Fritz Pfister

What a spectacular display of American democracy in action on September 1 in Springfield Illinois! Dozens of business organizations, trade organizations, and citizens gathered at The Crowne Plaza Hotel to state their protest to the Waxman Markey legislation, and the dire economic impact passage will have upon Illinois.

Here’s what some of the speakers had to say;

The Farm Bureau; the cost of production of crops will increase over $10,000 an acre which will result in higher food prices at the grocery store.

The owner of a coal company irate that he will have to cast thousands of miners out of a job.

The manager of a refinery coop shared the (taxes) costs will exceed their profits.

Edinburg school superintendent said the increased costs will only leave his district with enough money to operate one school bus in his rural district.

The head of the rural electric coop organization said the cost of a kilowatt hour to their customers will increase 50% the first year.

The head of the Illinois Sheriff’s organization will have to slash budgets which will result in poor response to criminal activity, if they can respond!

The head of the Illinois Home Builder’s Association shared that cost of new construction would go up to the point only the wealthy can afford a new home.

The head of the Illinois Manufacturer’s Association predicted a loss of 53,000 jobs the first year.

A Springfield small business owner shared the added costs will lead to layoffs, and diminished business.

The head of the Illinois Fertilizer Association said the costs will force the closure of Illinois’ only Nitrogen plant causing thousands to lose jobs, and farmers to import nitrogen driving up costs of production for farmers, food at the grocery, and could result in dire consequences if another hurricane closed the Port of New Orleans.

The bottom line is that Waxman Markey Cap and Trade legislation will be devastating to the economies of Illinois and the Midwest. Hundreds of thousands will lose their jobs above and beyond all green jobs created, the price for heating and cooling your home will increase, the price of gas and food will skyrocket, and the mandates for home builders will put the American Dream out of reach.

All for what? Without China, India, South Korea, or Mexico not being restricted by such onerous legislation and rules, the world temperature will decline one one hundredth of a degree by 2050. Comforting.

Some liberals claim this is nothing but right wing, end of the world, doom and gloom, to scare people into opposing the environmentalist movement, and to stop this socialist legislation. As with most liberal initiatives, it is not the results that count, but their good intentions.

The sad truth is all those who spoke at the rally have read the bill and are warning of the real world consequences if this legislation is passed.

Call, write, e-mail Senators Durbin, and Burris to let them know you oppose Waxman Markey.

Following my latest radio program I received a rather nasty e-mail from an environmental wacko who complained that I was lying by saying cap and trade would harm the housing market. For that individual and like minded thinkers here’s a little economics 101 lesson, people that don’t have jobs don’t buy houses, homes in outlying markets lose buyers when utilities and gas become unaffordable, and please ask the home builders the cost of this bill.

I hate having to respond to the mental midgets that place toads ahead of people, however I have an invitation for them; call me and I’ll supply them with the names and phone numbers of the trade organizations who will in turn supply the names and numbers of all their members that lose their jobs. Once in receipt of the names of the families that have been destroyed by your cockamamie, loony environmental religious blinded zealotry, you can explain to the father why he can’t keep his house or feed his children.

The opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of Fritz Pfister and not those of RE/MAX Professionals of Springfield, or RE/MAX International.