Research Briefing

Obama’s Environmental, Energy Chiefs Aim To Punish “Unruly” Americans With National Energy Tax

AS OBAMA’S E.P.A., ENERGY CHIEFS SELL THEIR NATIONAL ENERGY TAX TODAY, WILL THEY SELL THEMSELVES AS AMERICA’S ENERGY MOMMY AND DADDY?

Today, Obama’s Energy Secretary, E.P.A. Administrator Pushing Their “Cap-And-Trade” Scheme. “Sen. Barbara Boxer, chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, has scheduled the first hearings for the climate change legislation that had been stalled on Capitol Hill. Sec. Steven Chu (Energy)… will be there Oct. 27, along with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson …” (Christina Bellantoni, “Next Up: Climate Change,” Talking Points Memo, 10/14/09)

And Chu Says Americans Are “Unruly Teenagers,” Obama Administration Must Be Parent When It Comes Carbon Emissions. “When it comes to greenhouse-gas emissions, Energy Secretary Steven Chu sees Americans as unruly teenagers and the Administration as the parent that will have to teach them a few lessons … ‘The American public … just like your teenage kids, aren’t acting in a way that they should act,’ Dr. Chu said. ‘The American public has to really understand in their core how important this issue is.’” (Ian Talley, “Steven Chu: Americans Are Like ‘Teenage Kids’ When It Comes To Energy,” The Wall Street Journal’s “Environmental Capitol“ Blog, 9/21/09)

HOW WOULD CHU, JACKSON PUNISH AMERICANS ON ENERGY?

Chu Supports Increasing Gas Prices To European Levels To Force Americans To Buy Specific Cars, Move To Different Neighborhoods. “In a sign of one major internal difference, Mr. Chu has called for gradually ramping up gasoline taxes over 15 years to coax consumers into buying more-efficient cars and living in neighborhoods closer to work… ‘Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe,’ Mr. Chu said ...” (Neil King Jr. and Stephen Power, “Times Tough For Energy Overhaul,” The Wall Street Journal, 12/12/08)

Jackson Threatening Congress To Move Forward With National Energy Tax Or Have Americans Face Costlier Regulations. “Ms. Jackson is issuing a political ultimatum to business, as well as to Midwestern and rural Democrats: Support the Kerry-Obama climate tax agenda—or we'll punish your utilities and consumers without your vote. The EPA has now formally made an ‘endangerment finding’ on CO2, which will impose the command-and-control regulations of the Clean Air Act across the entire economy. Because this law was never written to apply to carbon, the costs will far exceed those of … cap and trade ...” (Editorial, “The ‘Absurd Results’ Doctrine,” The Wall Street Journal, 10/4/09)

• A National Energy Tax Chu Admits Would Punish Americans By Shipping Jobs Overseas. “Dr. Chu said reaching agreement on legislation to combat climate change would be difficult in the current recession because any scheme to regulate greenhouse gas emissions would probably cause energy prices to rise and drive manufacturing jobs to countries where energy is cheaper. ‘The concern about cap-and-trade in today’s economic climate,’ Dr. Chu said, ‘is that a lot of money might flow to developing countries in a way that might not be completely politically sellable.’” (John M. Broder, “Big Science Role Is Seen In Global Warming Cure,” The New York Times, 2/11/09)

CHU, JACKSON ALREADY HAVE RECORD PUNISHING AMERICAN ENERGY PRODUCTION

Chu Describes Coal As His “Worst Nightmare.” “Big Coal won’t be very happy if Dr. Chu gets confirmed as head of the DOE—he’s really, really not a big fan. ‘Coal is my worst nightmare,’ he said repeatedly in a speech earlier this year outlining his lab’s alternative-energy approaches …” (Keith Johnson, “Steven Chu: ‘Coal Is My Worst Nightmare’,” The Wall Street Journal, 12/11/08)

Jackson Makes Chu’s Dream Come True, Shuts Down Coal Mine In West Virginia. “U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials today announced the gigantic news that they have formally moved to veto the Clean Water Act permit for the largest mountaintop removal mine in West Virginia history.” (Ken Ward Jr., “Huge MTR News: EPA Moves To Veto Spruce Mine Permit,” The Charleston Gazette’s “Coal Tattoo“ Blog, 10/09)

• West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin (D-VA) Criticizes Jackson For “Trying To Kill Off Surface Mining Through Regulation.” “Governor Joe Manchin says he was once willing to give the Obama administration’s EPA the benefit of the doubt, but now the agency’s direction is clear when it comes to coal mining… ‘Right now, my belief is that they’re trying to kill off surface mining through regulation what they cannot get done through legislation.’” (“Gov. Manchin Feels Differently About EPA Now,” MetroNews Talkline, 10/1/09)