Today I sent the following email to our employees (I manage a small business based in Arizona). I then shared it with everyone I know in my personal email list. Please copy and modify the below text and share it with your employees and co-workers (and also your friends and family members) and encourage them to contact their legislators,. Polling shows that as soon as people find out what Cap-and-Trade will do to them, they oppose it.
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To All:
As you know, I am constantly watching for legislation that increases our costs and reduces the purchasing power of our consumer.
Recently, Warren Buffett, who is an economic adviser to President Obama, brought to my attention that the Congress is trying to pass a “Cap and Trade” regulation that will, in his words, be a “regressive tax” on all Americans, meaning that it’s a tax that hurts the poor and middle class more than the rich. This is not only a violation of the Administration’s pledge to not raise taxes on Americans making less than $250,000, but it will likely be devastating for our business and the greater economy.
Taxfoundation.org has provided a “Household Cap-and-Trade Burden Calculator” that allows you to calculate your estimated annual cost increase if Cap-and-Trade legislation passes (here).
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology calculates that the average family will find their annual costs increase by anywhere from $800 to $4,000 per year, and the Administrative costs alone (just the costs to pay the government bureaucrats who run it) are $175 per year per family.
I have used the Calculator to model the impact this legislation on our customers and on our business and I’m very concerned. Because of these findings, I have been contacting our Arizona Representatives to notify them of the harmful impact this will have on us and on the economy at large. You can use the Calculator to calculate your own burden and determine how it will impact your own standard of living.
The bill barely passed the House of Representatives (219-212). The bill is now in the Senate, and while it currently looks unlikely to pass, it still may. If it does, it will probably come back to the House for a final vote.
We are contacting Arizona Representatives who voted for Cap and Trade and registering our opinion with them. If you agree that Cap and Trade is bad for you, your family, and your business, we encourage you to call and register your opposition as well (their contact information is linked below).
Please note that this is not a Republican/Democrat Issue. Two Arizona Democrats, Ann Kirkpatrick and Harry Mitchell, voted against Cap and Trade. Two Republicans voted against it as well.
Voted for Cap and Trade (We have called and registered our opposition)
Giffords, Gabrielle, Arizona, 8th
Grijalva, Raul, Arizona, 7th
Pastor, Ed , Arizona, 4th
Voted against Cap and Trade (I have called and thanked them and expressed my support; you can do the same)
Franks, Trent, Arizona, 2nd
Kirkpatrick, Ann, Arizona, 1st
Mitchell, Harry E., Arizona, 5th
Shadegg, John, Arizona, 3rd
Abstained from voting
Flake, Jeff , Arizona, 6th
You can also call President Obama’s office and remind him of his pledge to not increase taxes on people making less than $250,000, which, as his economic adviser Warren Buffett has explained, is a regressive tax on just those people Obama committed not to tax.
IMPORTANT: You might also remind Legislators and the President that because other countries aren’t adopting this same legislation it will, in addition to costing poor and middle class Americans more money, likely also move American jobs overseas to countries that haven’t adopted Cap-and-Trade and Carbon output will remain the same (or increase, because other countries do not have the technological advances we have).
Best regards.
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If someone asks you to explain Cap-and-Trade to them, just send them this YouTube video – an entertaining, educating, and catchy homage to what Cap-and-Trade is really about . . . a government money grab:
Going Green with Cap and Trade!
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UPDATE: And another great resource to share with family, friends, employees and co-workers:
July 9th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Great post. Thank you for making us aware of this issue. It appears to be more legislation that confuses the general public and provides more income to the government without the taxpayer knowing about it. I will definitely contact my representative and voice my disapproval of this legislation.