Reading my online update of the Washington Times this morning, they had a story by Amanda DeBard about a new group using the new media to get their word out. Happy to oblige.
The piece details the Cost of Energy Information Project, whose website features a calculator which will predict how much your energy costs will rise should the cap-and-tax bill pass. (Hint: it’s probably more than the cost of a postage stamp per day. Mine was $853 a year!)
Much of the effort goes to posting updates on Twitter, the social networking site which boasts millions of users. For example, my Tweet this afternoon went to my 76 followers – if 10% follow through and have the math done they could reach hundreds or thousands of followers themselves, perpetuating the cycle.
If you’re curious how CEIP comes up with the numbers, so was I:
The energy cost calculator uses results from a study commissioned by the American Council for Capital Formation and the National Association of Manufacturers. The ACCF/NAM study of the House-passed cap and trade bill was performed by the non-partisan Science Applications International Corporation, using the same economic modeling system used by the Department of Energy’s highly respected statistical branch, the Energy Information Administration. The study was further refined to include results on a state-by-state level. The state-by-state data is applied to your specific current energy costs to calculate your projected future energy costs under a cap and trade system.
The trick with this, though, is to continually prime the pump and give people a reason to come back. Sure, a calculator is a nice initial draw but the 24/7 news cycle demands additional content for both the old and new media (like me.)
Besides, most people have probably figured out that cap-and-tax is going to cost more money – well, perhaps that’s an incorrect statement because 8 of the 9 Congressmen from Maryland and Delaware voted for this monstrosity in the House. The lone holdout was Rep. Roscoe Bartlett from the 6th District over in western Maryland. Frank Kratovil was in the tank, of course, but Mike Castle of Delaware was one of the GOP’s disappointing “cap-and-tax 8” which provided the margin of victory. Just thought I’d remind you. It’s also all but certain the four Senators who misrepresent our states will favor this legislation because they’re good liberals too.
Since this is a time of year utility bills are at their lowest, take a few moments to pull out your electric and gas bills and take a guess on your gasoline tab for the month ($100 is a pretty good guess since the average driver uses about 40 gallons a month to drive 1,000 miles) and see just how much more you’ll be paying to “combat” so-called manmade climate change.
Oh, by the way, this is just the monetary cost. As I described yesterday, the cost in freedom from this measure can’t be as easily calculated but it will be a cost just the same.
