The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

John Boehner: Mandates will devastate Ohio

E-mail this page

9:07 AM Thursday, December 24, 2009

It has been a long year for Ohio families. The recession that has ravaged the country continues to aim some of its strongest blows at our state. On Dec. 18, we learned that unemployment increased to 10.6 percent in the month of November, extending Ohio’s stretch of double-digit unemployment to nine months.

A “jobless recovery” and continued double-digit unemployment is not what we were promised. Ohio’s economy has lost tens of thousands of jobs since the trillion-dollar “stimulus” was enacted 10 months ago over pledges from the administration that jobs would be created “immediately.”

Ohioans are asking “where are the jobs?” Yet President Obama traveled to a climate change conference last week in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he sought to commit the U.S. to a series of international emission reduction mandates that will devastate the Ohio economy, and kill more jobs at a time we can least afford it.

While everyone supports a clean environment, these international mandates won’t work. In just one of the many troubling developments during the conference, China and India – two countries vital to any meaningful climate agreement – refused to agree to the same cuts expected of the U.S.

Since China and India are two of the largest and fastest growing carbon emitters, an agreement without their full support will have little to no environmental benefit. Such an agreement will, however, carry an enormous cost to our country as the Obama administration continues to pave the way for a “cap-and-trade” national energy tax as a means to reduce U.S. emissions.

As you may have heard me say before, a “cap-and-trade” energy tax will only make our energy crisis worse by increasing our dependence on foreign oil, increasing the cost of energy, and driving more jobs overseas to countries with less stringent environmental policies. One study from the National Association of Manufacturers and the American Council for Capital Formation concluded that Ohio could see job losses as high as 108,000, electricity price increases of up to 60 percent, and decreases in household disposable income of as much as $1,419.

This study is not alone in showing the troubling impact of the Majority Party’s energy policies. Numerous studies from agencies and organizations, ranging from the Environmental Protection Agency to the Heritage Foundation and the Brookings Institute, agree that “cap-and-trade” will reduce jobs overall and lead to lower incomes.

There is a better way. Republicans are committed to working to promote clean air, clean water and a healthy environment. That’s why we have offered a comprehensive energy policy that not only cleans up the environment but also lowers energy costs, reduces our dependence on foreign oil, and promotes new energy technology.

Republicans’ “all of the above” strategy is the fastest route to a cleaner, more reliable energy future. Our legislation – the American Energy Act (H.R. 2846) – will promote clean alternative technologies, encourage conservation, and increase environmentally-safe production of American energy, while creating millions of new, good-paying American jobs.

If there is anything to be learned from this year, it is that these are the types of common-sense solutions Ohioans truly want.

U.S. House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-West Chester Twp., represents Ohio’s 8th District.

Share this article

ADD COMMENT

Comments feed

Its amazing at the number of people that complain about Boehner year after year but the man still keeps getting elected. Makes the scandal of him being elected House Majority even more interesting.

Interesting
9:26 PM, 12/26/2009

REPORT ABUSE

"How Rad" Your stuff is a lot of glittering generalities about somehow after less than a year in office, this administration is "concentrating on social issues instead of job issues." You wouldn't have an economy to go find a job in if the current administration had not found a way to bring this country back from the abyss it was facing after 8 years of Bush. The only change for you will be to go back to school get more than a high school education. The other change? The mop up will take years.

Get a life first....
4:39 PM, 12/26/2009

REPORT ABUSE

John, John, John - Your assumption that readers will buy your clap-trap is more than insulting. At least, you make clear what you think of those you supposedly represent. They are not, in fact, the great unwashed who stand ready to believe you. Just look in the mirror and try to keep a straight face as you repeat your mantra to yourself. Please spare us.

Veteran
12:27 PM, 12/26/2009

REPORT ABUSE

John Boehner should have started worring about job loses over two decades ago. I know some of these folks claim it is all the repubs fault. The fact is the previous three administrations and congresses "allowed" the jobs to go overseas, catering to big business. Now this administrations is concentrating on social issues instead of job issues. It is almost like they want us to continue in "crisis mode". Well now that "change" is gone, how's that "hope" working for you

HowRad
9:54 AM, 12/26/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Just how log had the Republicans been in charge of the State of Ohio? Why are we "devastated"? Because the Republicans have never done anything for ohio, just for themselves. The same is true of the Country. Boehner and his criminal friends tried to rack up as much money for themselves as possible while letting nothing come to the middle class and, surely, nothing to the poor. It is time for Beohner to shut up and let America get back to being America. "All of the above" almost killed America.

savanation
8:48 AM, 12/26/2009

REPORT ABUSE

There are 2 additional comments

SHOW ALL

We welcome your comments. Please remember this is a public forum and behave appropriately. Your comments must conform to our visitor's agreement.