The Slippery Slope of the New Cap and Trade Bill

Thanks for the reminder that government almost always messes things up.

Bob, thanks for keeping us posted.  I am, however, mostly for increased regulation over the housing industry.   In fact, I'd like to see the "big, bad, federal government" begin to regulate a few more things, like:

1) Quotas on new home construction, by community.  I know it sounds like too much meddling but one of the major reasons we're in such a recession is we had entirely too much NEW housing inventory built to absorb. 

2) Discontinuance, or at least major oversight, of tax abatement strategies of both cities and states.   This whole area is a quagmire of loopholes, special preferences to the weathly and well-connected.  The problem with many tax abatement strategies in our area is that the lender doesn't qualify the borrower as though the taxes were not abated, then when the county/city hits them with the tax, it forces them into foreclosure or worse, bankruptcy.   This happens on a wide scale in some of these PUD's and then you've got a real mass exodus and dismal, blighted neighborhood to deal with, which for years is hard for resales.  

3) While I don't know nearly enough about Cap and Trade as I would like, seems to me is were talking about the lesser of two evils.   We've got to get a handle on emissions and we've got to get away from out addiction to, and dependence upon, foreign oil sources.  The whole fossil fuel industry needs to be replaced with clean energy.  

Seems to me the big, bad, heavy hand of government is the lesser of two evils when compared to the big, bad, heavy hand of multi-national corporations that very frequently try to step around, over, under or to plow through regulations that are put in place to protect the majority, not their minority. 

I'm thrilled about the direction Obama is taking on these issues, so more power to him, IMO.

Dave and Andrew, your two comments reveal the deep divide in our country towards how we feel about government.

Personally, I don't trust government.  Not after they (being the government House and Senate) robbed tax paying Americans by depleting the social security fund.  I don't like that they continue to give themselves pay raises and that most certainly, our taxes are going to be raised in order to pay for all the programs that the president and the current congress are putting into place.

That having been said, I also believe that if all of us did a better job of working together to improve the planet and to look out for one another, we wouldn't need so much government interference in our lives.

It all boils down to this - we live in a world that is broken.  How you deal with that and understand it determines your opinion of government involvement or interference.

Bob if every bill was subject to where it COULD go then we would have no bills passed. Which some would argue is not all that bad. In Georgia in Dekalb county you have to have low flush toliets in a home when it is sold. We all hated this and it passed a couple of years ago . We have all adjusted and move on

Hi Bob, Good post. Thanks for sharing.

Best - Sash

Charlie,

I HATE low flow toilets.  They feel like you have to stand there and encourage them that they really can get the job done.  "Come on," you say, "You can do it.  Go.  Go.  Go.  YES!  Good job, Mr. Toilet...oh wait, what?  Misflush...dang it!"

Pretty soon we'll all be putting regular flushers back in and keeping the low flows for when we go to sell the house! 

LOL!