A must read: Stop the Green Pig: Defeat the Boxer-Warner-Lieberman Green Pork Bill Capping American Jobs and Trading America's Future:
Instead of acting to lower gas prices, your representatives in the Senate began debate yesterday on a measure that will increase gas prices.
Instead of heeding your voice, Congress is acting in defiance of it.
Instead of giving you relief from high gas prices, your elected representatives are debating how to give even more handouts to lobbyists and special interests.
To top this off, here is the response I received from B. Hussein Obama today:
Dear Robert:
Thank you for contacting me about the effect of greenhouse gas emissions on the global climate and your views regarding the Lieberman-Warner proposal to address this issue.
I agree that the issue of climate change requires decisive and urgent Congressional action. I am a cosponsor of the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act (S. 309) introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders in January. This proposal outlines a long-term plan which would cap greenhouse gas emissions economy-wide beginning in 2010, with a goal of reducing emissions by 80 percent of 1990 levels by the year 2050.
I also authored the National Low Carbon Fuels Act, which requires a net 10 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in our transportation fuels by the year 2020. That bill, coupled with my Fuel Economy Reform Act, which requires vehicles to achieve 40 miles per gallon by 2020, would together result in the greenhouse-gas-equivalent of removing more than 50 million cars off the road in twelve years.
On October 18, 2007, Senators Lieberman and Warner introduced America's Climate Security Act of 2007 (S. 2191). In the following weeks, the Senate Environmental and Public Works panel held both subcommittee and full committee hearings on the bill. On December 5, the panel favorably reported S. 2191 by a vote of 11-8. First and foremost, the Lieberman-Warner proposal contains a cap-and-trade framework for addressing greenhouse gas reduction, an approach that I have consistently endorsed. Next, the bill sets targets for a phased reduction in emissions to 15 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and to 70 percent below 2005 levels by 2050. S. 2191 also includes some important provisions such as energy assitance for low-income households, new efficiency standards for appliances and buildings, and incentives for the development and deployment of renewable energy technologies.
The evidence is compelling that even if carbon dioxide emissions are restricted to today’s levels, the earth’s climate could be several degrees warmer in the next 50 years. My two daughters were born in the late 1990s, and if this problem is largely unaddressed, they will likely experience the effects of global climate change in their lifespan. I agree with your views that carbon control legislation must have targets that achieve bold and real reductions in greenhouse gases, both in the near term and mid-century, to prevent irreversible damage to the climate, and I will communicate these concerns with my Senate colleagues.
Again, thank you for contacting me. You may rest assured that I will continue to be an advocate for strong and timely action on the global climate change problem.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
United States Senator
P.S. Our system does not allow direct response to this email. However, if you would like to contact me again, please use the form on the website: http://obama.senate.gov/contact/
What did I write to B. Hussein Obama, you ask? Here it is:
Senator Obama,
As you know, the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act (S. 2191/3036) AKA the Boxer-Warner-Lieberman Gas Tax Hike bill is currently being debated in the Senate. This bill if passed, could cause gas prices to increase by more than $3.00 per gallon. Gas prices are already way too high due to current policies. This bill would only serve to drive prices higher.
We need real solutions to this problem. There are plenty of domestic sources of oil (and other resources) available. Instead, we have surrendered control to the Middle East and other hostile countries. Please explain exactly how higher taxes, and the resulting higher gas prices will prevent this situation from getting even worse? This problem can be solved and higher taxes are not the answer.
Please do the right thing and strongly oppose S. 2191/3036. The People of Illinois already have a hard enough time affording enough fuel in their cars just to get to work. Taxes on fuel are already way too high. Please don't make it worse. Oppose S. 2191/3036.
Any idea, why he thinks that I agree with him at all? I didn't even mention "climate change" or "Global Warming". I told him to oppose the bill on the basis of gas prices...
As Newt puts it so well:
I've long maintained that there are two ways to protect the environment: There is the old-style, command and control, government regulation and litigation approach. Or there is the new way which uses technology, innovation and incentives to protect our environment. Of these two approaches, the Boxer-Warner-Lieberman bill is definitely of the old school. The Wall Street Journal calls it "the most extensive government reorganization of the American economy since the 1930s."
Which way do you think will actually work? I'm all for option #2!
-Bob
