Cap and trade is dead…..or is it?
Well, the election is finally over but the fight is not. I took last night off in order to savor the victory of last Tuesday’s election but the time has come to re-enter the fray. It is time to start looking forward and so I will start with the news that Barack Obama has admitted that cap and trade is dead. This is great news on its own, but the story does not end there.
While cap and trade as we know it is now off the table, Barack Obama has not given up on the idea of increasing the regulations over greenhouse gasses. Here is what he had to say on this subject:
Cap-and-trade was just one way of skinning the cat; it was not the only way,” Obama said at a news conference Wednesday, a day after Democrats lost control of the House. “I’m going to be looking for other means to address this problem
The question is, what does Barack Obama mean when he states that he is going to look for other ways to solve the global warming problem?
He could simply mean that he will look toward passing bill that the Republicans find less offensive as a way of showing the American people that he has been humbled by the massive losses in the Congress that Democrats suffered because of his stubbornness and arrogance.
The following statement would make one think that he may be ready to do just that:
One of the things that’s very important for me is not to have us ignore the science, but rather to find ways that we can solve these problems that don’t hurt the economy, that encourage the development of clean energy in this country, that, in fact, may give us opportunities to create entire new industries and create jobs
But the president has lost the trust of a vast majority of the American people and I for one believe that his mention of there being more than one way to skin the cap and trade cat has a much more nefarious implication, because the elephant in the room on this issue is the EPA and their upcoming attempt at implementing the cap and trade bill–that we all know the president prefers–by dictate while subverting the Congress and the constitution.
During his press conference Barack Obama did not rule out the notion of bypassing the Congress by using the EPA to implement cap and trade. While still claiming that he is willing to work with the Republicans on an environmental policy he has not given up on the backdoor implementation of his prefered policy through the EPA.
If he was serious about working in a bipartisan manner on this issue he will need to do something to slow down the EPA’s advance on cap and trade. During the last session of the Congress, the Senate tried to pass legislation that would have taken the authority away from the EPA to regulate greenhouse gasses but the measure failed by a slim margin. With the Republicans now holding more seats in the Senate there is the real chance that if this bill were to be reintroduced it could pass the Senate. If this scenario plays out the president should sign the measure and then move towards working with the Republicans.
If however, he vetoes this bill we would see that he still puts his radical agenda above working with the Republicans and it will show the American people that he still just does not get it. It will prove to the country that he is the one who is unwilling to compromise.
As we saw in the healthcare reform debate, Barack Obama believes that the end justifies the means; he is willing to do whatever it takes in order to pass something that he honestly believes in and the backroom deals and the threats made during the healthcare debate prove this to be the case. Are we to believe that the plebeians who are so frightened that we are not thinking straight suddenly going to be able to change the president’s mind? I highly doubt it, he will again do whatever it takes to pass this legislation. He will feign a bipartisan attempt at working on this issue all the while knowing that the EPA will be moving towards implementing his ultimate goal.
This is not bipartisanship, it is trickery–sleight of hand. But the American people are awakened and we see exactly what this man is up to.
America's Watchtower 
I read several article today over at Heritage Foundation and many of the writers think Obama and his cohorts didn’t learn anything last night. They also think they will continue to continue on this path that got them into trouble in the first place.
In addition, I read not too long ago (forgot where) that Obama will use his executive power(s) if he looses the house and/or senate. THAT is something that really concerns me.
I think Tuesday night was just the warm up. Now comes the real battle.
Great job, Steve, on the election night coverage. Congratulation on a state that really woke up!
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Thanks Dominique, I still remember that day in April two years ago when this all started. It turned out much better than I hoped it would, but there is still work to be done.
Between the lame duck session and the executive orders we will have to watch Obama closely. I do not trust this man at all!
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Don’t forget, he has personal vested interest in cap and trade becoming a reality, he is invested in the Carbon Credit Exchange, as is practically everyone he is associated with.
I have to believe somebody can prove a conflict of interest on that, which in my mind is grounds for impeachment.
Additionally, California’s knock down of Prop 23 means their state cap and trade program is scheduled to start in 2012. I suggest we say to America, “You know, we aren’t sure about this cap and trade thingy, why don’t we wait to see how it does in California before we try to go countrywide.” Of course it will be a boondoggle.
Or we could just say, hey, California exercised its 10th amendment right to implement something that will destroy its economy, why don’t we let every state decide? Apparently the 10th amendment is only good if states do what the federal government already wants them to do.
Sorry I never posted on your blog before, I thought you wrote with LD Jackson over at Political Realities, so I never even clicked your name. I am stupid like that sometimes. Great blog. =)
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You wrote:
“I have to believe somebody can prove a conflict of interest on that, which in my mind is grounds for impeachment.”
This is the type of thing that Obama is going to have to be careful about now. Republicans now have subpoena power and if they feel he is up to something like passing laws for his own financial benefit they will be able to investigate him.
I also think your comment about the 10th amendment is spot on, the feds love the 10th if the states do what they want them to, just look at Arizona to see what happens when they don’t.
No need to apologize and thank you for the compliment!
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Not posted, commented. See, stupid, lol.
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I knew what you meant. 🙂
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It is dead, but Obama already said in his post-election news conference that the EPA would move to make their own Cap and Trade.
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It looks like we will get it one way or the other unless the Congress moves to strip the EPA’s authority.
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At least it could be tied up in court for years. And the person pushing for this, Lisa Heinzerling, resigned today:
http://hotair.com/archives/2010/11/05/epa-official-who-pushed-co2-regulation-resigns/
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Thanks for that link Harrison, I missed this news!
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All Obama is learning is a new *shuck and jive*.. That’s ALL he has, that, and a burning desire to wreck America…
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He is nothing but a magician, an illusionist, but the American people have caught on to his act.
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I don’t think the Republican house will sit still for these pending EPA mandates. I think this is one issue where we don’t have to remind them of the damage it will cause. Won’t hurt to remind them anyway. Of course, as fleeceme already indicated, cap and trade is already here in California. Well, we’re the socialist petri dish of America, but at the same time at least the rest of the country will be able to see how these things will not work.
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I hope you are right, and I think that you are, Republicans are not going to sit by and let this become the law of the land through dictate.
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