Start with the stipulation that the Cap and Trade policy being proposed for the President’s new budget is a politically expedient half-step.  The reality is that we need a carbon tax, but that won’t fly in Washington, so we’ll start with Cap and Trade.

Here is a video about how carbon dioxide is effecting the environment:

http://endependence.info/research/videos-c-13-v-82.html

Here is a video about a unique solution, nuclear explosivity:

http://endependence.info/research/videos-c-13-v-45.html

Now to the objections as voiced by the defenders of the status quo:

Cap and Trade is a burden on the economy, a hidden tax that will burden us all, blah, blah, blah.

I found out that when I sit in one place for hours blogging, my butt starts to hurt.  So every once in a while, I stand up, stretch, walk around, something to avoid the pain.

Is there some reasonable argument that a business will react differently?  If a company finds out that wasting energy is costing it more money, to the point where the cost becomes painful, won’t that company change its behavior?

Estimates are that we waste 30% of the energy we use in the U.S.  All experts agree that energy conservation is the cheapest form of energy policy reform, and the least painful way to achieve energy independence that ends dependence on polluting fuel.  But only some businesses stop wasting energy voluntarily.

A cap and trade policy would make wasting energy a real pain in the butt, and my bet is that almost every business will change its behavior to avoid the pain.

The way to achieve endependence, energy independence that ends dependence on polluting fuels, is for the people, businesses and government to work together.

Here is an example of our new President’s understanding of this reality:

Obama announced he had signed a presidential memorandum directing the Energy Department to get moving on energy standards for appliances, including a first batch he will order to be finalized by August. The fact that Obama is getting directly involved in speeding up household appliance standards underscores how much he wants to show quick, clear progress on energy — part of a broader campaign promise to deal with economic and energy concerns all at once.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090205/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_energy

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