Clean-energy bill is healthy for all

[sfc_oliver]

Congressional Budget Office expert recently estimated the cost per household at an average of $1,600 a year, but that figure doesn't account for energy rebates Obama has proposed giving to consumers. If the government did use revenue from cap and trade "to pay an equal lump-sum rebate to every household," the CBO expert said, "lower-income households could be better off."

(So its still another tax on the upper classes?)(Where's the rebate money coming from?)

How do Republicans figure American households will be out $3,100? The figure is based in part on a 2007 study by the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change. The study estimated that a cap-and-trade market for 2015 would be worth $366 billion in revenue. Republicans, figuring that that amount would be passed from the energy companies to consumers, calculated the average cost per household by dividing $366 billion by 117 million households (a population of 300 million divided into households of 2.56 persons) to get $3,128, or roughly $3,100.

(seems like solid Math to me)

In a letter sent to House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) on April 1, John Reilly, associate director for research at the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change, said that the study he coauthored had "been misrepresented in recent press releases distributed by the National Republican Congressional Committee." He said the GOP's calculation fails to account for Obama's stated intent to provide rebates to consumers to cushion the effect of increased prices:

(again, not denying the cost but there will be rebates)

Wheres the money coming from?

(And here is the official reply to those rebates and the money)

Despite Reilly's objections, Republicans continue to use the $3,100 figure. An April 2 "Leader Alert" on the House Republican Leader's Web site reads: "An MIT professor has questions about the $3,100 figure but his letter makes assumptions that are factually inaccurate." Boehner disputes Reilly's assumption that revenue from a cap-and-trade program would be returned to households: "[W]e all know that Democrats have no intention of using a cap-and-trade system to deliver rebates to consumers; they want the tax revenue to fund more government spending."

BTW that's all from Fact check except for my comments...FACT

Oh and before I forget John Reilly is a far left Green party type. So I'm sure he believes it all.

[rusty river]

A cap and trade (tax) system that was placed directly on electric utility companies 20 years ago to reduce sulfur emissions (the cause of acid rain) cost the companies and the government about half of what was being tossed around to implement it. The cost to consumers? Electric bills that rose at LESS THAN HALF THE RATE OF INFLATION.

How about we use facts and prior experiences to make future projections, instead of political rhetoric and uninformed biased opinions?

[sfc_oliver]

The cap & tax will not save the consumer anything, but will cost them plenty.

[irishbobcat]

Dan, you are the most conservative candidate I have met in a long time. You probably still srive a Model T.........

[Dan Moadus]

"Reader's Digest" version:
The Des Moines Register newspaper gets duped by local citizens group into believing that the air we exhale is a pollutant and that taxing the electric company will lower costs for all.

[irishbobcat]

Clean-energy bill is healthy for all
   Sep 29, 2009   Des Moines Register   
   Clean-energy bill is healthy for all Congress will soon consider clean-energy legislation that will have great positive impacts for everyday Iowans and Americans, particularly provisions that promote energy efficiency. A recent report released by Environment Iowa - a statewide citizen-based environmental advocacy group - finds that strong provisions for efficiency will put $282 back in the pockets of Iowa consumers annually and create 6,200 new jobs here. Nationwide, the average American household will save a similar amount on energy bills and more than half a million jobs will be created. In 2020, we will be preventing 480 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from polluting the atmosphere, the equivalent of taking 80 million cars off the road. All from common-sense solutions. If Sens. Charles Grassley and Tom Harkin have any question as to why they should support such legislation, these facts and positive gains to our state and our country ought to convince them. Now, more than ever, is it necessary that we take the time to let them know what's best for Iowa. - Eric Nost, Environment Iowa, Des Moines    


Ohio Legislators should learn the same lesson!

Dennis Spisak
Mahoning Valley Green Party
Ohio Green Party

www.ohiogreens.org
www.votespisak.org/thinkgreen.