May 16-17 - “Cap and Trade is a tax, and a great big one” Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Please read my column “The clean energy jobs myth”

I begin this week’s program by discussing some of President Obama’s comments concerning “Cap and Trade” legislation. During his Presidential campaign, Obama stated, “Under my plan of a Cap and Trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket.” Other Democrats agree. Representative John Dingell (D-Mich), states that “Cap and Trade is a tax, and a great big one.” According to a recent MIT study, individual families would pay at least $3,100 a year in additional energy costs – an enormous indirect tax on all Americans. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, Cap and Trade will also cause the loss of 4 million American jobs. For all of this pain we gain absolutely nothing in terms of reduced CO2 levels in the atmosphere, according to the 2009 Economic Report of the President. If we all agree that Cap and Trade is disastrous for the American people, destroys wealth and American jobs, and nets zero positive results, then why is the liberal majority in Congress pushing this legislation? How can we trust these people with our future?

I interview two terrific guests-Matthew Brouillette, President and CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, and Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi-about the alternative budget passed by the Republican majority in the State Senate. This balanced budget reduces the huge spending hole created by Democratic Governor Ed Rendell over the past 6 years without raising taxes.

Matthew Brouillette states that by law, Pennsylvania must pass a balanced budget. With our growing deficit, we only have two options this year, either cut spending and programs or raise taxes. In the recent past, 75% of Pennsylvania’s budget has been used to provide salaries and pay increases to the state workers who run these programs. Meanwhile, the private sector continues to take all the risk, pay most of the taxes and lose most of the jobs. Private sector employees who are able to keep their jobs are not expecting salary increases this year. In fact, many are accepting cuts in total compensation as 401K plan contributions and other benefits are reduced. After all of Rendell’s tax, borrow and spend policies, PA remains a poor performing state-33rd in job growth, 40th in personal income growth, and 43rd in population growth. The Republican Senators have offered a budget that if passed, will begin to restore sanity to Pennsylvania state government and begin to reverse the negative trends.

State Senate Majority leader Dominic Pileggi echoes many of Matthew Brouillette’s comments. He also states that many Democrats are opposed to the Republican bill because they want additional programs and increased spending. In a time when many Pennsylvanians are losing their jobs (60,000 in February and March alone), and all tax payers are tightening their fiscal belts in order to “make do” with less income, this Democratic approach is simply irresponsible. Dominic is a breath of fresh air who sounds more like a business man than a Politician. He understands how the economy works and what we need to do in order to be successful as a State.

Both Brouillette and Pileggi applaud conservative Republicans for taking a stand against Rendell’s failed policies. We all need to tell our State Senators and Representatives to “hold the line” in the Legislature and send this responsible budget to the Governor. We then need to encourage Rendell to sign a responsible budget into law. We must take these first steps if we wish to turn Pennsylvania into a thriving, business friendly environment that attracts workers and creates wealth for everyone.

I end this week’s program by mentioning the controversy over what Democratic Party Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi knew about “enhanced interrogation techniques” used on key Al Qaeda leaders who were captured by the United States. When you sort through all of the facts and statements, including Pelosi’s disastrous press conference this week, it is clear that Pelosi, other senior Democratic Party leaders in Congress, and their key senior staff members were briefed about the “enhanced interrogation techniques” back in 2002. It is also clear that Pelosi and others did not object to the use of these techniques; including “water boarding,” on a small number of key Al Qaeda leaders who had been captured by The CIA and American Special Forces. It is clear that at the time, Pelosi and other Democratic Party leaders agreed with President Bush that the use of these techniques was necessary to protect the American people from additional 911 type attacks. Ironically, Pelosi and others did the right thing in quietly supporting the recommendations of the CIA and the Bush Administration Justice Department back then. The record indicates that information obtained enabled our security forces to prevent a major attack on Los Angeles. It is a shame that Pelosi and other Democrats used this whole issue against President Bush and the Republicans during the last two election cycles and that the political Left Wing of America is still on a “jihad” against the Bush Administration. It is also a shame that key Democratic Party leaders, especially Nancy Pelosi, are lying now about what they knew. No Nancy, it is not the CIA who is lying-you are. Average Americans might have a shred of trust in Nancy Pelosi if she just told the truth. Unfortunately, she does not seem capable of doing this.