Issue Position: Cap and Trade

Issue Position

I strongly oppose the cap and tax legislation recently passed in the House of Representatives and currently under consideration in the Senate. It will impose layers of additional complex rules and regulations on businesses while creating a slush fund for politicians to dole out to their favorite constituencies. It will artificially increase the cost of energy for every individual, family, and business and cost us thousands of jobs as our companies are forced to compete against foreign firms unburdened by our high energy and compliance costs. Even with all of the new regulations and costs under the cap and trade plan it would have little impact on global CO2 emissions. The biggest future emitters of CO2 are the developing economies of India and China, neither of which is prepared to hinder their own growth and prosperity with arbitrary limits on CO2 output.

I support an "all of the above" approach to energy development which includes pursuing solar, geothermal, wind, and new green energy advancements. We should not limit our potential to find new and cleaner sources of energy by taking viable options off the table now. I support the construction of new nuclear power plants and increased exploration and use of natural gas in Colorado.

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