Explanation of the cap and trade bill
 

Here's a good explanation of what this issue is about. In my view, if the bill passes the Senate and gets signed into law, investments in alternative energy will skyrocket. It will lead to the sort of opportunities provided by the internet. One of the reasons that spending got us out of the Great Depression was because WWII created a huge reconstruction market. If things play out as hoped, then we will develop some great technologies, bringing real change into our homes, and sell those technologies around the world. The right wing of the conservatives in the Republican Party have painted a doom and gloom scenario. But, honestly, I find their argument very unconvincing because I think alternative energy is ready to take off as a business sector and as a technology that will catch on big-time once it's cost-saving.

But again, this is a good straightforward explanation of what the climate bill is supposed to do:

The Associated Press: Questions and answers about the US climate bill

Re: Explanation of the cap and trade bill
 

I'm sorry, Patters, but this bill looks beyond next Wednesday. I can't comprehend it.

Re: Explanation of the cap and trade bill
 

We could have done that with our idiot president's $1+T spending bill but instead we're building tunnels for turtles.

Re: Explanation of the cap and trade bill
 

Here's an easy explanation that everyone should be able to understand:

MORE BS TAXE$.

Now, that was easy. :D

Re: Explanation of the cap and trade bill
 

Pipe dream. Cheap "green" alternative energy does not yet exist. What the government is basically attempting is to manipulate the market to make oil, gas, and coal more expensive so that other more expensive energies appear more affordable. Centralized market manipulation = Historically proven economic disasters.

Lowers our GDP, makes us less competitive globally, makes the price of everything more expensive, destroys jobs (especially manufacturing and agriculture), just to name a few.

If this biggest tax hike ever passes, prepare for higher unemployment, an extended recession - possible depression, and anything you buy become more expensive - prorgressively towards 2012.

Re: Explanation of the cap and trade bill
 

BF, I think we are simply using our economic muscle to power an overhaul of the economy. If our economy collapses, the world economy collapses and we have a Great Depression that would probably put the likes you and me out of work and make our savings worthless. To me, the idea of greasing the wheels of capitalism with massive deficit spending makes sense. It's just a matter of time before it generates the sort of economic excitement that sparks the global economy.

As far as the initial burst of spending, that was done to put the breaks on the economic slide. It cost a lot of money, but it seems to have done so.

Re: Explanation of the cap and trade bill
 

The government greasing the wheels of capitalism? In one statement you contradict yourself. The best thing is for the government to stay out of the way. The more manipulating they do, the worst things will get.

Not it hasn't. The "stimulus" has done nothing but build a mountain of debt for us, our children, and grandchildren. It will make things worse in the long-term.

Re: Explanation of the cap and trade bill
 

The initial burst was less than 10% of the total. It didn't put a stop to the slide, the economy just bottomed out the way it naturally does. We still have almost all the money unspent and it could be used for alternative energy. In reality they're keeping the money to throw around before next year's midterms.

Re: Explanation of the cap and trade bill
 

Good point! I'd also add, that we really don't know if we actually have hit the bottom yet. If cap and trade passes, then the floor will drop lower.

Re: Explanation of the cap and trade bill
 

The main problem with the stimulus is it's being spent on one off projects. It creates jobs but once the work is done the jobs are gone. The only way the stimulus would "work" would be to create jobs that would build upon themseleves. Not happening.

As I've said before, my stimulus would have been :

- HUGE spending on Manhattan Project type thing for alternative energy. This creates a huge amount of White Collar jobs.

- HUGE spending to convert lots of vehicles and gas stations/pipelines to Natural Gas. This creates a huge amount of Blue Collar jobs.

When it's done, we would have a lot of vehicles running on cheaper, cleaner energy that is underneath our land. And the Manhattan Project types would be developing something even cleaner for later. THAT would create jobs, clean the air and create ONGOING economic benefits.