Bravo, Joe Barton: The Hallmarks of Waxman-Markey: Unseen Deals, Untold Economic Damage

“We don’t know what the cost of these tons is going to be. Your manager’s amendment uses a number $10 a metric ton. I’ve seen estimates as high as $200 a ton. EPA used $20 a ton. Most neutral economists use $50 to $100 a ton. So pick your number. Even at $10 a ton, that’s $15 billion a year. If you go up to $200 a ton, that’s $300 billion per year. To put that number in perspective, Mr. Chairman, the entire revenue generated by the electricity network of our country in 2007 was about $400 billion. So, no matter what number you use, you’re going to put a significant cost on the American economy.

“What’s the environmental benefit? According to scientists who support the legislation, the environmental benefit is less than one degree Fahrenheit in the next 100 years. We know the cost is significant, we know the environmental benefit is basically nonexistent.

“We also know we’re going to have a markup on a bill that until Friday around 3 p.m., outside of the rooms that you’ve been sitting in negotiating the parameters of the allowance giveaway, nobody’s seen.

Stunning New Survey Shows Americans Oppose Expensive-Energy Bill  | GlobalWarming.org

A stunning survey commissioned by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association reveals that Americans overwhelmingly oppose expensive energy policies like the American Clean Energy and Security Act, the Waxman-Markey climate change mitigation bill.

A memo on the survey results can be found here. Graphic representations of the survey (charts and graphs) can be found here.