PRESS RELEASE Contact:
Christine Hall, 202.331.2258
U. S. Chamber Caves to Special Interests on Energy-Rationing Legislation
CEI Invites Small Businesses to Join With CEI to Fight Kerry-Graham
Washington, D.C., November 4, 2009 – The Competitive Enterprise Institute responded today to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s announcement that it will now support energy-rationing legislation by calling on small businesses to drop their Chamber membership and join CEI in fighting this catastrophic legislation.
In a November 3 letter to Senators Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and James Inhofe (R-Okla.), the Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, the Chamber announced that it would now support legislation based on a recent New York Times op-ed by Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).
“It appears that the Chamber has caved under enormous pressure from some of its biggest member companies. They have reluctantly enlisted in the effort to reward these big special interests with gigantic windfall profits at the expense of consumers and small businesses,” said Myron Ebell, CEI Director of Energy and Global Warming Policy.
“We invite small businesses whose interests are no longer being well-represented by the Chamber on this critical issue to drop their membership in the U.S. Chamber and join us at CEI in fighting against all energy-rationing legislation, even so-called compromises that only partly wreck the economy. We welcome their support. We will not capitulate,” said Ebell.
“In its letter, the Chamber repeatedly cites the Oct. 14 Kerry-Graham op-ed in The New York Times as the reason for cuddling up to cap-and-trade,” noted CEI Senior Fellow Marlo Lewis. “But the Kerry-Graham column was a hopelessly confused muddle.” (Dr. Lewis explains why it is a muddle here.)
- To support CEI’s efforts to defend consumers from needless energy taxes, visit CEI.org/support, or contact Al Canata.
- Read more on energy policy and global warming at Globalwarming.org
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Jerry Lee Davis (18:55:05) :
“Ron de Haan referred to banana republics, agreeing with one of my fears: America may make history by becoming the first banana republic to possess nuclear weapons.
I am particularly disappointed with Lindsey Graham, who ought to know better”.
Jerry Lee Davis,
I have referred to Banana Republic not only because of this incident.
There were two more today:
In California, the capital stressed Government has taken 10% from the pay checks as a loan to be paid back next year. Obviously something like this is possible in the US of today and I wonde what happens if this goes Nation Wide.
Also today 21 top bank managers were called in to take directives from the “pay Czar” to cut down management wages. This also includes banks that have no Government loans. This is Communism. Unbelievable.
It seems this study on carbon soot has Inhofe et al folding: http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/v1/n4/abs/ngeo156.html
Hasn’t soot been scrubbed already?
I can’t remember when I last did this, but today I had the TV on for just a short while listening to news when the interview with Al Gore came on. As background, I am a far left liberal when it comes to a woman’s right to choose an abortion, consenting adults to marry, improved mental health care, public choice health care for those who can’t get covered any other way or can’t get fully covered, and public education free of religion, and I still have left over rants against Bush Jr. When it comes to other issues, I am a far right individual. Anyway, today, I was so disgusted with Gore that I ended up turning off the TV entirely. It stayed off the rest of the evening.
I made hot spicy tomato jam instead. This stuff is to die for served with cornbread and BBQ ribs.
I heard the same announcement two weeks ago, and it was a hoax. Are we sure this isn’t also a hoax?
REPLY: Sadly, no. See:
http://www.chamberpost.com/2009/11/climate-change—a-different-approach.html
– Anthony
I really think anyone who remotely paid attention during 7th grade chemistry class understands deep down that true science isn’t — and will never be — an exercise in coercive totalitarian groupthink.
I’m sick of having to listen to the tulipomania of the day. Someday this bubble of idiocy will burst.
The goal is “zero growth”
http://www.weaselzippers.net/blog/2009/07/obamas-science-adviser-called-for-placing-caps-on-economy-to-strive-for-zero-economic-growth.html
Because it’s good for the planet.
http://www.americansolutions.com/energytax/2009/10/kerry-killing-the-economy-is-how-we-reduce-emissions.php
The insanity has only just begun. Then, if we can put some breaks on it in 2010, maybe we can bring it to a halt in 2012. And, to do it right and sustain a victory, we’ll have to be as relentless at restoration as they were at destruction. If not, they will only come back again. Education is the key, and at the moment it’s held by the Left.
This is no doubt how the agenda intends to respond to it’s losses in 2 states today. When there is an accident ahead, you slow down, not hit the gas.
Yes, Sen. Graham should know better, as should the Chamber of Commerce. It’s dump ’em time, and American are paying attention to who’s listening and who has taken leave of their senses.
We are not stupid. Even the family dog gets it that America is flat broke.
We look at it all day long. Supermaket shock, business closures, no jobs, gas prices, bills, fees everywhere, cut services, empty houses, homelessness, you name it. 24-7.
ALARM ALARM ALARM
Cap&Trade can be a done deal by Tuesday the 10th of November!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is how the USA is going to lose it’s freedom, by a coup:
E&E News: Reid gives Boxer green light for nuclear option
November 4, 2009
Posted by: David Lungren David_Lungren@epw.senate.gov
In Case You Missed It . . .
E&E News
Reid gives Boxer green light for ‘nuclear option’
By: Darren Samuelsohn, E&E senior reporter
November 04, 2009
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has given the chairwoman of the Environment and Public Works Committee the go-ahead to advance global warming legislation by Tuesday if Republicans have not ended their boycott by then, according to three sources close to the process.
http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=c15c16fb-802a-23ad-497c-f7da55bc23ee
Also read: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/2009/11/kerry_graham_lieberman_announc.html
I’ve found the perfect metaphor of what is now going on:
” Increasingly, the road to Copenhagen resembles a suburban street on Halloween with the number of climate change freak shows and stunts reaching a nadir in recent weeks. Nicholas Stern says we should turn vegetarian in order to combat climate change. If you must eat meat, eat kangaroos, says Ross Garnaut, because…”
http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/janetalbrechtsen/index.php
h/t Icecap
So, will Apple, Nike, and their socialist brethren be rejoining the Chamber of Cowards?
Maybe it’s time to start boycotting any businesses who continue as members.
I was so looking forward to changing to Apple, tho more expensive, at the next opportunity before I found out all this (detest GatesI). Any other alternatives?
Maybe it would be better try to get fired, go on the dole, just go back to the land, eat homegrown goat, rabbit and the ubiquitous chestnuts and grapes (not so hard to make your own wine), grow my own tobacco, pot and morning glories (in addition to the usual). On cold nights, I’ll put up a tent and sleep with my tomato plants to keep them warm and give them a little extra CO2.
The world is clearly going to hell in a handbasket, insanity reigns.
OK, I’ll recover, still ready to go down fighting.
It appears that the yahoos in Washington are determined–and desperate–to shove Cap & Tax and government-controlled health care down the throats of the citizenry. Polls show that a majority of Americans want neither. These strong-arm tactics are energizing a backlash that will be felt at the polls next November. All incumbents should be nervous.
There’s a lot to be said for remaining neutral when politicians and maniacs are jumping up and down about anything. It’s very hard to fight the inmates of an Insane Asylum (no slight intended), City Hall, and The White House all at once. It reminds me of Halloween. Now that the kids are grown, we just shut off the lights and huddle up inside watching the boob tube or reading. I applaud the courage of the few at the USCC who sought to fight the tide of stupidity washing the world’s elite but felt they were jumping into the deep end without their water wings. Sometimes silence really is golden. True! Someone oughta try. Wonder whats going to happen next year during the medterm election? Maybe we’ll wise up and replace everyone up for reelection with a Real Nerd.
I trust that CEI will now be writing to all chamber members, explaining what has happened (most small businesses are too busy trying to survive to notice the big game being played with them as pawns), what the consequences will be to them if cap & trade is passed and why the chamber has sold them down the river for the sake of political expediency. Let’s hope the members take the message on board and vote with their feet.
There is still hope.
Invest in sackcloth, ashes, crow and eggs.
The AGW movement is like a wagon with a sign on it that when translated says “All fools please board. Next stop is disgrace.” I notice my least favorite people from both the left and right are boarding. There but for the grace of God go I.
Mark Bowlin (18:27:42) :
The Chamber had an admirable position based on principle, and now has endorsed a calamitous policy (because of an op-ed?). Between this and AARP endorsing the Pelosi healthcare bill, it makes you wonder if there are any organizations left with integrity.
re: AARP – that organization is not run by the “members”, one pays but there are no votes for boardmembers, nor is there any accountability to the “members”. Mostly, the executives do as they please – and earn righteous amounts of money.
The Chamber has political types at the top, and they cave under pressure from the big constituents whose oxen are going to be severely Gored, if they don’t play along (sorry, I couldn’t help myself). Those of us who haven’t been active politically, better get with it, now! The situation is getting close to irreversible using normal political processes.
The loss of small businesses is what kills small communities. I drive through Wallowa County and see empty small store fronts lining main streets all the way to Wallowa Lake. Even the tourist trap stores in Joseph are having a hard time selling $2.00 souvenirs made in Bangladesh. But who cares? We can’t fill political coffers like big business top level managers can. One donation from each of their management employees in a single business can equal an entire state’s small business contributions so why care about us? Red or blue, hell even the multicolored, politicians represent their contributors. Period.
yonason (00:07:13) :
The goal is “zero growth”
[fast forward]
Because it’s good for the planet.
[fast forward]
Education is the key, and at the moment it’s held by the Left.
Dishonest banking going back to 1913 (and 1694) is the key. It causes the boom/bust cycle which in turn leads to calls for more socialism/government control. It has produced mal-growth. Counterfeit money is the root of much of the evil today.
The CoC knows this is bad for business and yet is climbing on board anyway. Jeers to them. I hope the manufacturers they represent abandon them in droves.
All I can hope is that the focus on health care prevents a U.S. climate change bill before 2010, when hopefully the Repubs pick up a few senate seats. At least an expensive health care bill would theoretically have benefits, unlike a carbon tax which will simply strangle economic growth.
Thugocracy …
We are resigning tomorrow.
We are all in a lifeboat, togather…and our nominal leaders have decided that we can solve our problems by punching holes in the bottom of the boat…at this point, all the rest of us can do is learn to swim…it is a long way to shore….
We can look forward to three more years of this…so very, very sad…I would be depressed about the whole thing, except that history tells me that we have a system that brings out real leaders when we really need them and a population that can be ruthlessly pragmatic when the situation arrises…interesting times indeed….
cdl
Thugocracy …
We are resigning tomorrow.
P.S. – Sorry, forgot to tell you great post!
From the Op-Ed piece that brought on this change of heart…
“First, we agree that climate change is real and threatens our economy and national security. That is why we are advocating aggressive reductions in our emissions of the carbon gases that cause climate change.”
I don’t mind too much the use of climate change instead of global warming in the first sentence. No one argues that climate doesn’t change. However, using the Switch in the second sentence strains credibility. The Team believes carbon gases cause global warming and runaway global warming at that. Reducing emissions only helps if the hockey stick is true and if the Ice Age cycle is broken.
Sounds pedantic, but they can’t have it both ways, can they?
Ron de Haan (01:22:27) :
ALARM ALARM ALARM
Cap&Trade can be a done deal by Tuesday the 10th of November!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Referred to by Lord Monckton as “The X-box and PlayStation 360s” Thou dost protest too much.
Chamber of Commerce, noun
[C] (plural chambers of commerce)
“an organization consisting of people in business, who work together to improve business in their town or local area.” Cambridge Dictionary
By definition Chambers of Commerce are local representative bodies for businesses to establish and grow relationships with their communities. This will never change as good, small business owners care little about big lobbying groups like the US Chamber. Big lobbying is fraught with lots of back channel DC politics like the unreported visit by the White House to the Chamber recently:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29132.html
The original letter sent by the Chamber is signed by R. Bruce Josten without title. This is bad form and the authors of the exercise should be reprimanded for failure to conform to proper letter-writing etiquette!
From the US Chamber letter:
“The Chamber will continue to oppose bad policies that resemble the failed climate proposals of the past, such as bills that jeopardize American jobs, create trade inequalities, leave open the Clean Air Act, open the door to CO2-based mass tort litigation, and further hamper the permitting process for clean energy.”
Throughout the letter reference to global climate change is made. Yet the bill under consideration is: S. 1733, the “Clean Energy Jobs and Power Act,” The Chamber’s stance and that of cogent Americans should be that unless and until there is irrefutable evidence of man-made CO2 caused climate change – the discussion is of an energy bill that will likely have little effect on global climate or weather. i.e. drop the alarmist language and you’ll get more support.
Holy crap. But I won’t add any condolences to the U.S. economy yet because the death will likely be a gradual one.
CEI et al. should really allow institutional members and gain a more mainstream status in many segments of the society.