I've read many good posts here. We are in serious danger of economic collapse, if TARP and the massive health care bill doesn't bring it on Cap and Trade will finish us off. We're headed for one world government and Obama and his crew of socialists are doing the bidding of a handful of international agents who have long awaited this. I also believe nothing happens without the Almighty allowing it for His own purposes. As a nation we have not appreciated our blessings, we are ungrateful and have ventured into evils that my grandmother's generation could not imagine. Christ will return and He will make all things right.

Try on a nation that is already applying these policies for size. Don't just spend a pretty little holiday. Live in the country earning the salaries, paying the taxes, trying to get an education, or better yet a job. If you have done this for a few years you realize why something free and different was necessary. We are going back to whence our ancestors escaped, whence immigrants continue to escape to eat the crumbs of our freedom we so carelessly take advantage of.

There are all sorts of variations on the socialization to check out, go be one with them. Let this nation be for the people, of the people. Let this nation remain true to her foundation, freedom from controls that have given you and everyone else what they have.

Isn't it funny how the government tells you to conserve fuel and energy while they launch the space shuttle (What notable recent breakthroughs or discoveries have we made on the space station?) and now a rocket (that NASA has said is not suitable to serve the purpose for which it was designed) that burn thousands of gallons of fuel in a matter of minutes. Isn't it funny how the government tells you you should drive a Prius while the president flies him and his wife on separate planes to Germany to beg for the Olympics. Amazing how they can waste energy and our money while telling us to cut back.

An experiment was done, many years ago, using a very large grove of trees (a small forest you might say). One half of the grove had pipes installed, running underneath the trees. These pipes had CO2 pumped through them. The other half of the grove was left untouched by the extra CO2. Researchers assumed that the growth of the "CO2" trees would be affected but never dreamed just how much. The "CO2 trees were about 20 percent taller and had about 40 percent more canopy volume than the non-"CO2" trees. The bottom line. The more CO2 you gave the trees, the faster and larger they grew. They handled it. I'm not going to sit here and say that people who speak negatively about CO2 emissions are idiots. They are not. They are people who are passionate about ours and our world's health. What I have not seen is the coming together, in a public venue, of scientists from both sides of the argument that have they're facts and the reliable data to back it up. Present it to the nations, let it be debated based on information that can be duplicated by other scientists, and let the public have access to this information. A televised presentation would be great. How about it scientists? If you can back it up then put it out there for debate.

Cap and Trade? What a joke. The American sheeple will fall for anything. Where do you fit in?

now with the cap and trade goes the working class of people making around 30,000.00 50,000.00 and less. they will have to pay for all the cost of cap and trade. So friends health care could not be paid for by the working class --no way. Cap and trade should be sent to the dump. you cannot put us in a bubble. the moon and sun looks the same now as they did when God made them.

For a dose of the truth, watch this: The Great Global Warming Swindle

Global temperatures have dropped for three yrs in a row. You call that global warming?

After this is passed, I just can't wait for my grandson to grow up and live in a world that is 1/2 degree cooler. He may not be able to afford to live, but he'll be cooler!

We are arguing over the contents in the 'middle of the paragraph'. The bottom line is: Do you believe that we are destroying the future environment of our planet, for our generations to come? Again and again, all I hear is about the *me* generation/I want what I want, now.

Oh this is socialism! Oh, the government is taking over! raise in arms kill everyone! revolution! our kid and grand kids will be paying for it! Oh, I'm a patriot and fight for freedom! Ridiculous!

You've been manipulated and brain washed already. There will always be a government. This is a country manipulated by huge diversified corporations that are basically disguised monopolies and big international bankers; they control the flow of money in this country and by doing that they control the law/legislature. They have many faces and many hats; it does not matter, republican or democrat or whatever. Stop fighting among yourselves. Democrats, Republican, Libertarians, Liberals and Socialist united as Americans. Stop hating and arguing - nobody is going to destroy you but yourself if you continue on this path.

There is nothing wrong with capitalism and wealth creation; it is needed and the markets know that. There is nothing wrong with providing the environment that will give incentives to empower the individual to be as rich as he can be as long that individual carries the moral, character and social responsibility that comes with the territory.

There is nothing wrong with socialism, since social justice is imperative to any decent, moral human being. As long as pseudo socialism does not cut your freedom to express your ideas, voice and sentiments and does not turn the government into a totalitarian government, nothing is wrong with it.

So, stop and unite if you want America to continue living!

I think you can start by reforming health care for now and even if it is run by your current government. If there was money for "unexplainable" or hard to understand war, there will be money to take care of the sick.

When are we going to realize that the more government is involved in our lives the worse off we'll be? We all cry, "Less government", but on the other hand we want the government to "take care of us." Cap and Trade is another way we relinquish more control to the government. I hope we wake up before it is too late.

Where did you come up with the term "goverment funds"? That is our money he is spending, along with our children's, our grand-children's, and great-grand-children's money, and he has only been in office six months.

Conservative like-mindedness seems to be showing up in anything President Obama and Congress tries to do. Equating an attempt to control pollution and climate change with "socialism" is highly illogical. We will have private industry in energy and healthcare as well as banking. Government is involved to regulate unfettered capitalism, which you would have to be totally ignorant to believe really works. We had a democratically held election in 2008 reflecting dissatisfaction with 8 years of conservative, Republican government starting unnecessary wars and allowing the economy to deteriorate. Our current cooperative foreign policy, our concern about energy and finding alternatives, and the using of government funds to do what the private sector cannot in order to reinvigorate our economy all are leading to better outcomes than if we did nothing.

the earth doesn't need saving. man has too many wants and never ending needs. look up at the full moon, does it look like it needs to be saved? not to me it doesn't but, i find the moon to be overrated anyhow.

The "pollutor" is you! listen to the language these marxists use. when they say only the rich will pay, that's you and me! In all of the world, the poorest among us are the richest among them. If you voted for Obama, you will be ashamed to admit it by the time his first term is over. but there will be a war that magically lands in his lap around 2012, because they know that statistically, a president is much less likely to be voted out in time of war. They play pollitics with our very lives. With our lives! Us! We The People! They work for us! So let's do all of us a favor and make sure that there is a massive turnover in Washington during these next three election cycles.

They will use the same tired line, "my opponent is a radical," or, "not experienced." well, look where all of this experience has got us?

Whoever is in office now that votes for tax & kill (cap & trade for the evironmentalists) or any who vote for universal healthcare reform, (lipstick on a pig) needs to be voted out, regardless of their opponent's views. The next batch could not possibly do a worse job. We

run this country! They work for us! Let's fire them all!

Hey guys, the government needs this tax so they can feed, house, and provide birth control for those 600 horses that nobody wants! 'Course the problem *could* be taken care of with about $200 in bullets. Hey then you could use the leftovers to feed all the dogs nobody wants, but all the bleeding-hearts say we should pay to house and feed! And to think these are the same people who think it is OK to kill your unborn child, because the government should *not* be able to tell you what to do with *your* body? What a joke. So $7 billion minus 200 is what? Whatever it is we could send it to China to pay off our debt. I wonder how many Chinese people have a place to live, food, lights, clothes, TV, etc. that the Chinese government pays for?

Cap and Trade is great for the economy. The "Government Authority" will set a "Cap" that industry will ignore then we the consumer will pay for the purchase of pollution. Two thumbs up foe "Socialism". You wanted "Change"? That's all you are going to be left with.

Why don't we all just stop breathing? Oh, and cut down all the trees while we are at it. That ought to help curb CO2 emissions.

The trees in the Great Smokey Mountains are suffering from a European born disease that was brought to our country. Get your facts straight and stop listening to the liberal bias media liars. This country is on the fast track to communism and they are using cap and trade to finish off our economy and our currency value. This is being done to create chaos among us so martial law can be declared therefor the Dems cannot be voted out of power and they may proceed to mold our once great nation into a socialist and elitest society. Mexican and Canadian military has already been authorized to enter and police us when anarchy strikes. Please look at the big picture folks. The new Amero dollar has already been designed and is awaiting distribution after the N. American Union has been formed in the very near future. All I can say is prepare yourselves and bury all the guns, ammunition and supplies that you can. Good luck to my fellow patriots and death to the marxist, communist sheeple. At least the weak lefties will be mostly incapable of defending themselves. Our biggest concern will be the military. "against all enemies foreign and domestic." Good luck.

Its interesting how we think our energy sources are are leading to our destruction. Here is a reality check. See that cord that is connected to your computer and the wall socket. Unplug it and see how much disinformation you can spew out over the internet.

The biggest cause for concern regarding polution, is Obama poluting our monetary system buy printing billions of unbacked dollars dumping them in to our monetary system. How long before this catches up with us?

Any Government controlled program will spell disaster. Cap and Trade will be a disaster. It will mean higher engery bills for all us. It is time to get the Government out of our lives.

Get ready for the domino effect. Cap & Trade is going to drive up the cost of energy production. The bill will be passed on to Joe Blow consumer. Inflation is skyrocketing under this administration and the general american consumer will continue to feed their normal lifestyle until it is too late and are over their head and on their last breath drowning in debt.

We pathetic conservatives already know what you liberals don't. Obama sold our bandwagon to the chinese

It's amazing how ignorant most of you are about the environment and the undeniable scientific proof behind global climate change theory. We aren't talking the same kind of theory that you would throw Jesus Christ and Buddha into, we are talking about a scientific hypothesis that has been supported by so much evidence that its existence is irrefutable by modern science. So you greedy business men and pathetic conservatives need to either A) educate yourselves or B) stop reproducing so the rest of us human beings can begin making headway on the massive amount of damage we have done to the world we live in. Cap and trade is a great start and I am proud to see that President Obama is getting the U.S. back on the bandwagon, but this is only the start. The EU's cap and trade system is preparing for its second phase while we are still developing our plan.

I wonder if this global warming is a natural process that will happen regardless of what the USA does. Some say if we do nothing, then it will happen faster. How much faster? How much worse? Who really cares when they are having a tough time making ends meet? The government certainly doesn't care about delaying the bankruptcy of our country. I wish they would show the same urgency in trying to balance our budget. We already are creating problems that our great-great grandkids will have to deal with. That is if *anyone* ever decides to deal with it.

Samuel Adams, one of the founding fathers of our nation, must have been a prophet.

"If ever time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin."

--Samuel Adams

This is absurd. Do you know methane gas is deadly also? The average person passes gas 8 to 10 times a day-3 million people here alone - what is that doing to the air? Are we to put charcoal in our drawers to absorb the gas? Levee a tax on all humans -if a big deal is made from cows emitting gas and belches-let it apply to all who pass gas-*everyone*

It just gets worse and worse every day, doesn't it? Meanwhile the unwashed bottom feeders concentrate on paying homage to a druggie. Oh great savior obama, please rescue us!!

The way the world is is far from where it should be.

We are standing at the edge of the abyss watching Congress grovel over whatever money they can steal before the printing press stops. At any given time, we are 30 minutes away from martial law and war in the street. Remember the OJ trial? You can't buy ammunition because people are hoarding it faster than it can be made. Obama is reaching out to those that want to kill us and the government is trying to control every aspect of our lives. Who cares about Cap & Trade, Health Care Reform, and a myriad of other legislation they don't read before they pass? Do you have any idea how you are going to feed, shelter, and protect your family when all hell breaks loose? Neither does Congress.

All of the posts are great comments. But what are we going to do about taking back our country?

Who has time for this, with the death of Michael Jackson. The American people have to much on their plate to be concerned with their future. I've seen some pretty ignorant people that are suppose to be public servants just screw this country like there is no tomorrow, and does the American public rise up? Our government leaders should all be in jail.

To anon35024:

There is zero proof that Global Warming is 1) caused by man, 2) a real problem, or 3) real.

If it was real, then the most compelling argument in support of this belief would NOT be: "The consensus among world scientists is that it is real, manmade, and a problem" - instead, the most compelling argument would be more along the lines of: "Look. Here is the proof. Open your eyes and do something about it."

"The consensus among world scientists is that it is real, manmade, and a problem" translates to "A lot of people believe it so you should as well."

Open your eyes. You're being lied to.

To anon35024 -- We can't afford it!!! If all the other countries were doing it, *and* we could afford it, then maybe, if it was proven to be an effective remedy that would actually help. Why spend all this money if it may not be a problem we can solve. By the time we can afford it, there may even be better solutions.

- rhouse1938: Yes it's a cycle, but the way we live on this planet is making it all happen much faster than it should.

- anon34864: It's called *global*. Not "my back yard change". Because of the *global* warming, there *is* extreme weather of all sorts that are happening. Sometimes, that means *cooler* than normal. Sometimes it means *wetter* than normal. Sometimes it means *more* tornadoes... *Think Globally*.

- anon34730: The Middle Ages called, they want their awareness of *science* back.

I'm all for this country to move out of the dark ages of fossil fuels, and aim for other resources.

All of our other technologies are *modern*. Why do we insist as a country to cling to these outdated ways?

OK, Global warming.........do you think it could be a cycle........seems like we've been there before!!

Yeah, Al Gore.....kept us safe for 8 years? What a crock. He and clinton did nothing but run down the military and did nothing about the looming housing crisis...along with Barney Frank and Chris Dodd.......what a bunch of looney tunes!!!

And now we have all the wonderful dems in office kissing the rear end of Obama while passing mountains of legislation they they did *not even read*!!!! People, we are in deep do do when congress passes bills that they haven't even read!! About 3 more years and you'll see a lot of Dems out of office. *I hope*!! How bout those winners......Carter, Clinton, Obama.....great leaders, ah?

I don't believe in global warming! I live in the northeast and still have not had any summer weather. I will burn more wood and waste oil if my utility bills goes up for this liberal insane legislation.

The left are out of control. "Be a good American! Don't try to think!" whatever.

Cap and Trade hasn't passed yet. It still has to go to the senate. I hope you will remember this observation: *no good law ever passes on a Friday, and no bad law ever passes on a Wednesday*.

What this country needs is another huge government program which costs billions to run with unprovable results. We can never destroy the earth. We can only ruin it for ourselves. If we do, something will survive, and eventually mother nature will heal itself, and start all over. However, if we destroy our economy by trying to fix everything, then we all will suffer sooner rather than later.

Since time immemorial and ever since the first *dollar* was exchanged, money has ruled and those in power make the rules. You know the tune---"Follow

the *money*."

First of all, God holds the earth in His hands and does with it whatever He will. The idea that man has the ability to destroy the earth or save the earth is futile. This world is passing away. And in fact, God has declared that He will destroy it with fire. I'd like to see Al Gore try to stop that!

why is it called cap and trade? people who listen to the news hear those words all the time--without a clue of what it actually means. sounds pretty stupid i guess but most people i know ,(average americans i believe,)hear many answers but never really know what the question is.

What happens to companies that exceed their cap! They are "penalized"? What does that mean?

If the penalty is not a fine, than that is it? Harsh language? The executive staff is gunned down?

Further, doesn't this just create one more reason for *all* industries to spend untold millions each year for lobbyists to attempt to alter the rules in favor of their industry... or to penalize competing industries to gain unfair advantages? *Of course it does*.

Cap and trade is plainly one of the most insane ideas, a massive effort that will generate its own sizable carbon footprint... where all of the activities of administrating and endless inspections of every modestly sized business, year after year after year.

Countries that have had Cap and Trade for awhile are now preparing to drop it, and no country that has had Cap and Trade is giving it good reviews.

Don't make the immense error of calling C02 a pollutant! That is like saying that water is a pollutant! CO2 is one of the most, if not *the* most necessary, life giving gasses on the planet. *All* plant life needs it to survive. It is literally the stuff plants and trees are made from.

No scientist on the entire planet would tell you that CO2 is a pollutant.

There are two issues, one) is there actually global warming and 2) if there is, is it caused by humans.

The second point is NOT PROVABLE. Let's look at the first. If there's global warming, we should be breaking high temperature records all over the globe. We are not. In fact, we are breaking cold records. Secondly, the greenhouse effect is supposed to hold in heat so that the temperature continues to trend higher. A simple test for this is what happens at night when the sun sets. Guess what, it's not warmer at night and the delta between day and night hasn't changed.

The enemies of what was the greatest nation that ever was are winning because we have become ignorant, confused sheep. Take back the power now or it's over for all of US.

oh...everyone shaddup and pay your taxes. we're all gonna work for the liberal elite anyways.

Didn't the Bush-Cheney Admin. roll back the pollution control laws so that industries could lower costs and pass their savings on to you and create more jobs? Did you see your energy costs and cost of living go down? Utility costs tripled, jobs were lost, and our standard of living nose dived. The filthy rich only want to get richer. If we don't see this bill passed, can we expect to enjoy this current prosperity of low energy costs? Wake up ditto heads and neocons. Quit supporting the slime that would keep you on your knees.

Ok, so now we don't have to *pay* for refuse or a water bill. We just can't take out our trash or flush our toilets.

Only difference is we don't see the effects of ozone depletion *as* quickly.

Look, of course there is a cost. Everything costs. You enjoy driving on the roads paid for by our taxes. Do you want everything for free? Our freedom isn't free. We *pay* for our governments and their officials, *which* provide us with laws that govern us and keep us safe and free.

C@p--$3000 TO $4000 more per year, per household.

So by that rationale, since everybody else is doing it, it's ok?

Money is more important than our planet's health? our kid's/grandkid's future?

I don't see how people are so tunnel-visioned. Business, business, business. I guess *that* is the one problem with capitalism.

A few questions:

Isn't CO2 roughly 1/3 of 1% of the atmosphere?

If China and India simply fill in the emissions that the US forfeits - what is the gain?

If we slow our economy by cap and trade such that we kill off economic growth and damage our economy further - what environmental consequences cascade from this eventuality?

Do we need another government program? Or at least name a government program (outside of those that the government monopolizes or only the government can do) that integrates well with commercial enterprise?

This is another way for the government to take money from *everyone* so it can grow bigger and bigger. You will *pay*!

Have the environmentalists ever been right about *anything*?

Let us remember: this whole movement started with Rachel Carson and "Silent Spring," which led to a near-universal ban on DDT.

*And millions of people died needlessly!*

Fifteen years ago, it was "the coming Ice Age." Nowadays, the US apparently thinks the globe is warming up *and* it's our fault, while the Russians think we are headed into another Ice Age. I believe the Japanese hold a third opinion.

So should we just jump right in with a *huge* government program, when we are not quite sure exactly what the problem is?

For sure, beware people who suspect that "something" is wrong, so the gummint must "do something." That's kind of like, "Ready, *fire!*, Aim."

My prayer this evening: Lord, grant me the incredible wisdom of all those people who are 100%

sure there is no such thing as global warming. I

pray they are right - 'cause if they are wrong, the *whole planet* pays with it's life. And as I fall asleep I will wonder if it's the concept of global warming they hate so much or is it Al Gore...remember, *he* kept us 'safe' the entire 8 years he was in office and didn't have to torture anyone to do it. *That* ought to get the right wingnuts going. Bring it on!

response to Wdscott:

Well scott if you think the polluters will pay you're wrong. They will just pass the added expense to you when you buy their product or pay for their service. So the costs will be on your shoulders. You don't get it like the rest of the cap and trade supporters. As always the consumer (you) will pay and pay dearly.

Global warming is a farce?? Now that's funny.

The world is flat too.

response to wdscott:

How *bad* global warming is cannot be known for sure, and there's no way to know *for sure* until it's too late. All one has to do is see the devastating effects of the environment on the trees in the Great Smoky mountains to know that *something* is wrong.

We need to collectively learn as a nation that there *are* things more important than money.

Listen, who is going to stop China from emitting the filth that it spits out every day? China is polluting on a scale not seen since the industrial revolution. Look at the big picture. The cost burden of cap and trade will be passed on to the consumer, not the so called polluter. It's just one more thing to cripple the economy. All this nonsense helps China get stronger while we get weaker.

Our steel making industry has been brought to it's knees while China just built two new super mills which employ thousands. American corporations move to foreign countries because they aren't taxed out of existence and harassed by an environmental protection agency.

With all of this going on, all you can think about is that there might be global warming. It's a shame that you only listen to the few scientists that use junk science to make a case for global warming but you don't listen to the other side. Global warming is a farce and cap and trade is just another nail in America's coffin.

For those of you who forgot basic facts, Trees *use and need co2* , Carbon Dioxide, to survive. Green plants *use* this CO2 to produce *oxygen*, which we people *need and use*, Oxygen keeps us alive. If you are trying to reduce CO2, you are reducing what trees *need* to produce *oxygen,* and *trees will die* if you eliminate CO2, and then we will die, without the oxygen trees produce. Seems some forgot the basics, trying to reduce CO2 will reduce oxygen, and will reduce *you.* dan

Fact: Carbon dioxide is not "pollution".

Fact: Government always aggrandizes power to itself, and this is just one more example of it.

The companies that are penalized by "cap and trade" will either pass the additional cost on to us the consumer or move to a country where they can do whatever they like. Either way the American people lose-lose.

To view this as a farce one must be 100% sure there is no such thing as global warming. I believe there is such a thing - therefore I am for Cap and Trade because it places the cost of excessive pollution on the shoulders of the polluters.

How *bad* global warming is cannot be known for sure, and there's no way to know *for sure* until it's too late. All one has to do is see the devastating effects of the environment on the trees in the Great Smoky mountains to know that *something* is wrong.

We need to collectively learn as a nation that there *are* things more important than money.

In the carbon credit system a farmer does what he normally does, a factory does what it normally does. The only thing that changes is that the government forces the factory to buy carbon credits and gives the money to the farmer. Once again it's just the government stealing money from one group of people and giving it to another. Nothing else changes. *Wake up America*!

Cap and trade is a farce.

By allowing the purchase of credits, the message is "pollute as much as you like, just pay for it, and you're off guilt-free."

The most glaring and obvious example? None other than the Global Warming Svengali, Al Gore. While lecturing the rest of us about curtailing our carbon emissions, he merrily consumes 20 times as much energy as normal folks, but buys "credits" to "ensure carbon-neutrality."

What a load of carbon-emitting crap.

This is nothing more than a get-rich-quick scheme for those who become "brokers" of these meaningless credits. Americans have become so dumbed-down that we just accept whatever the anointed spew, and we do it at our own peril.

Obama admitted that the Cap and Trade he espouses will bankrupt the Coal industry. All that will do is make YOUR electric bill skyrocket as your provider is forced to use inefficient, horribly expensive ways to produce energy. Get ready, this is gonna hurt.