Nobody likes uncertainty. Investors hate it with a passion. Business owners and operators also dislike uncertainty because it leaves a lot of question marks on its books. It’s understandable that two dozen major brands are urging the White House and the Senate to move on the climate bill:
But in a new open letter to President Barack Obama and the U.S. Senate, two dozen major brands — ranging from eBay to HP to Gap to PG&E — declare: “We are business leaders from companies of all sizes and many sectors calling for your leadership. We call on you to enact comprehensive legislation. … Now it’s time for the United States Senate to act.”
To make the case, more than 150 business leaders from utilities, manufacturers and clean-energy companies plan to “swarm” Capitol Hill on Tuesday and Wednesday. The fly-in is being organized by We Can Lead, an umbrella business organization.
The CEOs will hold a news conference at the Capitol at noon Wednesday. They are scheduled to eat dinner with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on Tuesday, and to hold a White House meeting with Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke on Wednesday morning. Lobbying meetings are scheduled in 35 Senate offices.
These companies are either big corporations or have a stake in green energy, so it’s no wonder that they want a climate bill passed. Big corporations will be able to further dominate the competitive landscape because the bill will destroy their smaller competitors. Green energy companies love it because it gives them more federal funding and face time with Washington politicians — more power.
I don’t dispute that green tech is good tech, especially in current times. However, a cap and trade bill is unfair and detrimental to America’s business climate (pun intended). Green companies should be rewarded for their innovation, but the climate bill is not the right way for America’s energy future.
