Cap & Trade

November 4, 2010

Dear Representative Schakowsky,
Dear Senator Durbin,
Dear Senator Burris,

As a constituent, I urge you to oppose the Kerry-Graham-Lieberman "American Power Act." Little more than cap and trade in disguise, the bill would be a massive job-killing energy tax. In fact, the largest tax hike ever, and would hit the poor and middleclass, who spend a higher proportion of their income on essentials like electricity and fuel, the hardest. when American families are already struggling to make ends meet in our current economic downturn.

Cap and trade, or cap and tax, would mean sky high energy prices for consumers, but a new government slush fund for Washington. A twenty-seven cent "Fuels' Fee" on every gallon of gasoline included in the bill means not just higher prices at the pump, but higher prices on shipping and food production. It's hard to think of an area of life these higher costs won't affect. Higher energy costs will put the cost of doing business through the roof and send American jobs overseas at a time of record unemployment.

The bill also contains multi-billion dollar handouts for select corporations like General Electric, Duke Energy, and BP, who all support higher energy costs.

Altogether, this is far too high a price to pay for nothing in return. Any impact on global climate temperatures is too small to measure. The risks, on the other hand, are clear. Please stand up for American families and businesses and oppose the Kerry-Lieberman "American Power Act."

November 3, 2010 Mr. Zoltan Varga Chicago, IL 60660 Dear Mr. Varga: Thank you for contacting me regarding the American Power Act. I appreciate hearing from you. In order to achieve meaningful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions without harming our economy, it is important that we provide industries with sufficient time to prepare for new standards and ensure that consumers are not subject to sudden cost increases. However, we cannot afford to ignore the problem. Mainstream scientists have accumulated overwhelming evidence that the problem of climate change is real and that we can't afford to wait any longer to act. If we choose to ignore climate change and its consequences, we risk placing our future in grave danger. We could face large-scale environmental and economic dislocations that threaten our national security. Senators Kerry and Lieberman developed the American Power Act to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change. This legislation would establish a national pollution reduction target requiring greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced 17 percent below the 2005 level by 2020, with the goal of reducing emissions by 83 percent by the year 2050. The legislation includes provisions to promote the production of oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy. It also would make a significant investment in the development of clean, domestic energy sources. Supporting renewable energy, carbon capture and sequestration, and other clean energy technologies will move our nation toward energy independence, strengthen our national security, and protect our environment. Our investment in clean energy will also jumpstart the creation of a wide range of new jobs here in the United States that cannot be outsourced. By tackling the largest sources of carbon pollution and taking steps now to reduce the impacts of climate change, we can protect our environmental future while expanding our economy. Thank you again for your message. Please feel free to stay in touch. Sincerely, Richard J. Durbin United States Senator

Dear Senator Durbin
I’m glad and surprised to hear from your staff. Thank you very much for the invitation to continue the correspondence. I believe without a doubt that your intentions for our great Country are most honorable. If I might be so bold and comment on several aspects of the new regulations that you are proposing for our declining manufacturing, mining and oil production industries. The first comment is on “The global worming” theory suggested by some scientists and disputed by other scientists that dispute resulted in name changing to “Climate change.” If we seriously consider only that one fact we must give the theory a second look. Second comment is on the job creation that you are forecasting as a result of the new regulation, in the business, service jobs are called overhead. Third comment is on “Cap & Trade” that you refer to as the “American Power Act” you said that Senators Kerry and Lieberman proposed the legislation; you didn’t say how they came up with it, who actually wrote the concept. How about China, India and Russian Federation will they be paying the “Global Tax?” It is a global tax, isn’t it? And who would be controlling the clearing house for such a large trading institution?
And one more thing, The Constitution, Article. I. Section. 8. The Congress shall have Power… To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations …
I am going to assume it means to our favor, please correct me if I am wrong in any of my assumptions and please forgive me for my boldness.
Sincerely yours
American Voter