Space: Cap & Trade Is Vital
Congressman in coal country defends his voteBy JOSELYN KING
Article Photos
WHEELING - "Cap and trade" legislation passed this summer in the U.S. House was about 1,400 pages long, and U.S. Rep. Zack Space said he read the bill in full.
He acknowledged that the measure is going to cost consumers money. But he also thinks they could be paying even more over time for energy if such legislation isn't made into law.
"I've seen one reputable study - from the Congressional Budget Office," Space said. "It's a reason-based, scientific-oriented, well funded, well respected, nonpartisan organization. They projected that by the year 2020, the provisions of this bill will cost the average American household an extra $170 per year in utility expenses."
He said Americans should think back to what they were paying for electricity 11 years ago and compare it to what they pay today. He speculated that the difference was more than $170 annually.
"Utility rates will go up - especially if we do nothing," he said.
Space, D-Ohio, was the only local member of Congress to vote in favor of the American Clean Energy and Security Act, which passed the House in late June with a vote of 212-219. It seeks to reduce fossil fuel emissions in America over the next 40 years. The bill is now before the U.S. Senate.
Six weeks after his vote, Space said there were three reasons he supported the legislation:
- "In my opinion, it creates a future for coal," he said. "It invests $180 billion in developing and incentivizing the use of coal in electric production. That's an investment unlike any that's been made in this country in any commodity like that."
- Space said the bill will stimulate a new sector of the economy pertaining to energy-related fields.
"It will put people to work manufacturing energy components, energy-efficient windows and doors, insulation ... and many other aspects at a time when we desperately need jobs," he said.
- The bill represents an "aggressive step in the direction of energy independence" for America, according to Space.
"All of us seem to understand that we get much of our power from Middle-Eastern sheiks who mean to do us harm," he said. "It makes for a dangerous component of our national security.
"We should have been engaging in efforts toward energy independence 30 years ago," Space added. "The fact we've waited so long for this that makes it so hard. But the fact we've waited doesn't mean we shouldn't do it."
Space said he believes that someday electric vehicles will be "powered by burning coal mined in Ohio." For now, he said his vote in favor of "cap and trade" is being used as a political wedge.
Space pointed out that a number of utility companies, including American Electric Power, supported the bill, as did General Electric, labor unions and some coal operators.
"It's a divisive issue, a wedge issue, and that's very regrettable," he said. "When issues become politicized as this one has it makes it very difficult to engage in meaningful dialogue. This bill hasn't even gone through the Senate yet. It would be nice to debate and discuss it in a thoughtful fashion without having to dodge political grenades. That is what it has become."
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JackBorroughs
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08-12-09 2:01 PM
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I am suprised to find Congressman Space on the wrong side of this issue. I voted for Space back in 2006 and again in 2008 because I thought he understood that our district needs good-paying jobs. Instead he is supporting a bill that will kill jobs in the coal industry, the energy industry, the chemical industry, and the transportation industry. Maybe Zack will come back to the roots of southeast Ohio and support something that will keep our economy strong.
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oldsteelmaker
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08-11-09 10:17 AM
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"Utility rates will go up - especially if we do nothing," he said. Well, duh! Yep, those greedy union workers at the power plants and linemen want raises! Things break and wear out, and have to be replaced. Inflation. And he thinks things will be better with windmills? Where did you find this Einstein??
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oldsteelmaker
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08-11-09 1:55 AM
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"The American Chemistry Council (ACC), which represents the energy-intensive chemical industry, believes that a climate bill must not hinder the ability for U.S. businesses to compete in the global market." Like I said on another post, CEOs are not paid for painting big targets on their companies backsides. Since they see this bill is a disaster for them, they are trying to get as little harm as possible from an insane premise. When the inmates at the looney bin have the guns, you do not wave a red flag at them.
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oldsteelmaker
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08-11-09 1:50 AM
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wv26003, Try and find anything in your life that is not affected by the price of fuel. I bet that $2000 figure is low.
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Adriennelee
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08-10-09 5:24 PM
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The American Chemistry Council (ACC), which represents the energy-intensive chemical industry, believes that a climate bill must not hinder the ability for U.S. businesses to compete in the global market. The legislation includes improvements over past versions, but changes must be made in the Senate version of the bill, especially to the emission allowance provisions. ACC hopes Senators will seek to build a comprehensive climate policy that includes energy efficiency and conservation, energy diversity (e.g. alternatives and renewable, nuclear, carbon capture and sequestration and combined-heat-and-power), and expanded domestic oil and natural gas production. In Ohio alone there are 46,931 jobs in the chemical industry that may be at stake. And, as over 96% of all manufactured goods are directly touched by the chemical industry, countless more jobs could also be affected. ACC advocates for a bill that will benefit the environment but also protects domestic jobs and US businesses.
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wv26003
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08-10-09 11:16 AM
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oldsteelmaker: I was referring to steelercrazy's made up numbers on cost per year to a household. $2000 more per year? ****
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Thebudman
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08-10-09 9:17 AM
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Define greed.
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EllisWyatt
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08-10-09 7:13 AM
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Truth You call it "greed" when honest taxpayers don't want to support their lazy or less successful neighbors. You call it immoral. I would submit that it is immoral to demand that someone else pay for your life. What is more immoral, my belief that your health care is YOUR responsibility or your belief that you have a right to steal my money at gunpoint? Things have been twisted around in this country. It used to be shameful to steal from others. Now, it is the policy of the Social Democrat Party. BTW, if you think it is immoral to want to keep what you earn, please respond to my previous request to you. Post your social security number, bank account numbers, passwords, PIN numbers and also your home address, remembering to leave your front door wide open and your best posessions out for the homeless to take. If you won't post your information, you are a coward and a typicl Democrat liberal hypocrite. Put up or shut up.
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dolphin3111
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08-09-09 10:54 PM
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The Space cadet probably spent days and days trying to think up those lame excuses why he voted for Cap and Trade AFTER Ms Nancy Pee told him that he'd better vote for it or else. The truth is, at two days before the vote, he reported that he didn't know how he was going to vote. I guess he had to get instructions from Nancy Pee. Blackrock has got it right, Space cadet, you are Pelosi's lapboy and your time is coming to an end.
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Kubotaman
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08-09-09 10:27 PM
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What do you expect from an idiot? Ohio Voters should vote this guy out of office.
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WVEXPAT
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08-09-09 6:50 PM
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Great analysis Oldsteelmaker!
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oldsteelmaker
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08-09-09 6:49 PM
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Oh, and as for those companies supporting this? CEOs are not paid for antagonizing a sitting president or Speaker, and GE makes a ton off those windmills. Coal companies are already regulated, who needs a bunch of Feds wandering around that have been told to find every little thing they can, and be a big a jerk as possible? Not our Obie? Oh, please, have you ever been to Chicago? That's standard operating procedure.
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oldsteelmaker
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08-09-09 6:45 PM
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Note when he mentioned energy independence, he ignored the simplest answer, use what we have here. Not a word about the major natural gas finds right down the road in Pennsylvania. Nothing about the major new fields in North Dakota. We can't drill offshore because it might spill, never mind they have been drilling in the North Sea off Norway for two decades and on the north coast of Siberia and Alaska without a spill. Yeah, I know, Santa Catalina. Guess what, that was when Nixon was President; there's been a few improvements in techniques since then. To replace my cutoff comment, Space is aptly named; he has it between his ears.
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oldsteelmaker
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08-09-09 6:36 PM
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And WV26003, I can back up every single one of those numbers, better than he can back any of his.
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Graysongs
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08-09-09 6:36 PM
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oldsteelmaker - Citgo is not selling anything to me. I won't go into one of their stations even to use the rest room. That must have caught on because I notice that all the former Citgo stations are now Shell stations. I can only think of one which remains Citgo and that one is run by people I've always suspected to be terrorists anyway.
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oldsteelmaker
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08-09-09 6:34 PM
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Just for laughs, I checked his math. Using some figures I found on a green website, it claims a ton of coal will make about 2400 kWH. Looking at my electic bills, I use about 9800 kWH a year. By my calculator that means about 3.9 tons of coal were burned to make that power. Using high school chemistry I calculated that's about 13 tons of CO2. Multiplying that by the $20 a ton figure I've seen, and the bill would be $260 a year RIGHT NOW, not $170. But that's electricity, and I have gas heat and water. And gasoline for my car, and water pumped to my house that's powered by some kind of fuel, and... Not to mention the carbon fuels burned to farm, deliver the crops, power the bakery ovens, grind the grains, power the refrigerators and freezers at the stores, the trucks to deliver the food... How about the factories that employ his voters? Are we going to run them off windmills? This guy is an idiot. How did you ever elect him?
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oldsteelmaker
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08-09-09 6:14 PM
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"In my opinion, it creates a future for coal," he said. "It invests $180 billion in developing and incentivizing the use of coal in electric production." And where does he think that $180 billion will come from, the $180 billion dollar tooth fairy? If he's a typical lib, the answer is the energy companies, but guess what, if their cost go up, so do their prices, or else they say the heck with it and shut down. So we still will end up footing the bill. "All of us seem to understand that we get much of our power from Middle-Eastern sheiks who mean to do us harm," he said. "It makes for a dangerous component of our national security." This is truly criminal ignorance. You know who our largest suppliers of oil and gas are? Those oil sheiks in Canada and Mexico. Venezuela is getting really shaky, but their company Citgo is still selling a lot to us. Most middle east oil goes to Asia, Africa and Europe. Aptly named man. Space, between h
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oldsteelmaker
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08-09-09 6:00 PM
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Since so many of you moan about all the steel jobs lost, try this on for size. A well-run blast furnace burns about 600 pounds of coke to make a ton of iron. That 600 pounds of coke makes about a ton of CO2. The lowest figure I've seen batted around is a $20 fee for a ton of CO2 emmission. That ton of iron will make about a ton of finished steel sheet, the mill's final product. In a normal year, the profit per ton is about $25. Considering all the other things that use power in steelmaking, that "mere" charge is enough to make blast furnace ironmaking in this country totally uneconomical, and any coke plants as well. For heaven's sake, AL FRANKEN does not like this bill. Doesn't that tell you something?
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wv26003
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08-09-09 4:51 PM
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Isn't it fun how Republicans just make up numbers out of thin air?
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cheriemez
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08-09-09 4:45 PM
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It really disturbs me.... that we have an elected official that is just ignorant, lying or thinks we are stupid. I read the article yesterday and I am still irritated. I have not read the entire cap and trade bill yet. I understand it will cause major problems for coal, because of the CO2 pollution clause in it. This congressman needs to go! It isn't just about electric bills, etc. He doesn't even address all the other issues that will cause sir taxes on everything produced with CO2 or combustion engines. There is a provision I do know that will prevent you from selling your house, I pulled it up several weeks ago and read that part. He totally ignores the home upgrade issue in his article. It appears that someone has given him talking points to put in the paper over the recess before he left the county. Just another cover piece like the health care amendment. He knows he is in trouble.
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Graysongs
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08-09-09 3:22 PM
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Mr. Space - The only thing that cap and trade is essential to is increased government revenues. People aren't fooled with this stupid crap.
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steelercrazy
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08-09-09 2:47 PM
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Thank BigMike for the numbers. If you divide $150B by 300M US residents, you get $500/person. A family of 4 will pay $2,000 more (because business will pass the added expense on to its customers) a year due to Cap & Trade. That $300/year figure that the libs keep tossing around is an absolute lie, just like every other word spewing from their mouths in 2009.
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justmytake
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08-09-09 1:02 PM
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Instead of cap and trade this should be called rob and steal.
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justmytake
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08-09-09 1:01 PM
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"I've seen one reputable study - from the Congressional Budget Office," Anyone who puts the words reputable and congress in the same sentence is a bafoon. So what he is saying is the ONLY study that says this is a good idea is this one? Yea this is just another way to get into our pockets. I would like to see a grassroots push to vote our ALL incumbants. Now that would send a message.
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Interesting
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08-09-09 1:00 PM
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wv26003- As I have commented prior to this post; It is the party of 'Do as I say, not as I do', or 'Look over there! It's their fault!' while never accepting responsiblity of their own mistakes and failures. Oh the moral minority is a shrinking party for sure. And your comment is the cold hard truth. It is only money and greed, all while they are claiming a moral high ground. Sickening!
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