Track-A-’Crat: The Roll Call of Democratic Delinquency

Says Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA) at 1.01 minutes into the clip

“There’s not a penny of tax in this legislation.”

As I’ve said before, this level of self-delusion is very, very scary.  It’s bad enough to see it exhibited by random people on the street -- it’s infinitely worse to witness from our elected representatives, people who hold tangible power over us.

Boucher is lying through his teeth.  Cap and trade is nothing but a tax.

At first, it will primarily affect manufacturers.  Those remaining few will have to contend with more expensive electricity, punitive limits on emissions and, should they breach those limits, financial penalties -- if not worse.  American manufacturers will drop like flies, particularly as their foreign competitors sensibly refuse to subject themselves to such suicidal regulations.

But it only gets worse.

Because, when taken to its logical conclusion, there is nothing that cap and trade cannot affect.

If you consume electricity, which I’m guessing is going to apply to a fair number of people, then please wait for the inevitable rise in cost of supply and you will be punished.  If you own a nicer-than-average, gas-guzzling car, you will be punished.  If you can afford to fly places (business or pleasure), you will be punished.  If you eat more than other people, thus have more disposable food packaging, you will be punished.  If you consume anything, in short, you will be punished.

Cap and trade will raise the price of everything that, directly or indirectly, leads to the burning of fossil fuels.

In which case, there is nothing that cap and trade cannot be interpreted to cover.  It is a massive tax, an even bigger system of control, and it will target everyone.

This is how the Obama administration will make North Korea seem like a paradise of personal freedoms by comparison.