Cap and trade is regressive tax

This past Friday our U.S. Representative Raul Grijalva voted "aye" in a sneak vote for HR 2454, the bill commonly known as "cap and trade."

HR 2454 was a 1,700 plus page bill, which I doubt the congressman bothered to read and that most agree to be the largest and most regressive tax in American history.

In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle last year, then-Sen. Barack Obama, in an uncharacteristic moment of honesty, stated, "Under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket. Businesses would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that cost onto consumers."

I hope the congressman at least got the Dove bar that Nancy Pelosi was passing out on Capitol Hill to "buy" votes for this boondoggle. However, I doubt it was necessary as Congressman Grijalva consistently votes "the party line."

Grijalva’s report card with fiscally conservative, constitutional and states rights issues is a solid D at best and illegal immigration/border security watch groups as well as gun rights organizations give him an F.

This statement from his Web site regarding his vote for cap and trade shows that he has been drinking the Al Gore Kool-Aid and has done virtually no research to find the truth himself:

"What the bill means for the U.S. is a revitalized economy, millions of new jobs and increased national security through a reduction in our dependence on foreign oil.

"Building a clean energy economy is a strategic move. Just as we have been at the forefront of past technological revolutions, America will be the leading innovator in clean energy technology, such as solar, wind, geothermal and biomass.

"I look forward to a sustainable future, characterized by environmental stewardship in our individual lives, in our business decisions and in the way we continue to create and shape public policy."

I do not have enough space to point out all of the inaccuracies in his statement, and while I agree America will be a leading innovator, it will be free capitalism not government mandate and taxes that drives technological revolutions.

Grijalva proves with nearly every vote that he subscribes to big government and government control. It is imperative that we contact his office, (202) 225-2435, and make sure he votes our wishes or the next election he will need to find another line of work.

MARLENE ATIYEH

Yuma