House Republicans have unveiled their energy plan. It's all sweet-sounding promising about how we can have it all: more energy, a cleaner environment, and low, low costs for you, the consumer. Here are three Republicans introducing the bill in today's Wall Street Journal op-ed page:
House Republicans this week unveiled legislation that will lead to lower prices, more jobs, a cleaner environment, and greater energy independence. The centerpiece of our American Energy Act is a commitment to increase the production of our abundant domestic natural resources, and not to punish traditional energy producers and consumers. ...
Democratic leaders want to impose higher fuel bills on all of us and relocate American jobs overseas in pursuit of an unproven environmental agenda. Instead, the American Energy Act will produce more energy, lower fuel bills, create more jobs, yield a cleaner environment, and lead to a more secure nation.
Sounds great! But, as Brad Plumer points out, the GOP energy bill specifically proclaims, "Nothing in the Clean Air Act shall be treated as authorizing or requiring the regulation of climate change or global warming." It's not surprising they think this, because the key drafters of the bill are climate change skeptics. Obviously, the Republicans aren't willing to impose higher prices on CO2 emissions because they don't think CO2 emissions are a problem. But they're pretending that they just have a magical free way to solve the problem rather than admit they don't really think it's a problem at all.
--Jonathan Chait