As far as energy companies that are regulated, they have to get permission to raise their rates. The boards that make the decisions are very hawkish and don’t like to let them have increases. Energy companies usually don’t have any competition (which is why they are regulated), and YES they will ask for exuberant increases because they don’t have to worry about competition. That doesn’t mean they’re going to be allowed to actually get the increases

As far as energy companies that are regulated, they have to get permission to raise their rates. The boards that make the decisions are very hawkish and don’t like to let them have increases. Energy companies usually don’t have any competition (which is why they are regulated), and YES they will ask for exuberant increases because they don’t have to worry about competition. That doesn’t mean they’re going to be allowed to actually get the increases.

Take MADD, for instance. Sure, they have nothing to do with environmentalists, but this is just to illustrate what outside groups do with limits or targeted goals. Oh, and I’m not saying this isn’t a worthy effort (as long as it’s within reason).

MADD puts forth DUI limits that they want the government to set the laws at. They wail and scream and raise hell until the laws reflect the target number they’re after. Then what happens? Do they stop? No. They set a higher standard (a lower DUI limit) and start over. They incrementally keep getting the number lower and lower. That sounds great, but their end game is to have zero tolerance….a stated 0.000 blood/alcohol level. This is insane, because mouthwash could get you thrown in jail for a DUI.

I know that’s another subject, but the behavior is going to be the same with environmentalists. Incremental increases in standards, gradually chipping away at big business, energy producers, car manufacturers, and etc.. I don’t think it will just be the environmentalists, but it will be power hungry liberals jumping on for the ride.

They will suck money out of industry for not meeting standards, and when businesses become more able to get under the CO2 emissions limits, the environmentalists and leftists will lower the bar. They will make sure that the limit is always lower than what businesses can comply with….continually draining the economy of cash and putting it in the hands of liberals (and Al Gore). As there becomes less CO2 emissions, Al Gore’s carbon credits will continue to rise in price and government penalties will become harsher.

This whole agenda is disgusting. A liberal wet dream, a socialist’s policy driver, and an environmentalist’s life line. I think we are destined for hyper inflation because of the leftist agenda that’s already taking place, and the global warming scandal is going to bury us.

Diversity may make a buffet look and taste a little better but the more caviar and alcohol feed Japanese beef you ladle on the table the higher the cost per person. This will result in a reduction of disposable income in the same way as if the state just raised a tax. The result will be that the state and the local governments will not be seeing as much sales tax as they used to so there will be a secondary effect of higher local taxation.