Remember When Cap and Trade Was a GOP Idea?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Since we're talking about the good old days and all...

Remember When Cap and Trade Was a GOP Idea?

It might have been hard to tell during the past few years, with Republican opponents branding all attempts to cut greenhouse gas emissions "cap and tax," but the idea of capping emmissions and trading emission permits was originally a GOP idea introduced to deal with acid rain. On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency released a report celebrating the 15-year-old program to curb acid rain as an environmental (and economic) success.

The program aims to cut emissions of the two compounds that cause acid rain, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, and was endorsed by President George H.W. Bush and approved in 1990 as an amendment to the Clean Air Act. The program actually began in 1995. Since then, the American industrial sector has slashed sulfur dioxide pollution 64 percent. Moreover, the EPA reports, the program has saved $120 billion in public health costs, which is about 40 times what it cost to implement the program. The EPA concludes that the program's success in cutting fine particle pollution has saved 20,000 to 50,000 lives per year.

Like the cap and trade system proposed for dealing with an even bigger emission problem, greenhouse gases, the program set a hard limit on emissions and then provided polluters with "allowances" for how much they could emit. Companies were able to trade permits between themselves to meet their needs, a program designed to keep costs lower for industry while achieving the overall reduction goals.

"The program's success has demonstrated that market-based trading systems can cost-effectively reduce pollution and address environmental damage," the EPA concludes in the report.

For more on the political history of cap and trade, see this Smithsonian Magazine piece and this Foreign Policy piece. This is, of course, something to remember as we listen to Republicans attack cap and trade and even the very idea of controls on pollution.

...or how about this one?

Original 1989 document where Heritage Foundation created Obamacare’s individual mandate

Republicans are on a renewed kick to try to repeal, or at least delay (in the hopes of killing), the “individual mandate” that’s included in the President’s health care reform law, aka the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare.

The irony, of course, is that it was Republicans, via their premiere think tank, the Heritage Foundation, who came up with the idea in the first place.

As you know, the “individual mandate” requires that every American buy health insurance, if they don’t have it through their work, or pay a penalty.

...

Or when less than a year before Obama took office Republicans overwhelmingly supported economic stimulus measures worth over 150 billion dollars in additional deficits even though the unemployment rate was at less than 5% at the time?

Ah yes, the good old days...

[Crashed~N2~Me 970]

how are you able to Waller in the same mud...year after year after year..?

Why do you refuse to recognize it's 2014..?

Did you bust a nut during the Bush years and just can't get past it?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

how are you able to Waller in the same mud...year after year after year..?

Why do you refuse to recognize it's 2014..?

Did you bust a nut during the Bush years and just can't get past it?

I see that not all walks down memory lane are created equal. Just as I thought.

[Pooky 3,804]

Ah yes, the good old days...

Then the GOP worked out that both plans were complete carp and moved on.

[luckytxn 2,264]

I remember the good old days when we could honestly blame Bush for everything.

[lostinblue 1,989]

I remember the good old days when we could honestly blame Bush for everything.

Liberals still try

[luckytxn 2,264]

Yeah but they know we laugh at them now.

Liberals still try

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

The really funny thing is that nothing in the OP lays any blame on Bush. And yet all you appear to see is Bush being blamed. Talk about laughable.

[luckytxn 2,264]

We just trippin down memory lane. So stop whining.

The really funny thing is that nothing in the OP lays any blame on Bush. And yet all you appear to see is Bush being blamed. Talk about laughable.

[Jacque67 7,328]

I remember when I was a virgin.

[JohnR! 5,495]

I remember when I was a virgin.

I still am a virgin, at heart....

[Karee 4,190]

I remember when I was a virgin.

..NM

Edited May 20, 2014 by Karee

[Crashed~N2~Me 970]

(Okay...Nyquil buzz is gone...)

I reread the OP and I'm nodding...waiting...watching..& then...nothing..?

MBD - Did I miss it? Where's the punch line? What are you trying to accomplish in this thread? What's the discussion? Guidance please.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

(Okay...Nyquil buzz is gone...)

I reread the OP and I'm nodding...waiting...watching..& then...nothing..?

MBD - Did I miss it? Where's the punch line? What are you trying to accomplish in this thread? What's the discussion? Guidance please.

You are clearly not paying attention. If you had, you'd know why I started this thread. Context is a beautiful thing. If you get it.

Just saw that you are getting it.

Edited May 20, 2014 by Mr. Big Dog

[Crashed~N2~Me 970]

Just saw that you are getting it.

...Okay.. Thanks for the confirm...

I'm with Spooky...I enjoy reading your squabbles. When does the fun begin again?