Congressional candidates state their case: Cap and trade energy tax would only add to problem

by Gene Goodman

As the president of a family-owned auto supplier in Troy, I am concerned about the national cap and trade energy tax that President Obama and Democrats in Washington are pushing. The cap and trade bill that passed the House of Representatives earlier this year would be the final nail in the coffin for small manufacturers like my business that are struggling to keep afloat in these difficult economic times. This legislation would drive up energy costs for small businesses and result in consumers paying significantly more for gasoline and utilities. Independent estimates peg the cost of the cap and trade energy tax at more than $1,800 for the typical American family.

In Oakland County, we would bear a much higher burden because our economy is still heavily linked to manufacturing. Like many small businessmen in our community, I was disappointed that Congressman Gary Peters supported Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s national energy tax. I believe we must become more energy independent and less reliant on fossil fuels, but it makes no sense to impose draconian regulatory burdens on employers in Michigan and across the nation, while giving countries like China, India and Mexico a free pass to continue polluting at their will. The cap and trade energy tax won’t reduce global warming. It will simply lead to more of our factories and jobs being outsourced to China and other developing nations where energy and labor will be cheaper. Unfortunately, President Obama and Democrats in the Senate are committed to pushing the House-passed bill forward in the coming months as well as committing the U.S. to unrealistic emission reductions as part of the Copenhagen Summit on climate change.