Cap-and-Trade Sweetheart Deal: Earmarks for Votes?
Mattie Duppler
While the deleterious economic impact of the cap-and-trade bill that passed the House last week is alarming, the manner by which the legislation was passed is equally worrisome. Not surprisingly, we’re now learning more about just how hard Speaker Pelosi worked to sway key Democrat votes, trading pork for support for her job-killing legislation.
The Washington Times reports that Ohio Representative Marcy Kaptur was awarded a $350 billion earmark to subsidize energy projects in her state in exchange for a yes vote on Waxman-Markey. Minority Leader, John Boehner, who also represents Ohio, criticized the pork, stating that Ohio already had a power authority that satisfied the electricity needs of Ohioans. Beyond that, Rep. Kaptur champions her new project as a one that is modeled after the stimulus package which, as we have told you, has failed to do anything it was intended to do.
This comes on the heels of other news that such deals were the catalyst to the passage of the bill. Cap-and-trade is bad policy, but this back-scratching is bad politics. Representatives who are willing to sell their votes are not stewards of their constituents’ interests. What’s more, leadership that will attach any price tag to bills to advance its agenda is a dangerous prospect for Americans – after being forced to bear the burden of failed spending packages and bailouts we should not have to pay to fund Pelosi’s shifty vote deals.
As Congress reconvenes and the Senate moves to take a look at the bill, we will surely hear more about the backroom antics that got cap-and-trade past the House and we will make sure our readers hear about them. But the question remains…this is the most ethical congress in history?
