Freedom of speech is a right of all Americans — unless, it seems, you work for the Environmental Protection Agency and you’re critical of cap-and-trade. Seasoned EPA attorneys Laurie Williams and Allan Zabel were recently directed by the agency to un-post a self-made YouTube video outlining the “big lie” and the “big rip-off” of what we like to call cap-n-tax.
Echoing their Washington Post op-ed, the duo state that even as congressional advocates claim cap-n-tax will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the evidence says otherwise. “Cap-and-trade for climate change has been tried in Europe,” Williams says. “It produced harmful volatility in energy prices and few greenhouse gas reductions. It raised energy prices for consumers and made billions in windfall profits for utilities.”
Furthermore, when it comes to the promise of carbon offsets, Zabel insists they won’t work. Drawing upon his 20-plus years overseeing California’s cap-n-tax and carbon offset programs, he explains offsets will “make it look like we’re getting greenhouse gas reductions when we’re just getting business as usual.”
Unfortunately, the EPA has little interest in tolerating dissent, and, in its climate crusade, muzzling criticism has emerged as the agency’s weapon of choice.
