from The Washington Post
The ‘Cap And Tax’ Dead End
By Sarah Palin
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
There is no shortage of threats to our economy. America’s unemployment rate recently hit its highest mark in more than 25 years and is expected to continue climbing. Worries are widespread that even when the economy finally rebounds, the recovery won’t bring jobs. Our nation’s debt is unsustainable, and the federal government’s reach into the private sector is unprecedented.
Unfortunately, many in the national media would rather focus on the personality-driven political gossip of the day than on the gravity of these challenges. So, at risk of disappointing the chattering class, let me make clear what is foremost on my mind and where my focus will be:
I am deeply concerned about President Obama’s cap-and-trade energy plan, and I believe it is an enormous threat to our economy. It would undermine our recovery over the short term and would inflict permanent damage.
American prosperity has always been driven by the steady supply of abundant, affordable energy. Particularly in Alaska, we understand the inherent link between energy and prosperity, energy and opportunity, and energy and security. Consequently, many of us in this huge, energy-rich state recognize that the president’s cap-and-trade energy tax would adversely affect every aspect of the U.S. economy.
There is no denying that as the world becomes more industrialized, we need to reform our energy policy and become less dependent on foreign energy sources. But the answer doesn’t lie in making energy scarcer and more expensive! Those who understand the issue know we can meet our energy needs and environmental challenges without destroying America’s economy.
Job losses are so certain under this new cap-and-tax plan that it includes a provision accommodating newly unemployed workers from the resulting dried-up energy sector, to the tune of $4.2 billion over eight years. So much for creating jobs.
In addition to immediately increasing unemployment in the energy sector, even more American jobs will be threatened by the rising cost of doing business under the cap-and-tax plan. For example, the cost of farming will certainly increase, driving down farm incomes while driving up grocery prices. The costs of manufacturing, warehousing and transportation will also increase.
The ironic beauty in this plan? Soon, even the most ardent liberal will understand supply-side economics.
The Americans hit hardest will be those already struggling to make ends meet. As the president eloquently puts it, their electricity bills will “necessarily skyrocket.” So much for not raising taxes on anyone making less than $250,000 a year.
Even Warren Buffett, an ardent Obama supporter, admitted that under the cap-and-tax scheme, “poor people are going to pay a lot more for electricity.”
We must move in a new direction. We are ripe for economic growth and energy independence if we responsibly tap the resources that God created right underfoot on American soil. Just as important, we have more desire and ability to protect the environment than any foreign nation from which we purchase energy today.
In Alaska, we are progressing on the largest private-sector energy project in history. Our 3,000-mile natural gas pipeline will transport hundreds of trillions of cubic feet of our clean natural gas to hungry markets across America. We can safely drill for U.S. oil offshore and in a tiny, 2,000-acre corner of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge if ever given the go-ahead by Washington bureaucrats.
Of course, Alaska is not the sole source of American energy. Many states have abundant coal, whose technology is continuously making it into a cleaner energy source. Westerners literally sit on mountains of oil and gas, and every state can consider the possibility of nuclear energy.
We have an important choice to make. Do we want to control our energy supply and its environmental impact? Or, do we want to outsource it to China, Russia and Saudi Arabia? Make no mistake: President Obama’s plan will result in the latter.
For so many reasons, we can’t afford to kill responsible domestic energy production or clobber every American consumer with higher prices.
Can America produce more of its own energy through strategic investments that protect the environment, revive our economy and secure our nation?
Yes, we can. Just not with Barack Obama’s energy cap-and-tax plan.
The writer, a Republican, is governor of Alaska.
Palin rumor debunking with links:
http://explorations.chasrmartin.com/2008/09/06/palin-rumors/
“And of course, any major oil spill will mind it’s business and stay on it’s 2000acre reservation.”
30 years of North Sea operations haven’t produced an oil spill?
But anyway, what have facts got to do with it?
The term ‘Cap and trade’ is a serious misnomer.
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Rather, it should more properly be referred to as ‘Rape and denigrate.’
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It’s rape because that’s truly the essence of what will happen to the lot of us.
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It’s denigration because we will be reduced to paupers in short order.
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WHO will be able to continue to pay their bills, much less their mortgages?
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The number of homeless people will veritably skyrocket in less than a decade.
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And as far as Palin goes? What does she have to worry about?
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She couldn’t hold a candle to Rep. Ron Paul of Texas.
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The ONLY candidate worth voting for the next time around is RON PAUL.
A well written piece.
Like the bit about not outsourcing energy supply to our competitors.
Shame Europe doesn’t wake up to that too. At least they’re finally waking up to not being reliant on one supplier………
Keep God out of your arguments Mrs Palin in the public domain. What you choose to do in your family is entirely your own affair and I for one will not attempt to challenge you on that……….
The middle way is fascism.
I don’t get Sara Palin. To others she may be folksy, foxy, gun-tottin, plain-talking country gal come mother and family person, but she ain’t no’ politician.
PS Michael Palin is a lot funnier.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Parrot
I would not have voted for Sarah Palin – I think she’s too lightweight a politician, and I disagree with a lot of her social policies.
But as far as this particular article is concerned, I think that it demonstrates that there is a principled opposition to cap-and-trade which is non-partisan, pragmatic and realistic.
I think cap-and-trade would be a disaster for the world if the Senate were pass it, and the damage would last a generation before it is repealed.
I find myself thinking back to the Prohibition drive of the early 20th Century leading to the 18th Amendment – anyone who disagreed with that one was in the secret pay of Big Alcohol and wanted children to be damaged by alcoholism, ans societal decline – who would stand in the way of that sort of rhetoric? Not many, it turned out.
Yes here we are one hundred years later, being presented with emotionally charged statements from authorities that ask us to choose between good and evil, a bright future versus no future, repentence or damnation.
Its irrestistable to conclude that the Cap-and-Trade system would engender massive cheating and fraud on the public purse, and massive social unrest as city after city, state after state goes bust.
I’m amazed that its even being considered as reasonable in the early 21st Century to attempt to control climate by trying to control a single lever so central to the success of the world’s economy. Perhaps in a hundred years’ time, people will wonder about what happened in the Western World to allow such mass hysteria to happen, just as we shake our heads about Prohibition.
“nvw (22:04:08) :
Ms. Palin is correct on this issue, but as an Alaskan I am not impressed with her leadership and political decision making. When it comes to demonstrating scientific literacy, I prefer my politicians to not believe the Earth was created in seven days.”
This is a very slippery slope. Ask any politician/neighbor/etc. if they believe in God, and if they believe in the Bible, and you can say that a whole bunch of people fall into that same category. The reason is the lack of critical thinking applied to the problem, or the lack of resolve to admit it. Either way…stating that someone’s belief in God is a reason NOT to support them would rule out about %95 of the population.
Btw…I’m in the remaining %5.
Jimb
Theduke:
“Our nation’s domestic oil reserves are best left undeveloped to be relied upon in the case of a catastrophic world crisis, the probability of which is much greater now than it was two years ago.”
I couldn’t disagree more, especially with your last point. If there IS a catastrophic world crisis, it will be far too late for untapped energy sources to be brought online and do any good for a very long time.
And foreign oil producers have plenty of customers in India and China to pick up the slack from our lack of purchasing.
JimB
Don’t know about ANWR reserve size, but under the Arctic Sea there is oil galore. Putin’s up there planting flags with submarrines while we twiddle with Economic Waterloo.
Yes, this is the 1st item she has commented on since announcing resignation.
She picked the biggest threat to the survival of the US and the West.
You betcha, Sarah.
China has even offered to put Peanut Butter on the Mousetrap, just to reassure the gullible.
there are plenty of resons to reject C&T.
By posting partisan lunacy, you lose YOUR credibility.
Cap and Trade is not designed to improve the environment. It’s a tax plan that gives absolute control to government on everything since energy is required for everything. I’m surprised at the ignorance of the public at large and the so called smart thinking scientists willingness to ignore facts for political beliefs. This Palin Post has flushed out some pretty stupid comments on both sides. CO2 is a trace gas byproduct of combustion that is essential to life and now liberty if C&Tax gets through.
“Leon Brozyna (23:13:58) :
Palin 2012!! For real?
Probably. The question is, who will she be running against? Now that’s the truly interesting question in light of today’s court ruling against Obama.”
Leon, I can’t find any reference to what you refer to. Could you provide more detail, or a link?
JimB
JeffT (21:57:45) :
“I’d vote for Sarah Palin, and I’m not an American (or Alaskan)”
You’d be allowed to vote in Chicago, JeffT. Fact of the matter is you’re overqualified to vote in Chicago: you’re not a citizen and you’re still alive.
I sent this on to Drudge, lets see if he picks it up.Remember, with 20 Million plus hits a day, he has a lot of clout.
There is relatively little oil under ANWR. Most of the North Slope oil and gas is in Canadian waters. Thats according to the USGS. Which is not a reason not to drill for what oil there is.
And on energy independence. Converting motor vehicles to run on natural gas is by far the easiest and cheapest thing to reduce foreign oil dependence.
Here in Perth Western Australia, most vehicle miles are in NG powered vehicles. Almost every vehicle that is on the road most of the day is NG fueled as it is a much cheaper fuel. It is cleaner and has no real disadvantages. Every service station sells NG and filling up your car takes the same amount of time.
As others have pointed out, there is abundant natural gas in N America, as there is here in W Australia.
And to tallbloke. Significant spillage from producing oil wells is extraordinarily rare – barring war and terrorism. Almost all oil spillage occurs during transportation.
Wow ! This can’t be the same Sarah Palin that campaigned as potential vice president??!! I’m afraid the UK media had her mapped out as a brainless bimbo, but after reading this article, brainless and bimbo she ain’t !! Good one Sarah, let’s hope it gets the coverage it deserves.
I think Sarah Palin is the most normal national politician we have seen in years, or are likely to see again.
I like her, and I am dumfounded by the hatred of Palin espoused by women who either slept their way, married their way, or inherited their way to the top. She truly is the American ideal of someone who makes something of themselves through hard work.
It is good that she is willing to call a spade a spade. She was an AGW skeptic even when toeing the McCain line – she said clearly that she and McCain disagree on the AGW.
crosspatch
“The American left has a penchant for what is called “shut up” politics. If they do not like your message, they attack you personally in order to shut you up and in order to discourage others from speaking out. The messages is “if you speak out, we will do this to you, too”.”
Not just the American left. We have it worse in the UK being a smaller country to control. When the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nigel Lawson, wrote a rather mild book questioning AGW and associated policies, he could not find a UK publisher who dared to touch it. He had to go to the US. (Lawson was on the House of Lords Select Committee on the Economics of Climate Change in 2005, and heard both sides of the argument.)
When the Irish people voted to reject the EU Constitution (aka. Lisbon Treaty), they were told they had got it wrong. A new referundum has been ordered.
What we have now from our European politicians are the methods of organized crime. And the Opposition are useless.
Oh boy, never expected to see that windbag Palin in this weblog. I mean, there are tons of other more credible people on this planet to support the climate skepticsim?
Here is a nice overview of the Waxman-Markey bill. From the wackos at Grist.org.
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-06-03-waxman-markey-bill-breakdown/
Molon Labe (22:08:17) :
“We have seen Palin go from a AGW denier to an (modest and reserved but still…) AGW believer within a fortnight…”
She is a GW believer but an AGW skeptic, as we all are.
Malon Labe,
Unfortunately this is not the case.
I have watched a long interview with Sarah Palin where she described who she came to the insights that “although some of the warming was from natural processes, she had become convinced a big chunk was produced by humans burning coal and oil”.
Listen, it’s not a matter catching flies but more a criticle view how to judge a politician.
One of the reason I ask serious questions is because I really think she has a chance when people wake up from the “Obama spell”.
I think she is a tough lady and a fast learner.
But if she switches fundamental political positions like at the flick of a switch?
The US now needs a strong candidate who takes a healthy distance from the AGW/Climate Change Doctrine and the United Nations.
I was thinking about a person like Vaclac Claus, who has a sixth sense for BS.
I would swear on a stack of bibles that in her debate w/Biden she said she supported a Cap n Trade plan. I am virtually 100% certain of this.
She may be new to politics, but she flip-flops like a veteran…
DonK31 (00:48:07) :
Tallbloke: What you have just described is a fascist system, private ownership but with government control. Do you want to live under faschism?
I didn’t say anything about private ownership, read what I wrote again.
It’s a question of who you think Alaska’s mineral wealth belongs to: The Alaskans or a few already rich people who can afford to purchase ‘mineral rights’ in order to make themselves a lot richer.
The current economic downturn is going to require a lot of investment to straighten it out. After all the scams, the population’s interest in their own country has been raped, robbed and left bleeding in the gutter.
The Alaskan people could do with that mineral wealth looking after their future. It’s cold up there in winter, and heating fuel is getting expensive.
I know this is heresy to ‘free market’ thinking Americans, but look where the free for all, moral-value free market has landed us all. How free was it for those that weren’t loaded in the first place?
I say give every Alaskan a non-transferable piece of paper with ‘mineral rights – 1/population’ printed on it, and take it from there.
and… you want this as the next POTUS???