Carbon Capping – The Costliest Part of A Costly Speech

Ben Lieberman / February 25, 2009

So I ask this Congress to send me legislation that places a market-based cap on carbon pollution and drives the production of more renewable energy in America.

It was a fairly innocuous sounding request in President Barack  Obama’s speech, but it would cost more than anything else he mentioned. That’s saying a lot, since the speech contained a number of expensive promises, including a big budget coming on the heels of the colossal stimulus package.

But, beyond the impacts of a bloated annual budget, a global warming cap and trade bill to would fundamentally weaken the economy for decades by placing limits on fossil fuel use- the coal, oil, and natural gas that currently provides 85 percent of America’s energy. And despite President Obama’s lofty talk about wind turbines and solar panels (which after decades of federal handouts provide less than 2 percent of our electricity), there is no way to quickly move away from these energy sources without serious economic disruption. In effect, a carbon cap and trade bill acts like an energy tax, raising the cost of energy so individuals and businesses are forced to use less. (more…)