The Truth About the Democrat Energy (Cap-and-Trade) Bill

Truth # 1- Federal Government Intrusion: The Federal Government Wants to Tell You How to Build Your House What the bill does: The House-passed bill establishes a national building code for commercial and residential buildings, requiring a 30 percent reduction in energy use immediately after passage and an additional 50 percent reduction in energy use by 2014 for residential buildings and 2015 for commercial buildings (Bill as report Sec. 201, p. 297). What this means for consumers: Bureaucrats in Washington D.C. will tell you how to build your house. This will also create a whole new bureaucracy in Washington and more intrusion into the lives of Americans. [Source]

Truth #2: Democrats Want Fannie and Freddie to do to our National Energy Policy what They Have Done to the Housing Market What the bill does: The House-passed energy bill provides additional credit for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to advance energy efficient and “location-efficient" mortgages. The bill also authorizes the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to guarantee portions of a mortgage used to “green” single-family and multi-family housing. (Sec. 286 of the Manager’s Amendment, p. 112, and Sec 299I of the Manager’s Amendment, p. 173.) What this means for Americans: These provisions put taxpayers on the hook for more mortgages that may default. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have made taxpayers potentially liable for more than $5 trillion in our current housing crisis. Instead of reforming Fannie and Freddie, why are Democrats expanding their authority into energy policy? [Source]

Truth #3: Creates the Largest Welfare Program in Our Nation's History What the bill does: The bill (H.R. 2454) requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide monthly cash payments, or “energy stamps”, to low-income households for their estimated “loss in their purchasing power” resulting from the Democrats’ national energy tax. The bill establishes a national standard of eligibility (covering everyone under 150% of the poverty line). Energy stamps would reach an estimated 65 million individuals (about 20% of all US residents) – making it a larger program than welfare, food stamps, or even Medicaid. (H.R. 2454, American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, Sec. 431, p. 1193) What this means for Americans: If, as Democrats claim, their national energy tax will create millions of well-paying “green jobs,” then why do we need to create a new energy welfare program? The Democrats’ national energy tax plan will raise energy costs on all Americans. Democrats know this so they created the largest welfare program in American history to compensate for those increased costs. Despite the massive scope of this program, more than 200 million Americans will not receive benefits, just energy tax hikes without direct relief. [Source]

Truth #4: Promotes “Green Banks” At a Time of Record Job Losses What the bill does: Requires federal banking agencies and the National Credit Union Administration Board to encourage insured depository institutions and credit unions to establish and maintain “green banking” centers. These centers will provide consumers who seek information on obtaining a mortgage, home improvement loan, or home equity loan with additional information on obtaining a home energy rating or audit, financing for cost-effective energy-saving improvements, and obtaining beneficial financing terms for meeting energy efficiency standards. (H.R. 2454, American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, Sec. 299E, p. 659) What this means for Americans: With the national unemployment rate reaching 9.5%, Democrats are making the establishment of “green banking” centers their priority, instead of focusing on job creation. The Democrats’ national energy tax plan will help ensure that these “green banking” centers are established across the country. At the expense of working families across the country, Democrats have passed the largest tax increase and job relocation bill in American history. As a result, commerce will come to a grinding halt. The best way to help domestic banks is to reverse course and support the Republican “all of the above” energy plan, the American Energy Act. [Source]

Truth #5: Taxpayer-Funded Mobile Homes What the bill does: The Democrats’ national energy tax requires electricity providers and gasoline distributers to purchase from the federal government carbon emission "allowances" The federal government will then offer “allowances” to states that provide tax-rebates of up to $7,500 toward the purchase of a new Energy Star qualified manufactured home. To qualify for the rebate, an individual has to own a manufactured home constructed prior to 1976 and have a household income that does not exceed 200% of the poverty level. (H.R. 2454, American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, Sec. 203, page 372.) What this means for Americans: The costs of these “allowances” will be passed on to consumers, increasing fuel prices on families by an estimated 58% and increasing electricity rates by an estimated 90% by 2035. Some of the revenue from these increased costs will be used to purchase new mobile homes. At a time when Americans already face rising energy costs and the country faces high unemployment, Democrats want taxpayers to pick up the bill for mobile home parks? [Source]

Truth #6: Uses American Tax Dollars to Plant Trees What the bill does: Authorizes such “sums as may be necessary” to cover up to 50% of the cost of tree planting programs by retail power providers. To receive taxpayer-funded support, the trees must increase shade during the summer months or protect from wind during the fall and winter months, so to reduce energy consumption for cooling and heating. (H.R. 2454, American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, Sec. 205, page 393.) What this means for Americans: Almost half a million people lost their jobs in June alone and Democrats want taxpayers to subsidize retail power providers and their tree planting programs. Runaway reckless spending is not going to get America back to work. Because of the Democrats’ national energy tax millions more jobs will be lost as American manufacturers relocate overseas, but at least homes and empty warehouses will have shade. [Source]

Truth #7: Yet Another Taxpayer-Funded Giveaway to ACORN What the bill does: The bill allocates taxpayer funds to groups like ACORN, to advise and train eligible “community development organizations” how to reduce the carbon footprint of residents in “affordable housing.” (H.R. 2454, American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, Sec. 298, p. 638.)
What this means for Americans: The American people will see their tax dollars go to so-called community activist organizations like ACORN, to teach low-income residents how to live in accord with the worldview of the Environmental Left. [Source]

Truth #8: Increases Utility Rates on America’s Families and Businesses What the bill does: Mandates a Renewable Electricity Standard, or RES, that requires retail electricity providers to generate 20% of their electricity from renewable energy sources, like wind and solar energies. The utility companies must meet this new standard by 2020. (H.R. 2454, American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, Sec. 101, p. 12.) What this means for Americans: The American people will see their utility bills, in the words of President Obama, “necessarily skyrocket.” As a candidate for the presidency, then-Senator Obama noted that because of his energy plan utility companies would be forced to “retrofit” their operations. This will cost money and those costs will be passed onto American energy consumers. As a result, Americans will face skyrocketing electricity rates as utility companies pass on the costs of constructing and bringing new renewable forms of energy online. At a time when America’s families are struggling and need relief from higher prices across the board, the Democrats have proposed a massive national energy tax. [Source]

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