OK, let's here what everybody thinks.  This post is TX Congressman John Carters views on the energy bill that passed the house.  Post your comments below, and then visit my previous post where I posted Obama's Weekly Address about the same energy bill and post your comments there as well.

From TX Congressman John Carter

Democrats Pass Bill to Raise Gas Prices and Consumer Power Bills, Ship Millions of American Jobs to China

House Democrats today voted to raise gas prices to $4 a gallon, nearly double consumer electric bills, and to ship 2 million American jobs a year to China and India with passage of the environmental extremist national energy tax bill. Congressman John Carter (R-TX) voted against the measure, which passed the House by a strictly partisan 219-212 margin, with 211 Democrats and 8 Republicans voting for the bill. 168 Republicans and 44 Democrats voted against it.

"Based on this vote alone, the American people need to replace this House with a new conservative majority, whose first priority in January 2011 should be a repeal of this fraudulent monstrosity," says Carter. "Today, the Democrats told the public they don't care what voters think, they will ignore the majority and continue taxing, spending, and regulating the country into bankruptcy."   

Congressman John Carter fought the Democrat majority national energy tax bill all week in the House. Early this week, in an effort to protect the budget of working families in the middle of a serious recession, Carter introduced amendments to HR 2454, the Democrats' national energy tax bill.

Carter's twin amendments would have automatically repealed the energy tax, also known as the "cap and trade" bill, if the U.S. Department of Energy confirmed the bill raised gas or diesel prices by more than 10 cents a gallon, or home electric bills by more than $20 a month.

"The debate over this bill is how much it will raise prices for consumers," said Carter, House Republican Conference Secretary. "Democrats contend the effect will be minimal, so they should have no problem adding these two amendments just to make sure. A vote against either will therefore be a recorded vote to raise energy prices on consumers."

The latest version of the national energy tax places the price hikes almost entirely on the backs of middle-income Americans, who make up around 70% of the nation's population. Low income families, those making less than $33,000 a year per family, would receive new federal "energy stamps", the energy equivalent of food stamps, to "render harmless" all but middle-income Americans.

"The current bill will do nothing to reduce carbon emissions, will increase energy prices on working Americans, and will cost us over 2 million jobs a year for years to come," said Carter. "These amendments will hopefully wake up some folks on the other side of the aisle as to what they are doing to their constituents."  

The Carter Amendments were submitted to the House Rules Committee Wednesday, for consideration as part of floor debate. But in late night action Thursday, Democrat House leaders voted to refuse to allow consideration of Carter's amendments during Friday's debate on the bill. Democrats instead allowed a late night 309-page amendment by Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA) that was brought to the floor for a vote before House Members had time to read it.

"If this bill passes, it will devastate Texas working families trying to fight their way out of this recession, and not reduce one iota of carbon emissions," said Carter. "The overwhelming majority of Americans oppose this bill, which explains why Democrats have chosen to ram it through on a strictly partisan vote then get out of town for a week. If they succeed, repeal of this bill and passage of a real energy bill that lowers consumer costs should be a top priority for the new Congress in January 2011 when conservatives re-take the House."

The Democrat energy tax bill is estimated by Heritage Foundation to cost 3,312 jobs in Central Texas through 2012, and another 2,427 jobs thereafter. The study predicts a 58% increase in gasoline and diesel prices, a 90% increase in home power bills, and will cost a total of over 2 million jobs a year over the next decade as U.S. manufacturers move to China and India to avoid the tax, or are forced out of business by foreign competitors who are not required to comply.   The bill also gives over $300 billion to foreign governments such as Brazil.

Central Texas Congressmen split their early votes on the energy tax bill, according to KWTX TV. "Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, and Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock, came down on opposite sides Friday as the U.S. House voted 217-205 to advance a controversial White House-backed climate bill to the House floor. The 1,200-page climate measure would impose a so-called cap and trade system that would raise energy costs, but by how much is the subject of some debate."

Remember, This post is TX Congressman John Carters views on the energy bill that passed the house.  Post your comments below, and then visit my previous post where I posted Obama's Weekly Address about the same energy bill and post your comments there as well.