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Concord, NH- Yesterday, the leaders of several New Hampshire organizations signed a joint letter to Senator Jeanne Shaheen calling on her to oppose the Waxman-Markey Cap and Trade energy tax legislation. The letter was signed by the leaders of the NH Advantage Coalition, The Coalition of NH Taxpayers, NH 9-12 Project, Cornerstone Policy Research Action, Citizens Leadership NH, Granite State Patriots, and the Seacoast Citizens in Action. [GraniteGrok was among the signers as well]

The letter requests Senator Shaheen to exercise “yankee common sense” and oppose cap and trade energy taxes by urging NH House members Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes to reconsider their support for it. The leaders ask Senator Shaheen to oppose this legislation that “sets inflexible caps on carbon emissions that benefit green market speculators more than our economy” pointing out that this legislation will drive up consumer’s energy taxes. The letter also points out the lack of transparency and continuance of pork barrel politics in the bill.

Former State Senator George Lovejoy, the Honorary Chairman of NH Advantage Coalition stated “although the pristine environment of the granite state is part of our NH Advantage, hammering each household for an extra $1,600 in taxes is not.” He continued “the Waxman-Markey energy taxes threaten to extend and intensify the current recession by increasing costs for New Hampshire families to the tune of an extra $1,600 in taxes of which we don’t have.  From business owners to college grads with loans, people are already struggling”. The letter will be sent to Senator Shaheen office and calls on her to oppose the bill that enjoys support by NH House members Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes.

Here is the letter with signers:

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Guest Post by former State Senator George Lovejoy…

New Hampshire Senators sent to Washington have long been respected for their traditional common sense.  It is a long cherished value of the Granite State and on many issues New Hampshire Senators have taken the lead in getting colleagues from both parties to apply this ideal on very critical issues of importance to most Americans.

Such an issue is Congressional motivation to pass Waxman-Markey Climate Change ‘Cap and Trade’ Bill, a proposal now being discussed by the US House, as well as most Americans.  The need for Senator Jeanne Shaheen to step up to take the lead in defeating this consumer costly strategy could not be greater!  This proposal sounds good in the beltway but fails the people miserably as it will increase energy costs to consumers, cost jobs, while doling out free permits to selected industries (see last week’s Wall Street Journal article “Waxman-Markey Bill: It’s Giveaway Time for Emissions Permits”).  With this equation it sounds like everyone is adversely affected by Waxman-Markey; energy producers, consumers and taxpayers, job creators, and the goals set out by the President.  I might not be a fan of President Obama, but what sense does it make to have a policy that is this highly ineffective to every sector of the economy?

Don’t take my word for it – if you are not familiar with the job cuts concern we have, please look at over a half dozen proposed amendments from US Reps in California and Colorado to this bill that calls for an exit clause from this policy that “Suspends the Act should [certain number of jobs lost occur].  There is no doubt that Waxman-Markey will cost American jobs at a critical time with record number unemployment figures from New Hampshire to California.

We urge you to bring common sense to our House members in Washington and demonstrate the common sense approach Granite Staters have come to expect.

The authors of the Cap and Trade bill called Waxman-Markey is an effort to slow what they perceive as climate change with inflexible caps on carbon emission have lost sight on the effect it will have on our personal income or national economy.  It provides no way to protect American consumers.

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