Boehner’s Stand

By Nichole Hungerford The problems associated with what is charitably called “Cap and Trade” (but more accurately called “Tax and Regulate”) was capture most succinctly in Congressman Boehner’s halting question, “Is there anything that we’re not regulating in this bill?”  Indeed, with the inherent energy requisite for every American-made product, unprecedented Orwellian intrusion into our homes, and millions of jobs to be sacrificed at the alter of climate change, the answer is not optimistic.

Weighing in at approximately 1200 unread pages, it seems as though the final straw for Boehner was the 300 plus page amendment incredibly submitted at 3:09 am the morning before the historic vote took place.  Fortunately, the univocal outrage over this subterfuge found voice in the gentleman from Ohio following the narrow passage of the bill.  Boehner used the opportunity afforded to the Minority Leader of the House to express an extended remonstrance on behalf of not just his party, but the jilted American public, who may soon find themselves yoked under this uniquely Californian quagmire.

Boehner began with an illustration of the bill’s staggering bureaucracy, the most useless sounding of which include the “Offsets Integrity Advisory Board,” the “Carbon Market Oversight Interagency Working Group,” the “Carbon Capture Board,” and “Clean Vehicle Technical Advisory Board.”  Bastions of governmental efficiency if ever I’ve heard of one.  Or, as Boehner quipped, “More power for a lot of unelected bureaucrats.”

The unrestrained government expansion is one thing, but the price c0-architect Henry Waxman deems the average American should pay is certainly severe.  Boehner highlighted, “This elaborate government structure [will] cost the American people several trillion dollars over the next ten years…”

In fact, the bill is loaded with allotments for vast sums of money without the slightest explanation as to how those funds will materialize.  “And then on page 164,” He pointed out from the amendment, “we authorize another 5 billion dollars. And there’s no—there’s no idea where this money comes from.”

To be honest, Congressman Boehner does know where the money will come from.  “Everything that we spend here we have to borrow from our kids and our grandkids—and the Chinese…”

But to be fair, the bill will surely offer some economic relief… mostly to China and India or other places which are not the United States.  “[Offsets] don’t have to be in the United States.  We’re going to see billions of American tax dollars being shipped around the world…I’m sure our constituents want our money being shipped around the world to plant trees.”

The great blessing to places like China and India will also be received in the form of American jobs.  As one example, Boehner describes the future of one of his district’s steel operations (which are practically on the American industry’s endangered species list), “The cost of their steel will increase 30-40%…the last thing they’re going to do is pay 30-40% more for their steel.  So what are they going to do?  They’re gonna bring it in from China.  They’ll bring it in from India.  Who are not burdened under this regulatory scheme, nor are they burdened under our current environmental regulations.  So, what happens is high energy jobs in America are going to get shipped overseas at exactly the wrong time.  The American people sent us here to help this economy, to help get them back to work.  This is the biggest job killing bill that has ever been on the floor of the House of Representatives.  Right here.  This bill.”  In fact, he laments, “Two and a half million jobs on average will be lost each and every year over the next ten year as a result of this bill.”

Of course, with great bureaucracy comes great absurdity, and the wealth of the latter in the bill provided Boehner with a few moments of levity, such as when he remarked on special provisions for “green banking centers.”  “Are you kidding me?  I’ve heard of blackmail, but now I know what ‘greenmail’ really is.”

He was also incredulous at the slew of studies stipulated by the bill, courtesy of the taxpayer, which only emphasize the greater damage it will inflict.  One will be on the availability of affordable mortgages.  “Really? After we drive the price of every mortgage up in America we’re going to have then to do a report on affordable mortgages?  Guess what?  They’re going to be a hell of a lot more expensive.”

And another:  “The Secretary will make grants…to study the effects of consumer behavior on total energy use.  Do we really need to spend government money to do a study on why people don’t want to pay twice the cost and get half the quality?”

Bristling from the intense criticism, after about twenty minutes of remarks, Congressman Waxman interrupted by calling a point of order.  He inquired into the time limit for the Minority Leader’s statements in a less than subtle effort to stifle his dissent.  No such limit was imposed, and afterward Boehner fired back, “The House is going to spend a whopping five hours debating the most profound piece of legislation to come to this floor in 100 years.  And the chairman has the audacity to drop a 300 plus page amendment…at 3:09 am this morning.  And so I would ask my colleagues–don’t you think the American people expect us to understand what’s in this bill before we vote on it?”  And of course, no one had—all this came after the vote had passed.

That Waxman, who slipped in the 300 plus page amendment under the veil of night in a blatant abuse of the legislative process, would raise a procedural objection is stunning.  However, Waxman is no stranger to making a mockery of American democracy—he originally hired a speed-reader to read the bill back in May, a stunt demonstrating marked arrogance and total disregard to the legal process.

Boehner emphasized the fact that the concern for the environment and development of a viable renewable energy industry was shared on both sides of the aisle.  But, in typical tax-and-regulate fashion, the Democratic way is simply misled and destructive.  “There’s not a member in this body who doesn’t want to improve the air quality in our country and around the world…but…do we need to have a national energy tax on every person in America who would drive a car, who would flip on a light switch or who would buy an American made product?”

In a very impassioned moment, Boehner railed against the nonsensical idea that the nation be forced to follow the lead of California–you know, that state that is on the verge of issuing IOUs and releasing criminals whom they can’t afford to house?  “For those of you who don’t know it, all California housing standards are now going to be imposed on every American community.  You don’t have the right to have your own building standards in your communities and your state.  Hell no!  The federal government’s going to tell you what they are!  And guess what?  We all get to have California standards!”

“And while I’m at it, we have to have an energy rating for every home in America.  In this bill.  And if you go to sell your house…you have to have a review [and] bring people in…[to] make sure your house is energy efficient.  And guess what if it isn’t?  You’ve got to bring it up to standards before you can sell it.  Now what kind of bizarre notion is that?”

The California connection really cannot be overstated.  Henry Waxman represents one of the most elite areas of California, for instance, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Santa Monica, and West Hollywood.  He has made a lifelong political career almost exclusively in such areas and now stands to subjugate the entire nation under out-of-touch Californian notions of urgent environmentalism.  The bill was further rushed to the floor by Nancy Pelosi who represents the ever-sensible city of San Francisco. With respect to Cap-and-Trade, in many respects it remains a shinning example of Follow the Idiot.  Pray that the bill does not pass in the Senate, in the very least, without anymore unread, 300 page amendments.

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