Assemblyman Rocky Chávez, the local Republican who broke his promise to oppose any and all taxes, spins his vote to extend Cap and Trade until 2030:
“Given the state of our nation, and the fact 80 percent of Californians — and 50 percent of Republicans — not only consider the environment one of their primary concerns but also view climate change as a real threat to the state, we are making the right call in representing you — our constituents.”
Does this mean that Assembly Members Marie Waldron, Brian Maienschein, and Randy Voepel don’t care about the environment, or worse, don’t represent their constituents?
“This program secures several long-sought Republican victories, including repealing the fire prevention fee, saving Californians over $16 billion in taxes and regulations, and additional funding to university programs for the research and development of new energy technologies. This legislation saves jobs, and it supports the industries that provide those jobs.”
I must have gotten this wrong. I thought the Cap and Trade program raised taxes. Waldron and Maienschein signed the Taxpayer Promise so maybe we should be criticizing them for raising taxes. Why didn’t they vote for the Cap and Trade extension then?
“To put it bluntly, the alternative to extending California’s cap-and-trade program is a far costlier command-and-control regulatory scheme that would lead to higher energy prices for consumers and businesses.”
In other words, unelected apparatchiks held a gun to this elected official’s head and said “vote for it or we’ll be even BIGGER statists.” Takeaway: Legislators can’t be trusted to make law in California. Why don’t Waldron, Maienschein, and Voepel understand that their job is not to make law?
“Former Republican Governor Pete Wilson made a great point in saying, ‘This is a situation you now face in considering the climate change program and the reforms in this legislation. The choices are limited, and unfortunately you are now faced with what you can do to make a bad situation better…for a cap and trade structure that is acceptable to employers not to pass, the next option likely to be pushed would be a carbon tax, an outcome that would truly be disastrous for our state.'”
Pete Wilson is a great Californian but he hasn’t held elected office since 1999. Moreover, his remarks contradict what he said just two years ago: “He (Wilson) predicted that the state would fall from its ranking as the eighth largest economy in the world because of the energy cost increases that will result from AB32.. Wilson said he would roll back the provisions of AB32.” Why don’t Waldron, Maienschein, and Voepel agree with Pete Wilson that surrender was the only option?
“We have successfully molded an effective and efficient cap and trade program while protecting California families and ensuring sensible climate goals, starting with stopping unneeded and damaging regulations.”
Why do Waldron, Maienschein, and Voepel want to hand California over to the apparatchiks?
If you take Rocky’s explanation at face value, you MUST ask what’s wrong with Waldron, Maienschein, and Voepel.