The Honorable Gene Taylor
United States House of Representatives
2269 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative Taylor:
On behalf of the thousands of Mississippians represented by the undersigned organizations, we urge you to oppose H.R. 2454, the Waxman-Markey "American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009." This "cap-and-trade" system constitutes a mammoth tax hike and would crush our already-ailing economy.
H.R. 2454 would be a massive new tax heaped on top of existing burdens. Capping emissions and requiring entities to purchase additional allowances from the federal government will lead to an explosion in revenue. President Obama's own aides have admitted that it could drain as much as $2 trillion from hard-working Americans.
This is a burden that would fall most heavily upon the least fortunate among us, many of whom are struggling without the imposition of such a tax. H.R. 2454 would increase taxes to the tune of $3,100 on every American family and raise their annual energy bills by $1,500. This is especially troublesome for poor American families who spend 26 percent of their income paying for energy, compared to just 4 percent for the median family. Your 4th district already has a median household income nearly $12,000 below the national average, and a poverty rate over 17 percent, significantly higher than the national average. Our state also faces an unemployment rate over 9 percent. Adding to the economic pain your constituents are suffering is an unconscionable policy in these difficult times.
If Congress deems carbon dioxide emissions to be a problem worthy of attention, then it should confront them without raising taxes on struggling American families in the process. If you do not support enacting the largest tax hike in history, which would be the unavoidable consequence of Waxman-Markey, then we urge you to sign the simple pledge attached to this letter which states that you will oppose any climate change legislation that would lead to a net increase in revenue. Only by signing such a pledge can one claim to protect taxpayers.
Again, we urge you to defend hard-working Mississippians and oppose H.R. 2454, the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade bill.
Sincerely,
Duane Parde
National Taxpayers Union
Brian M. Johnson
Alliance for Worker Freedom
Susan A. Carleson
American Civil Rights Union
Tim Phillips
Americans for Prosperity
Grover Norquist
Americans for Tax Reform
Dan Varroney
American Solutions
Jeffrey Mazzella
Center for Individual Freedom
Phyllis Schlafly
Eagle Forum
Max Pappas
FreedomWorks
Mario H. Lopez
Hispanic Leadership Fund
Howie Morgan
Mississippi Forward
Karen Kerrigan
Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council
This letter is part of a campaign targeting 63 key Members of Congress on this issue. Click here to see copies of the letters that were sent to other Members.