Warner bill, which included a 63 percent reduction.

While we don't have numbers yet on the new proposal, the cost of last year's bill is instructive. A study conducted by SAIC (the same modeling firm the Energy Department uses for its own projections) for the American Council on Capital Formation, found that electricity prices would be expected to increase under anywhere between 101 percent and 129 percent by the year 2030. Prices at the pump would jump 77 percent to 145 percent-bringing not just $4 gasoline, but very possibly $8 gasoline or higher.

The estimated impact on disposable household income due to rising energy prices would then reach anywhere between $4,022 and $6,752. And because an energy tax is regressive, it will fall heaviest on poor and lower middle class folks who spend more of their income on energy.

President Obama himself described his plan in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle last year this way:

Under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket... whatever the industry was, uh, they would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that money on to consumers.

The new version of the plan in the Obama budget is much more aggressive, and reducing emissions another 20 percent will be dramatically more costly-possibly as much as double the cost since the additional cuts will come in the most difficult and expensive areas, like transportation and agriculture.

While the lost purchasing power for a typical household will decline by many thousands of dollars, the administration promises the plan will be "offset" by the $400 per worker rebate checks that were passed as part of the stimulus bill. Paying thousands and getting back hundreds is a bad deal for American families.

This is not a side-effect of his plan--it's the intended goal, which was clear when Obama said in his address to Congress that he wants to give so-called renewable energies a market advantage, which can only be done by imposing a tax that dramatically increases the cost of natural gas, oil, and coal.

This policy would destroy the only bright spot in the current economic environment, low energy prices, and cause severe economic pain. It should not even be contemplated if we are serious about addressing the country's economic crisis.

[always_rebel]

the fuckers spray us with shit, heat the ionosphere to the boiling point frying our brains in this way, modify the weather and then fine us for it!

they charge us for us giving them for fucken free our fingerprints, iris scan and DNA.

Fuck, I've seriously nuff of that.








.

[ownoiz]

and again the politicians have'nt read the bill.


Usually they only read their paycheck...becoming a politician is like taking the blue pill.

http://www.reel.com/Content/Reelimages/features2001/pantoliano/cypher.jpg


Rothschild Australia and E3 International to take the lead in the global carbon trading market

Rothschild Australia and E3 International are set to become key players in the international carbon credit trading market, an emerging commodity market that analysts estimate could be worth up to US$150 billion by 2012.


More here - Carbon trading (http://forum.prisonplanet.com/index.php?topic=96182.0)

.

[veritasvoice]

Yes, this is what people should be focusing on, not MJ

They won't be able to focus on much when they cannot afford to keep the lights on.

This is a deliberate act of HARM against the American people, in particular against the middle class and poor. The rich don't care about utility or gas costs, and don't feel inflation as much as someone struggling with rent or trying to find a job. And people will literally die over increases to utility bills in some areas of the country come winter time.

If there was a time for a populace to rise up in revolt against a corrupt and tyrannical government, it would be right now. I'm not even sure that won't be the case when the effects of this bill become widespread.

I wouldn't be surprised if power companies start to go bankrupt from this, facilitating government takeover of energy production as well.

[lizzy]

Usually they only read their paycheck...becoming a politician is like taking the blue pill.

http://www.reel.com/Content/Reelimages/features2001/pantoliano/cypher.jpg



More here - Carbon trading (http://forum.prisonplanet.com/index.php?topic=96182.0)

.

hi ownioz :)
LOL......the dam right :rolleyes:

The Carbon Ring Consortium is an unregistered, managed investment scheme. Designed to be a tailored, limited-life vehicle, it will document the legal and accounting process involved in the purchase, settlement and distribution of various carbon credit assets.

.the BS does'nt stop :eek:

[lizzy]

I wouldn't be surprised if power companies start to go bankrupt from this, facilitating government takeover of energy production as well.
hi vv,
hard to tell one from another now. .....the take down the middle class is deffo the agenda.

[motleyhoo]

If every American family didn't insist on driving 14 mpg land barges then I might feel some sympathy for them. I have been cognizant of fuel economy and the environment for many years and my wife and I both intentionally drive very fuel efficient vehicles. I am tired of being pissed off every time I need to drive at the thousand and millions of self-centered, narcissistic assholes in their 20 foot long chrome-plated gas guzzlers polluting the sky, funding the countries that hate us, and blocking my vision to defensively see ahead, and all because of their own egotistical vanity. I say fuck them. They reap what they sow.

I hate taxes. I really fucking hate them. But some people don't listen unless you hit them in the head or the wallet.
.

[ownoiz]

If every American family didn't insist on driving 14 mpg land barges then I might feel some sympathy for them. I have been cognizant of fuel economy and the environment for many years and my wife and I both intentionally drive very fuel efficient vehicles. I am tired of being pissed off every time I need to drive at the thousand and millions of self-centered, narcissistic assholes in their 20 foot long chrome-plated gas guzzlers polluting the sky, funding the countries that hate us, and blocking my vision to defensively see ahead, and all because of their own egotistical vanity. I say fuck them. They reap what they sow.

I hate taxes. I really fucking hate them. But some people don't listen unless you hit them in the head or the wallet.
.

Vehicles are only one part of this multi faceted tax and of course i know you would know that, because i read your posts and you know what you are talking about...but since you mentioned it though i would like to comment....it comes back to that question again, do we blame the people for buying the gas guzzling barges or do we blame the people making them and pushing them onto us...i mean why are these so called broke companies still making vehicles like this, the big 3, F-series, Ram and silverado etc...shouldnt they know better...i know the defense is supply and demand, oh the people want to drive 3 tonne trucks with 6+ litre V8 and V10 and corvette and viper engines stuffed into them...but its bullshit because they have a choice to build them or not....and they have been in bed with or had influence over policy makers for decades if not a century...the same policy makers pushing for carbon taxes.

The so called broke GM and Dodge, and Ford, all incessantly push onto us overweight overpowered overpriced barges with enourmous engines, there is little modern technology or materials in the body of most of these vehicles to reduce weight, little difference to the 40's or 50's pressed steel yet its almost 2010...profit margins are all that matters...they use MSM, celebrities, they use motorsport, NASCAR, Drag racing, V8 Supercars (australia) the so called win on sunday sell on monday...i mean FFS in this day and age we have musclecar wars again, after having previously being killed off in the 70's because of the '70's oil crisis' :rolleyes: ...Mustang vs Camaro vs Challenger, where the big 3 pay the likes of Snoop Dog to 'pimp' these machines...even if he is too stoned to rip a decent burnout...

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/1800/snooptriesaburnout.jpg

Everyone from Snoop Dodge to Jay Leno and 50 Cent is being paid well to pimp cars with 6+ litre V8's and its in our faces all the time...

http://www.carzi.com/wp-content/uploads/50cent6.jpg

Do we blame the 'sheeple' or the big 3 who have been in bed with the likes of John D Rockefeller and his fuel companies, and hence the policy makers and governments, since the Henry Ford days when he scrapped plans to run the model T on vegetable oil after Johnny D had a quiet word in his ear about how they could all get rich together.

Yes some middle eastern countries profit from oil, but so do American companies and some Americans.

Not to mention that internal combustion engines run on compressed hydrogen anyway...and the car makers know this...and no im not talking about hydgrogen fuel cells, or those little contraptions one bolts on to make a few H bubbles so mythbusters can go bust it on TV, im talking about a proper system including a safe impact resistant thick walled tank 60-100 litres that can hold compressed Hydrogen, and the correct metering system to feed it to the engine intake...if there are any doubters out there, disconnect you fuel line on your gasoline car, get a bottle of compressed H with a tap, and feed it into your intake, it will start and run if you practise feeding the correct amount in....BMW had done it in the early 90s to a v12 750 petrol engine with little modification to the engine itself...it was well documented but all that info has vanished off the web now...now im rambling because Hydrogen engines, thats a whole other thread...

But it does make a point that many of the same people that are pushing these climate/carbon/ whatever you want to call it rules, who hold influence over policy makers, rendering them their puppets...well their PRIMARY concern is not the environment or sustainability IMHO, they are interested in generating more revenue...AND placing burdens on any company or sector that they so choose , namely competitors they havent yet managed to wrestle control from via other market forces such as the financial crises or other policy.

It is too convenient for me that policy makers have grown a conscience and at the same time are pushing for a global tax on carbon.

Is government policy with fines for non compliances not adequate to address the issues of sustainability and polluting our planet? I guess not, because then how would the likes of Rothschild carbon make money out of it :rolleyes:
.

[and justice for all]

Yup!, this passed on the same day people is too busy focusing on the dead pedophile/mk-ultra/weirdo. This should be the talk of the day, this is what should make people talk and mobilize.
Mind you, what's finny about this bill is that most of what it says, already has been introduced in England and you don’t hear much from them... well apart from the odd bitchin' about "wheelie" bins.:rolleyes:

People are sleepwalking into their own demise.