Energy Bill passes - Local Democrats help to turn out the lights in Michigan

No doubt you've heard by now that the Waxman cap-and-trade energy bill, complete with its last minute 300 page amendment passed by a vote of 219-212 in the House.

And our local Michigan Democrat representative, Gary Peters, the freshman Congressman who made a name for himself doing an Inspector Renault "I'm shocked simply shocked to find AIG Salary bonuses here" shtick, bonuses which was inserted by a Democrat, in a bill passed by Democrats and signed by a Democrat president, decided to further along Michigan's decline by voting for this bill that he hadn't even read.

Peters won his seat in just this past election defeating Knollenberg in what used to be a Republican area. Here's hoping people wake up to the damage he and the Democrats are doing to the economy of this state from this bill among others and vote him out promptly.

Other Michigan Democrats further voted to help put a nail in Michigan's industrial coffin (make no mistake the bill, seeking to cut carbon emissions to 1800s levels will be a manufacturing job killer- jobs need energy and most reliable energy sources these days does give off carbon emissions. As the bill didn't mandate the construction of a new nuclear reactor in every state I doubt they're aiming to keep energy production at current levels but to force it to be cut which will cause it to become more expensive (ever heard of supply and demand? - its not just a good idea, its a law!).

These Democrats included-

Democrats Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick of Detroit, Gary Peters of Bloomfield Township and Mark Schauer of Battle Creek had considered voting against the bill, but ultimately voted yes.

Cheeks Kilpatrick (Mommy of Kwame) by the way is now under investigation for violating House Ethics rules for a little junket trip to St. Maarten that was sponsored by some corporations for her.

Indeed the Democrats had to scrape up every vote they could find:

Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Calif., confirmed by the Senate on Thursday to an administration post, put off her resignation from Congress until after the final vote on the climate change bill.

And indeed the Democrat leadership had to scrape some from inside the bottom of some whiskey barrels apparently:

And Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., who has been undergoing treatment at an undisclosed facility, returned to the Capitol to support the legislation. He has said he struggles with depression, alcoholism and addiction, but has not specified the cause for his most recent absence.

Can a congressman vote while under the influence, or just being influenced by Pelosi, lobbyists, and the White House?

Of course, the Eight Republicans who voted for this execrable bill, which would not have passed without them (it passed 219-212 -- had they voted no it would have been different) deserve their own special recognition -

Eight Republicans voted in favor of the legislation. They are: Mary Bono (CA), Mike Castle (DE), Mark Kirk (IL), Leonard Lance (NJ), Frank LoBiondo (NJ), Chris Smith (NJ), John McHugh (NY), and David Reichert (WA). Nicely done indeed. (Thanks to Powerline for the line-up - they've got some great stuff on the shenanigans that went into this bill)

. On the upside, one Michigan Republican showed some backbone:

Vern Ehlers of Grand Rapids, a research physicist who has pushed environmental legislation, was one of a handful of Republicans the Democratic leadership had hoped to win over, but he voted no.

Thanks to representative Van Ehlers for standing firm for what's right.

This bill, a lobbyist's dream for cap and trade, for an unproven problem of global warming, will drastically harm our state's and the nations economy, and increase the price of everything while it does so. Hopefully the Senate will find the backbone to kill this abomination because the House just sold America out for a mess of green potage.

Thanks so much for further moving Michigan into economic decline. For Michigan Democrat Representative Schauer to say this bill will create Michigan jobs is beyond ridiculous - unless you count new hires for lobbyists from Michigan's power plants to go plead with congressmen for energy credits so they can keep the lights on here a little longer as new and desirable jobs for this state.