Obama administration eschews democracy; prefers administrative fiat

Today the EPA has decided that they will regulatate all business and economic activity in our country. The means to this end is the regulation of green house gases; particularly carbon dioxide.

The Environmental Protection Agency has concluded greenhouse gases are endangering people's health and must be regulated, signaling that the Obama administration is prepared to contain global warming without congressional action if necessary.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson scheduled a news conference for later Monday to announce the so-called endangerment finding, officials told The Associated Press, speaking privately because the announcement had not been made.

So, even when the "settled science" seems so very unsettled, Obama is more concerned with his own appearances (i.e. how he will be received at the dog-and-pony-show that is the Copenhagen summit) then the carnage he will inflict on a fragile economy.

Business groups have strongly argued against tackling global warming through the Clean Air Act, saying it is less flexible and more costly than the cap-and-trade bill being considered before Congress. On Monday, some of those groups questioned the timing of the EPA's announcement, calling it political.

"The implications of today's action by EPA are far-reaching...individual Americans and consumers and businesses alike will be dramatically affected by this decision," said Charles T. Drevna, the president of the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association. Drevna, in a statement, said "it is hardly the time to risk the remainder of the U.S. industrial sector in an attempt to achieve a short-term international public relations victory."

The added benefit, the EPA regulations are weapon to use to get Congress to give him a badly needed "victory" with cap and trade; a bill that's taxes will be necessary to fund his health care behemoth.

While the House has approved climate legislation that would cut emissions by 17 percent by 2020 and about 80 percent by mid-century, the Senate has yet to take up the measure amid strong Republican opposition and reluctance by some centrist Democrats.

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., lead author of the Senate bill, has argued that if Congress doesn't act, the EPA will regulate greenhouse gas emissions. He has called EPA regulation a "blunt instrument" that would pose a bigger problem for industry than legislation crafted to mitigate some of the costs of shifting away from carbon emitting fossil fuels.

So Don Obama's message to the Senate is clear: pass the bill or what will be wrought through regulation will be much worse.