Behind the Plow

I recently listened to a Cato podcast detailing the insanity that is Cap and Trade. Some of you have heard of this, the latest attempt by the left to modify our habits in order to address the well-disputed issue of man-made global warming.

Whether you believe that global warming is man made or not, you must avail yourself of the lunacy contained in this bill. The legislation I speak of can be found here: H.R. 2454. As you'll find in the section 703 ("REDUCTION TARGETS FOR SPECIFIED SOURCES"), the following goals have been outlined by our elected officials:

(a) In General- The regulations issued under section 721 shall cap and reduce annually the greenhouse gas emissions of capped sources each calendar year beginning in 2012 such that--

(1) in 2012, the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions from capped sources does not exceed 97 percent of the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions from such sources in 2005;
(2) in 2020, the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions from capped sources does not exceed 83 percent of the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions from such sources in 2005;
(3) in 2030, the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions from capped sources does not exceed 58 percent of the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions from such sources in 2005; and
(4) in 2050, the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions from capped sources does not exceed 17 percent of the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions from such sources in 2005.

In case you're wondering, 17% of emissions in 2005 generally equates to emissions from our forebears living prior to the start of the previous century. The brain trust previously known as the House of Representatives decided upon, and passed (by seven votes), a bill that proposes to reduce the emissions of the average American to levels not seen since the 1800's. Even those who believe that climate change is caused by man are unlikely to expect this or any country to return to an agrarian society.

Perhaps I should give our elected sycophants a modicum of credit. It's entirely possible that they believe that innovation will bring about such vast improvements in fuel economy and reduced consumption that we can maintain a lifestyle resembling that of the current century without the matching carbon output. Of course, if this were their intention or belief, why is it that everything they've done to date, including this legislation, has carried business and innovation stifling taxation and burdensome regulation? I suppose it's because they chose to prove, once again, that they don't have a clue how to enact any meaningful legislation without further expanding their power base.

Tanstaafl