Economics Questions

Re: Cap and Trade - Costs on the Poor and Political Implications

meambobbo — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:42:30 GMT

Raising taxes on the poor in a recession has got to be political suicide in my book. I can only speculate they believe it will be a minor tax. It doesn't matter how many TV ads they run when people are rationing their TV usage now because of increased costs.

Or maybe it incrementally ramps up, with the majority of the ramping occurring after the 2010 elections.

Of course, maybe they feel the opposition is splintered and weak...

Or maybe there's some new welfare program around the corner........................besides Obama care...

Re: Cap and Trade - Costs on the Poor and Political Implications

Nitroadict — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:37:33 GMT

Byzantine:

You run a bunch of ads showing all these evil white guys with their factories and their cars with smoke belching into the air, then you show all these poor peeps holding handkerchiefs to their mouths and coughing and hacking in the ER and crying over the kitchen table about their medical bills. Then you have Denzel Washington narrate about how how cap and trade will clean the air and provide money for health care for the poor. Whoever opposes cap and trade is obviously some evil polluter who hates poor people and especially children and is probably a Nazi as well. In places like Boulder CO and Portland OR, they'll run ads about polar bears and Polynesians with these stoic looks as the rising ocean laps at their feet.

Next question?

Did Morgan Freeman lie to me when he told me Visa Debit is easier than cash & checks?

Cap and Trade - Costs on the Poor and Political Implications

meambobbo — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:05:30 GMT

Looks like this cap and trade ___ is moving forward. I don't know enough about the details, but it seems this will push up energy costs on the poor, right?

How is this politically viable? Are there some kind of tax deductions or rebates, etc. to keep costs from touching such large voting blocs?