Give businesses a high-five, not high energy bills
President Obama recently declared “climate change is the global threat of our time,” and revealed his plans to address it.
He’s correct about one thing: Earth’s climate has been changing – a 5,000-foot thick glacier once covered Ohio. When the ice started melting 10,000 years ago, the receding force carved out the Great Lakes and the meltwater turned a small lake into the Black Sea.
But is climate change really the global threat of our time? In an online poll we asked small business owners their opinion of the president’s position and plans. Twelve percent of our respondents said the president is right, while another 8% allowed that climate change is a concern, but not our greatest.
Eighty percent of our sample are the folks Obama called the “Flat Earth” crowd because they disagree with him. That group includes a little more than one-third who just think climate change isn’t a problem, plus 43% who chose this option, “Climate change zealots are the greatest threat of our time.”
There are at least three reasons business owners aren’t showing the president respect for his climate change agenda:
1. President Obama likes to pick business winners and losers, but he isn’t good at it.
According to the Heritage Foundation, 34 companies that received over $7 billion of Obama’s green energy loan guarantees are faltering, including 19 that have already filed for bankruptcy. The rest are either laying off workers or headed to bankruptcy.
2. Unilateral sacrifice by the U.S. won’t stop global warming.
China, for example, is the worst polluter in the world, emitting one-fourth of global CO2, while producing only 10% of global GDP. Mr. President, check back with us when China and India sign on to your plan.
3. U.S. businesses aren’t getting credit for carbon emissions progress, especially when measured against economic production.
The U.S. produces 22% of global GDP, but only 18% of carbon emissions. Indeed, the International Energy Agency reports the U.S. has cut CO2 emissions more than any other country in the past six years – to 1990 levels. Those are Kyoto Accords CO2 numbers.
Here’s another way to look at this accomplishment: American businesses have almost tripled GDP in the last 23 years without increasing emissions. Mr. President, we deserve high-fives, not higher energy bills.
America needs a national energy plan that builds on what we’ve accomplished, the resources we own and the technology we can create, without making us less competitive.
Write this on a rock –Business owners deal in facts, not ideology.
Jim Blasingame is creator and host of the Small Business Advocate Show. Copyright 2013, author retains ownership. All Rights Reserved.
