Cap-and-Trade Opponents Plan Town Meeting, Rally - State Journal

A group of West Virginians opposing the cap-and-trade bill are planning two July 18 events on the controversial issue.

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and former West Virginia University football coach Don Nehlen are expected to be guest speakers during a 10:30 a.m. town hall meeting in the Cultural Center Theater at the Capitol Complex in Charleston. Nehlen has served as a spokesman for The Friends of Coal organization.

The public meeting will be followed by a noon rally on the steps of the Capitol facing the Kanawha River.

Mike Stuart, president of the West Virginia Conservative Foundation, served as the spokesman at a July 7 media event on the state Capitol steps to promote the meeting and rally. He said the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, and its unofficial moniker of cap and trade, are deceptive titles.

"Plain and simple, this is an energy tax and a tax on all Americans," he said. "This would be the most devastating bill in the history of our country. It's a bad bill, and it's gotta die."

Stuart, a Barbour County native who lives in Charleston, said the bill would have a crippling effect on the state's economy.

"We want clean air, too, but we're going to fight for our jobs," Stuart said. "The job losses to West Virginia and the country would be substantial if this bill passes.

"Companies are going to pack up and move to China and other countries, where they do not have these regulations."

According to Stuart, persons identified as industry experts have predicted the loss of 3 million American jobs by the year 2030.

"We need coal jobs, and we need to continue supplying the fuel that provides America's electricity," he added.

In addition, Stuart said many Americans are not familiar with the details of the bill that he said includes 397 federal regulations and 1,060 new mandates within its 1,201 pages.

West Virginia's three representatives all voted in opposition. Stuart said it's now important for Sens. John D. Rockefeller and Robert C. Byrd, both D-W.Va., to know where the state's residents stand on the issue.

"We need to make sure that Sen. Byrd and Sen. Rockefeller get on board," Stuart said. "There is still time to stop this thing."

P.S. I just read that through Cap and Trade, our taxpayer dollars will be going to "developing countries" to help them "develop and implement climate change adaptation activies." Huh?

If we're losing million of jobs, where will the government even get those "taxpayer dollars"? They can't just keep printing more money and running up our tab in China. America can't possibly keep going on like this, or The Great Depression will look like child's play. We have to stop Cap and Trade before it becomes law.

Call Jay Rockefeller -- he MUST VOTE NO in the Senate -- and show up next Sat. at the Rally. Unless you have a better idea?

West Virginians need to get off the couch and join this rally - and bring your friends and neighbors - before Cap and Trade becomes law and all of a sudden we become the walking dead here in America.

Cap and trade is expected to double or triple our electric bills. It will be especially hard on the poor and on coal states. It will end up charging the equivalent of a 100% tax on every ton of coal (but you'd never know it since they so carefully avoid the word TAX).

According to the National Black Chamber of Commerce, Cap and Trade will COST 2.5 MILLION U.S. JOBS EACH YEAR through 2030. We're already cruising along, losing almost half a million jobs a month across the country. I can't imagine how many millions will be unemployed when the Government is done with us.

Plus, Cap and Trade has a lot in it about having to have energy efficient homes (windows, doors, light bulbs) in order to sell your house, or you get penalized in your appraisal. Also Federal building codes for new construction that are modeled on California. Yes, the same California that's bankrupt and handing out IOUs instead of tax returns.

This bill is going to kill West Virginia on many levels, not just the coal industry. If it passes the Senate, the last one out of WV should shut the door (the lights will already be off.)

The only reason for the Cap and Tax protest and informational rally to occur is to impress upon Senator Rockefeller that the only vote West Virginians will approve of would be a NO vote for the Cap and trade bill.

Coal needs Showalter Micropower. On Youtube now.

Cap and Tax will never work. It did not work in the E.U. why would it work here? Cap and trade is from ENRON in 90s, see how good they were?