27 June 2009

Honorable Senator Warner:

Honorable Senator Webb:

Honorable Congressman Wittman:

I am outraged that the Waxman-Markey bill has cleared the House of Representatives by a margin of 219-212 – mostly along party lines – and is now headed for a vote in the Senate.  I have concluded that the goal of this legislation is to arbitrarily reduce carbon dioxide emissions 17% by constricting American manufacturers and utilities already operating within tough guidelines set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency.  If enacted I predict that implementation of this “cap-and-trade” bill will be the ultimate destabilizing factor to our country’s economy as it would represent the most expensive tax burden in American history.

Although touted as the principle reason for this legislation, this bill will have absolutely no impact in an effort to avert “catastrophic climate change” principally because there is no impending environmental crisis.  The scientific evidence does not exist to sustain the theory of global warming despite Al Gore’s claims.  I recommend that you purchase a copy of Michael Crichton’s novel State of Fear not because it is a good story but because it contains many references to scientific evidence that does refute that theory.  The Earth has historically experienced thermal fluctuations totally disconnected from human influence and this fact is simply evident when studying the migration routes of the Scandinavian explorers over a thousand years ago.

This country is currently in a very deep recession and there is no argument that several sectors of the American economy are teetering on the verge of collapse.  The housing mortgage sector and the automobile industry have already suffered that fate and the airline industry is probably next in line.  With the recent legislation that will substantially increase the income tax burden as a result of the TARP bill, the $787 billion “stimulus” bill and the proposed $1.2 trillion nationalized health care bill it is certainly not prudent at this time to levy additional legislation that will ultimately cost the energy consumer more $5.7 trillion by 2035.  The only way that the American economy will recover from this recession is by cost reduction and thus concern for the environment should be addressed in much more frugal ways.

My expectation as your constituent is that you are intimately familiar with the contents of all legislation that you are asked to consider and to vote according to the wishes of those you represent.  Since there is an economic crisis that you should address but no imminent environmental crisis to avert I strongly question the wisdom and prudence of even considering this bill in such a hasty manner.  If you have not read the entire 1,200-page bill, thoroughly understand it and are able to convince the majority of Virginians that this legislation is in the best interest of your state and our country then you should cast a “no” vote when asked.  My expectation is that you will vote against the Waxman-Markey bill and turn your legislative attention to more substantive efforts that will restore the American economy.

Very sincerely,

James Hull