Cap and trade is a system of rules for reducing carbon emissions in which the government sets the overall level of pollution that can occur (the "cap") and then auctions or distributes pollution permits that companies and households can sell (the "trade"). As this places a cost on carbon discharges, it will raise companies' operating expense*. (Naturally, posing a price on carbon, and hence a cost on damaging the environment, is the entire point.) And those costs will be passed onto the consumers. But it is also pointed out that Cap and Trade also generates income -- whenever the permits are auctioned off -- and that income can be applied to partially offset the added expense to household costs.

If passed, this would constitute a classic case of the cure being worse than the disease. It would destroy our already-shaky economy (especially for the poor) although doing very little to deal with climate issues. Bringing our economy to a screaming halt isn't the resolution to perceived climate challenges.

It is acknowledged that changing to cleaner sources of energy but this bill is a disaster. This 1,200 plus page bill was rushed through the House and at 3:00 AM on the day the vote was to be taken a 360 page amendment was added. No one read this bill!! Debate was limited to 3 hours. Why was more examination not allowed?? This was a strong-arm move by Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat lead House. Again why?

What is to be gained by this job killing bill known as Cap and Trade? Supporters of the bill acknowledge, even if the United States cut emissions 83 percent by 2050, we would trimmed global CO2 gases by a few percentage points. Yes you read that correctly, a few percentage points! If countries such as China and India, who are the big job gainers as more US companies move off-shore, do not participate in emission reductions, then the global environment will be worse off.

What will Cap and Trade cost our great country?

The Wall Street Journal calls it "the biggest tax in American history." In reality Cap and Trade is nothing more than the largest tax increase in American history. WAKE UP AMERICA!

President Obama’s own budget estimates that $646 billion in new taxes will be generate from the Cap and Trade and this will be passed on to the consumer - you.

According to the Heritage Foundation the cost to the average family could be as high as $3,000 per year. Even the most conservative calculations estimate the cost to the American household would be $1,900.

What did President Obama say during his campaign - Cap and Trade Legislation would cause electricity rates to skyrocket. Wow, this campaign promise he may keep.

Cap and Trade is a guaranteed tax on not only fuel prices, but every process in production, and there will be no market forces to react to this, because there can be no monetary amount applied to the release of a single green house gas.

What about jobs?

President Obama continues to preach that this will generate millions of "green jobs". This is the same President that said the stimulus would create 3,000,000 jobs and would keep the unemployment from going above 8. Well, we cannot point to one job the stimulus has created and the unemployment rate is headed for 10%. Even counting the new jobs in alternative energy growth projected by the White House, CRA approximates cap-and-trade will cost more than 3 million jobs. Some experts forecast we will be exporting anywhere between two million and seven million jobs at when we are at 10% unemployment. What is wrong with this picture? Companies will not be able to economically compete with the added burden of the Cap and Trade legislation.

Who could be the big winners in this? Maybe Al Gore, Mr. Global Warming himself. Gore is a partner in Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers, a venture capital firm that invests in technology to address global warming. Companies will likely turn to the technologies that Kleiner Perkins helps develop. Kleiner Perkins has invested about a billion dollars in 40 companies that are going to benefit from cap and trade legislation. Mr. Gore could be a big beneficiary of Cap and Trade legislation and on the backs of the American people.

Yes, cap and trade is many things, but it definitely is not the answer to climate change. Cap and Trade is an energy tax and hopefully the public is getting the message.This is not about climate. Cap and Trade is a guaranteed tax on everything we use including our food. This is a tax on everybody.Remember the Presidents budget is counting on $646 billion in new taxes from this.

We’re on the brink of 10% unemployment and we’re going to raise the price on everything that requires energy (including heating your home in the winter or AC in the summer) and draw money away from food, clothing, mortgages, car payments, healthcare, (should I go on) in return for a projected “millions of ‘green jobs’” in 10 years. This must be stopped!

Don’t be fooled, Cap and Trade is nothing but a high-dollar uncalled-for Obama Tax. In fact the Largest Tax Increase in American History!  Please call your Senator today and tell him to vote “NO” on "Cap and Trade".