Bill Will Cap and Tax the Country

After three days of hearing on the cap and tax global warming legislation last week, Republicans are billing it a "national energy tax," according to a piece in the Hill today.

Almost everyone who testified in the hearings agreed that the bill would raise gas and energy prices across the board, costing American families more of their hard-earned money.

Even those in support of the bill, like Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, called the bill a "great big" tax.

Even so, former Vice President and global warming crusader Al Gore, didn't want to talk about the cost or the job loss that will be incurred if the bill moves ahead. Gore and other bill supporters avoided discussing the cost when possible but Republicans, moderate Democrats and the American people are more concerned with extra taxes than controversial scientific evidence.

"If you start talking about cap-and-trade, if you  start talking about expanding more government, borrowing more money and raising taxes, that’s not going to help the economic engine of this country, which is the small businesses,” Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said last week.

It wasn't just Republicans putting Gore to the test.

Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) asked Gore, "What do I tell a single parent, for example, in my district with two children – two young children making $8 an hour? What can I say to reassure her that she will be able to afford the cost of this legislation?"

Gore's answer was unimpressive: "Well, it depends on how quickly they’re implemented and how they’re taken advantage of."

Friday's hearing also brought in former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who expressed support for addressing climate change in a commercial with current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last year. Gingrich was not, however, in favor of this particular cap and tax legislation -- especially when he saw it included details like jacuzzi regulation. 

"On page 233, line 5, “portable electric spas.” Now, I don’t know what a portable electric spa is. I was told it was a Jacuzzi. But that’s in this bill. Page 233, and that’s why I said when I got to that point, I quit reading the bill," said Gingrich heated moment with with Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA).