The title of this blog may sound like lyrics to a song. If so, it would most likely be a funeral dirge for the greatest Republic ever conceived in the minds of men. Prosperity that springs from freedom is being aggressively suppressed by an administration Hell bent on crushing our great economic engine with expensive, undependable energy. In what can only be considered the final assault on America’s economy, Recent Executive and regulatory actions herald the demise of coal-fired electricity production. The EPA had recently listed 280 coal plants slated for shut down, with the hardest hit states being my beloved Ohio, followed closely by Pennsylvania, Georgia, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky and Indiana. Prepare for dark sweaty Summer nights and not so cozy Winter evenings in your home.
The President is going for the killing blow against coal. On June 25, his latest global warming speech will assure a future of brownouts, high electric bills and businesses struggling to afford the necessary energy for manufacturing. As White House Climate Advisor Daniel P. Schrag relates in the New York Times, “Politically, the White House is hesitant to say they’re having a war on coal. On the other hand, a war on coal is exactly what’s needed.”
A White House with no fear of retribution will charge forward with an extreme green agenda as President Obama presents his latest climate change action on June 25. A preview of the plan in the New York Times claims the White House is pursuing the boldest enactment of regulation through Executive Order to date. According to the Times, “None of what the president plans to propose will require action by Congress, which has shown no appetite for dealing with global warming and its attendant energy challenges in a comprehensive way.” Separation of powers has gone the way of the dinosaur.
The President is expected to impose the first-ever federal regulations on emissions from existing power plants. According to Tom Borelli, a Senior Fellow at FreedomWorks, “This proposal will buttress an EPA proposed rule issued last year for new power plants that will essentially ban coal’s use in the future,”
Wind, Solar and geothermal continue to be touted as valid alternatives for carbon-based fossil fuels. The President proposes doubling the energy obtained from renewable sources of energy on public lands to make up for the closure of coal-fired power plants.
America’s economy has enjoyed one bright spot over the last several years; oil and gas, including an expanding supply courtesy of hydraulic shale fracturing (fracking) is producing new jobs while offering the promise of abundant affordable energy. America is also blessed with vast stores of energy from coal; more than any nation in the world. This reality makes the harsh restrictions and growing financial hardship all the more perverse to a country that should be thriving and prosperous. A Bankrate.com survey released on June 24 shows that 76% of Americans are one paycheck away from financial ruin with little or no savings. It’s clear that the U.S. is teetering on the edge of distress as the economy lingers in stagnation. America’s engine is running on one cylinder fueled by the oil, gas and coal industries. Organizations like the Sierra Club, NRDC and a laundry list of enviro-allies share President Obama’s passionate zeal for a renewable energy society. The utopian vision they embrace fades quickly, as their policies blaze a path to desperation and human misery.
