Host Neal Asbury opened his nationally syndicated “Neal Asbury’s Made in America” show on Radio America (now on 70 stations) by noting that even the liberal press is taking issue with the proposed EPA regulations that will have a detrimental impact on the American economy and job creation.
“These new EPA ozone regulations will cost billions or even trillions of dollars. Obama doesn’t care about this; he’s only interested in his legacy. He’s willing to carry out his energy program on the backs of the average consumer,” according to Neal.
Co-host Dr. Rich Roffman agreed, characterizing Obama’s legacy push as “pathetic – one that will have significant unintentional consequences.”
The first guest on Made in America was Mike Duncan, from the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, who maintained that the new EPA regulations aimed at coal-fired power plants are illegal; expensive ($366 billion); and will have no measurable effect on climate change.
“Even if every coal-fired power plant were shut down, the impact on reducing carbon emissions worldwide would be insignificant. We call the Obama plan: all pain, no gain. The coal-fired energy industry has spent more than $140 billion on 16 different kinds of scrubbers and new technologies to reduce carbon emissions, which has made U.S. coal-fired plants the cleanest in the world. Granted, we still have a way to go, but there’s no way we can meet the new standards overnight,” suggested Duncan, who added that it’s like asking the old cellphone industry to go from the “brick phone” to an I-phone overnight.
One of the big problems, according to Dr. Roffman, is that environmental groups are actually helping the EPA write ozone regulations, which will benefit those energy companies with close ties to the Obama administration; which is not the coal-fired energy industry.
“The states are going to have to get involved. Sixteen states are bringing suit against the EPA regulations and they want to see the Supreme Court rule on this. I think the Court has already sent a message to the EPA in a previous ruling that they are over-reaching their authority by passing regulations without looking at the resulting cost to the energy sector and to business. States want the regulations to be put on hold until the ruling can occur,” noted Duncan.
As the previous chairman of the RNC, Duncan was asked to weigh in on the recent Republican candidate debate. His take? “This is like spring training. We’re 15 months away. Let’s just chill out and tell people what you’re all about without attacking fellow candidates.”
The discussion returned to the Obama quest for a historical a legacy.
“The powers that be want to actually accelerate activities to build the Obama legacy. The EPA regulations are just part of this agenda. It’s amazing that his EPA administrator Gina McCarthy, when asked by a Congressional committee about the current level of CO2 in the environment could not come up with an answer despite the EPA’s mandate to reduce it. “Obama is really working to qualify for a Nobel Prize,” maintained Dr. Roffman, “while Kerry is working hard to earn his!”
Dr. Roffman added that Obama wants to try and pass the regulations he has failed to accomplish in negotiations with other countries, like China, which gave an abstract, unenforceable agreement to reduce carbon emissions. If he would just support the coal energy industry, the country’s economy would turn around on a dime.
Returning as a Made in America guest was Pennsylvania Congressman Mike Kelly, who recently told Congress that Obama has kept one promise: that he would try and bankrupt any new coal-fired power plant.
“The president is really hard on coal and keeping energy cost down; but soft on Iran’s nuclear program. Hard to understand. Governors are telling him that they can’t afford to meet the new EPA regulations, but they are ignored. In my state of Pennsylvania, coal is responsible for 40,000 jobs,” noted Congressman Kelly.
Kelly added that for more than 6 years, we have an administration that has overseen the lowest participation in the job market in 38 years. Citizens have to stand tall on this issue and stop things before they get worse.
“The new energy policy is just unfair. I was able to get taxes reduced on propane in my state which will be a big benefit since many folks use propane to heat their homes in winter, not just cook hotdogs on the grill. People are getting hit left and right with higher energy costs and they are angry. The debates have been good for America. It’s amazing to me that if a Republican had made the mistakes that Hillary has, the media would be all over them,” noted Kelly.
The final guest on Made in America was Michelle Minton from the Competitive Enterprise Institute, who recently wrote that if you think the brainless health nannies in the United States are bad, “you should read up on the absurd proposals bursting from the cranial voids of Australian nannies. From plain packaging on cigarettes, which may or may not have actually increased smoking, to a proposal that would give cops the power to raid pubs and breathalyze patrons—at the bar–the Aussie nannies seem to be quite innovative in their exercise of petty authoritarianism. But a recent proposal to tax meat really takes the cake.”
“These new nanny laws will have unintentional consequences. If people stop eating meat, the price for alternative foods will rise. And what happens to the feed that cows eat? Bloomberg successfully passed some nanny laws in New York with exception of his ban on Big Gulp drinks. But nanny laws can be taken too far, as they have in Australia, the U.K. and in the U.S.,” suggested Minton.
On his ongoing report on cronyism, Dr. Roffman found it ironic that Anthony Weiner who exposed himself to people using his cell phone, which drove him from public office, has now been hired by a NY PR firm to help clients build their corporate image.
“Maybe he’s not the right guy for that job?” asked Dr. Roffman.
Dr. Roffman then revealed that the judge who blocked the release of Planned Parenthood videos is actually a big donor to the Obama campaign, which makes no secret of its support for Planned Parenthood.
Finally, reacting to the breach of the personnel records of federal employees, the Defense Department is planning to spend $11 billion for a new security system that will prevent access to military health records.
“And who will get that plumb contract? Probably Judy Faulkner, who’s Epic Systems is a $1,000,000 Democratic donor,” noted Dr. Roffman.
“This is the definition of cronyism,” concluded Neal.
Each week Neal Asbury’ Made in America provides Neal’s insights into the week’s top news stories and their impact on the worlds of entrepreneurship, small business ownership and the overall economy. Neal’s analysis, together with co-host Dr. Richard Roffman, a veteran 30-year publisher with extensive domestic and international experience, takes a non-biased approach based on real life experience in business as an American manufacturer and exporter. Made in America airs nationally each Saturday from 7-8:00 PM on Radio America. Link to Made in America at http://www.nealasburysmadeinamerica.com.
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