Opposition to cap-and-trade

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed HR 2454, commonly known as cap-and-trade legislation, on a 219-212 vote. This immensely important issue cannot be overlooked. Both jobs and our rural economic stability are on the line.

Thankfully, U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson voted against this damaging legislation. Even though Emerson was a vocal opponent of the bill, liberal interests prevailed.

HR 2454 allows Washington bureaucrats to raise over $600 billion in federal revenue from every American who eats, shops in a store or uses electricity to cool and light their homes. The Heritage Foundation estimates that 3,715 southern Missouri jobs could be lost in 2012 as a result of the new taxes imposed by cap-and-trade legislation. The cost to our economy in 2012 would total $430 million, and residential electricity rates are estimated to jump by 40 to 80 percent.

The U.S. Senate is our last chance to thwart cap-and-trade legislation.

Cap-and-trade legislation could not come at a worse time for rural America. Our economy depends on energy to fuel our farm equipment, provide manufacturers with electricity, run our cars and cool our homes. Our agricultural and manufacturing sectors would be greatly burdened by the taxes levied in HR 2454. The consequences in our corner of rural American would be extreme when compared to the rest of the nation.

I urge you to contact U.S. Sen. Kit Bond at 573-334-7044 and U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill at 573-651-0964 and let them know that you oppose cap-and-trade legislation.

State Rep. ELLEN BRANDOM, 160th District, Sikeston, Mo.