Congress is going to make exotic energy more competitive by artificially raising the price of conventional energy through the 1,500-page Waxman-Markley Energy Bill. The objective is to encourage, by economic sanction, Americans and U.S. industries to reduce carbon emissions through a program of cap and trade by imposing the largest tax increase ever upon the American people.

Debate was all but absent from the debate since the House leadership limited the discussion to a few hours and squashed sensible proposed amendments that would trigger suspension of the bill if any of the following criteria were met: gas hits $5 a gallon, electricity rates rise by 10 percent, or unemployment hits 15 percent.

President Obama, who once said "under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket," supports the House bill and on June 25 urged every member of Congress to support the legislation so the final product is sure to be signed.

We can only hope that the Senate version gets more scrutiny or at least the American people get the promised five-day review before this economic self-inflicted wound is passed into law.

Cap and trade is nothing more than a dispensation from the state. Emit all the CO2 you want -  it's OK. You can buy an ethereal credit to offset the CO2 as if it never happened. It's a lie and a mechanism to appear active on environmental issues while turning on a new and improved revenue-generating machine for insatiable D.C.

It raises the cost of living and doing business in America. It’s another incentive for companies to send jobs offshore where, besides avoiding cap and trade, they get cheap labor, bypass OSHA and cut out unions but still have access to the American consumer in this global economy.

Anything that uses energy for production or transportation (which is everything) will be impacted by this tax. We will pay more for utilities, more for gas, more for food, more for travel, more for everything and have less good-paying jobs.

Still absent from the discussion is a true American energy strategy. One that establishes clear-cut benchmarks and puts us on the path to environmentally sound energy independence at a reduced cost to the people and businesses of this country. The cap is on your lifestyle. The trade is the transfer of jobs to countries not so encumbered. Let the record ever reflect that those who voted for this bill will have earned the credit or blame. Take notice of who they are and let them know you are watching.

KEVIN REECE, Yuma